Pope Francis led a prayer vigil at the Vatican to recall the plight of migrants and refugees, saying everyone is “called to be neighbors.” The service took place during the Synod on Synodality, a gathering of bishops and laypeople, and comes as large numbers of people have been forced to flee the Global South to places like the U.S. and Europe.
Read MoreThe Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York will open a new exhibit later this month that explores the rescue in “Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark.” Intended particularly for children and adolescents, the interactive exhibit not only commemorates the event, but asks visitors to confront the question: How would you respond if you heard a cry for help today?
Read MoreTwo Ukrainian Christians, separated in age by a half-century, experienced the love of Jesus and the horrors of war. Artem Vinogradar, 22, died in mid-August while fighting against invading Russian forces. Two weeks later, longtime church leader and theologian Igor Kozlovsky, who spent nearly two years as the prisoner of pro-Russian separatists, died of a heart attack. He was 70.
Read MoreIn societies where Muslims constitute a minority, the abaya takes on an added layer of significance. Muslim women can use the abaya as a means to connect with their cultural heritage. But it has also drawn criticism.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The small Armenian Christian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh — locally known as Artsakh — has long been part of historical Armenia. Since December 2022, Artsakh has been under siege by neighboring Azerbaijan, and the world has largely ignored a prolonged assault on that peaceful community of 120,000 souls.
Read MoreIn Poland, a country in which 84% percent of the population identifies as Catholic, according to the country’s National Statistical Office, “offending religious feelings” by “publicly outraging an object of religious worship or a place dedicated to the public celebration of religious rites” is a criminal offense under Article 196 of the Polish Penal Code.
Read More(EXPLAINER) A day after Azerbaijan launched a military assault against ethnic Armenians in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, they halted their offensive on Wednesday following a ceasefire. Despite the temporary end to the hostilities, Christians in the region remain at risk following three decades of war.
Read More(TRAVEL) In addition to its charming architecture, close proximity to nature and signature miniature canals, the city is known for the well-respected University of Freiburg. During my exchange program, I spent quite a bit of time in the university’s energy-efficient, futuristic-looking library.
Read More(EXPLAINER) French officials said they will bar children in public schools across the country from wearing the “abaya,” a full-length robe used by some Muslim women to convey modesty. The rationale for the ban, they said, was to stem a growing number of disputes in its secular schools.
Read More(OPINION) This is part of what constitutes freedom of religion and expression: Vulgar, disrespectful, derogatory and critical expressions about religion and other worldviews are unavoidable in an open and free society. Freedom of religion doesn’t mean freedom from religious criticism.
Read MoreThere were 200 synagogues in Latvia before World War II. Peitav-Shul is the only synagogue building to have survived both the Nazi and the Soviet occupations of Riga. The bright blue interior, built in 1905, is decorated with Egyptian and Assyrian-Babylonian geometric patterns. The Aron Kodesh (the Holy Ark), where the Torah scrolls are kept, faces Jerusalem. A marble pulpit faces the congregation.
Read MoreSome free churches in Sweden may be showing the way toward growth: Engagement with young families, engagement with seniors, engagement with neighbors and the world. The Church of Sweden hasn’t completely given up on this kind of engagement either.
Read More(TRAVEL) Many tourists coming to Turkey visit Ephesus, the sprawling archeological site where, according to the Book of Acts, Paul lived, worked and preached for nearly three years. Yet, there are numerous other fascinating sites associated with Paul that are more off the beaten path.
Read More(REVIEW) Joseph Lovett’s “Children of the Inquisition” is a feature length documentary exploring the worldwide Sephardic diaspora and recounting the history of various Jewish families seeking refuge during the Spanish Inquisition.
Read MoreAs the Netherlands celebrated a day 2,000-plus years ago when people of many nations became the first Christian church, a multinational, multiethnic mix of believers from from Ukraine, from Western Europe, from Africa — even from Russia — gathered to praise God.
Read MoreThe feast day of saints Peter and Paul is a significant celebration in the Christian calendar because it commemorates the lives of two martyrs. The annual feast, observed on June 29, holds deep religious and historical significance for Christians around the world.
Read MoreThe disappearance of the 15-year-old Italian, who lived at the Vatican, has sparked a series of investigations and unanswered questions that continue to baffle investigators and the public alike. Indeed, 40 years later, the Orlandi case remains perplexing and accusations that high-ranking members of the church know what happened to her.
Read More(OPINION) Given the insistence of this party that it is based on Christian values, it is worth exploring what those values are, is there a coherent set of ideas that this party stands for, and how these values and ideas relate to something we could meaningfully call Christianity.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The countries in Europe that are more likely to attend religious services than the American average are Poland, Slovakia, Cyprus, Ireland and Italy. The rest have attendance rates that are much lower than the overall American attendance mark.
Read MoreEduard Charov criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on social media, asking, “Would Jesus Christ have gone to kill in Ukraine?” The FSB alerted the Prosecutor's Office. A Sverdlovsk Region court fined him for “discrediting” the Armed Forces and “inciting hatred” towards state authorities.
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