(ANALYSIS) The #WithoutJustCause campaign, highlighting the fates of a broad range of political prisoners including faith leaders, civic activists, businesspeople and former government officials, aims to shine the light on their stories, raise awareness and increase pressure to secure their release.
Read MoreNow is a good time as any to look ahead to what this year will bring. For Orthodox Christians, it means marking down the top Orthodox events of 2024. In fact, the next 12 months promise to be eventful ones — from academic conferences to film festivals to summer retreats and international gatherings.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The story of Michael Foster got me thinking about how two concepts (environmentalism and religion) may be deeply intertwined with each other. In the current discourse about religion, climate change has not really taken center stage. It seems the debate is focused on social issues: same-sex marriage, the rights of transgender Americans and abortion.
Read MoreOver the next few weeks, a team of pastors will organize events in Ivory Coast — with plans to involve players, coaches and fans — throughout the Africa Cup of Nations, which ends on Feb. 11 with the final. The host nation — along with Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt — are among the favorites to win Africa’s premier soccer tournament for national teams.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In an age in which Christian colleges and universities face intense legal pressures on moral issues — especially policies linked to sex and marriage — it is now especially important to note whether schools require faculty, staff and students to sign "doctrinal covenants" defining commitments on behavior and beliefs.
Read More(OPINION) With all that’s going on in The Southern Baptist Convention, one matter is being ignored. But given the current squabbles and embarrassments, this would seem a good time for the denomination to rebrand itself with a new name. For starters, the “Southern” monicker is no longer accurate. Then there’s unfortunate history to overcome in which the name is enmeshed with slavery.
Read More(OPINION) If you’re still considering making a New Year’s resolution, try kicking the bucket list. I’d never heard of a “bucket list” until the 2007 movie “The Bucket List” was released.
Read MoreAs the climate worsens in the Kashmir valley, a multitude of individuals gathered at the Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Dargah Hazratbal and other local mosques and shrines in Kashmir this month seeking divine intervention through special prayers for much-needed rain and snow.
Read MoreIn this era where the transcendent is often overlooked, advocating for spiritual and religious freedom transcends mere individual rights. It's about preserving our inherent spiritual dignity and embracing a worldview where spiritual elements like truth, goodness and beauty hold significance in every aspect of our lives. Without acknowledging and having the freedom to explore our spiritual dimensions, we risk passing on a materialistic outlook to future generations, devoid of the profound sacredness interwoven in every facet of life.
Read More(ANALYSIS) New Year’s resolutions often come with a renewed investment in making our bodies healthier. Many may take to the newest diet plan or sign up for a health club membership, but it is worth taking time to consider what constitutes a healthy, happy body.
Read MoreTributes to the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. took place on Monday across the country and included a mix of politics, faith and community service. This year’s observance — the 38th since its was made a federal holiday in 1986 — commemorated the Baptist preacher and Civil Rights Movement icon's importance to American history.
Read MoreThe decision by Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo to become a Christian was one of the biggest stories involving athletes and their faith in 2023. He’s one of five athletes who have been vocal about their Christian faith who now serve as a role model to millions around the world.
Read More(OPINION) Taking care of a very sick loved one by yourself can be so demanding that it’s difficult for folks who haven’t tried it to comprehend. A caregiver is an amateur trying to do the jobs of a whole squad of pros: nurse, mental health counselor, bookkeeper, maid, legal advocate.
Read MoreThe group 3HO is currently made up mostly of white Americans converted to Sikhism, a 500-year-old religion with origins in Punjab, India. Members also regularly practice Kundalini yoga. They wear white and typically live in ashrams and abide by a lacto-vegetarian diet. Alcohol, drugs and sexual relations among the non-married is forbidden in the ashram.
Read More(REVIEW) Famous musician Lil Nas X is making his “comeback” to music — to do it, he’s paying homage to Jesus, “who had the greatest comeback of all time.” The single, “J Christ,” and its music video are saturated with over-the-top, “scandalous” religious images that have generated more than their fair share of controversy.
Read MoreIn the face of the vast human suffering, staggering damage to infrastructure and environmental catastrophe caused by the conflict — which marks its 100th day on Sunday — another controversial post-war scenario is for Israel to rebuild some of the post-1967 Gaza Strip settlements from which it unilaterally withdrew in 2005.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Vatican’s decision to allow priests to bless couples in what they called “irregular relationships” continues to get lots of media attention, especially since it involves same-sex couples. Here’s how some Catholic priests who are active on social media and YouTube are explaining what it all means.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in focuses on the evangelicals supporting Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Shared testimonies, collective singing, silent meditation and baptism rituals — these are all activities you might find at a Christian church service on a Sunday morning in the United States. But what would it look like if atheists were gathering to do these rituals instead?
Read More“The Book of Clarence” is an entertaining and God-glorifying hero’s journey story of redemption that – if not for some of its PG-13 material and off-beat style – would be right at home in any faith-based movie environment, but far better quality-wise than most.
Read More
