A six-week abortion ban with exceptions will be implemented in Florida, but voters will also have the option of enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution in November. The changes flow from two Florida Supreme Court rulings April 1. The first, which upheld a 15-week ban, also means that Florida will be able to implement a six-week ban that Gov. Ron DeSantis has already signed into law.
Read More(REVIEW) It’s a shame that “Solo Planet” has such a ho-hum subtitle: “How Singles Help the Church Recover Our Calling.” It should be: “An Intrepid Reporter Surveys Christian Singles on Six Continents during a Whirlwind 17-month Tour.” Which is what Anna Broadway did. Having already written one book on singles, this 40-something single evangelical woman noticed that most literature on the topic came from an English-speaking, American perspective.
Read More(EXCERPT) Mark David Hall’s new book, “Who’s Afraid of Christian Nationalism: Why Christian Nationalism is Not an Existential Threat to America or the Church,” shows that Christian nationalism does not, as its critics claim, pose “an existential threat to American democracy and the Christian church in the United States.” As well, it critiques the handful of Americans who advocate for Christian nationalism.
Read More(OPINION) For many years now, it has been clear that America has been in a steep moral and spiritual decline, despite some genuine revival movements along with some holy pushback against the growing cultural insanity. But two recent examples confirm that we are now in moral freefall. What took place over Easter weekend is further proof of it.
Read More(EXPLAINER) Since 2000, the two holidays have overlapped every year but four — in 2005, 2008, 2016 and this spring. Easter is calculated based on the Christian liturgical calendar tied to the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Passover, on the other hand, is determined by the Jewish calendar, which is also lunar-based. That’s where the similarities end.
Read MoreAs Christians approach Easter, Baptists sheltered in the remnants of Gaza Baptist Church are so worn out they “no longer have the energy to suffer,” a leader there told the Christian Mission to Gaza. At the same time, Israel Defense Forces have decreased their attacks on Gaza in recent days.
Read MoreA new monument will recognize the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who fought for Britain under the Commonwealth banner. The British government announced that $1.2 million would be allocated to erecting the monument. Of course, the plan has come under fire politically from both the left and the right.
Read MoreThe latest Congressional spending package allows federally funded gender transitions and essentially bypasses current restrictions on government-funded abortions, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission said. Protections for pre-born life, religious liberty and biblical gender are among ERLC’s prime concerns in the bill that offers certain protections while overlooking others.
Read More(ANALYSIS) At this stage in his country music career, Oliver Anthony is still reaching his fans by propping his smartphone in a tour bus window and recording social media videos. Seven months ago, of course, he didn't have a career, didn’t have a tour bus and didn't have fans.
Read MoreThe U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in a case that will rule on the availability of mifepristone, a drug commonly used in medication abortions. The case is the first time the Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue of abortion since the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. A decision on the case is expected in June.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The American novelist and essayist Marilynne Robinson has accumulated numerous literary prizes, among them the 2005 Pulitzer, but also honors in religion. Her new non-fiction book “Reading Genesis” wrestles with the grand themes and thorny issues raised in the Bible’s first book. It’s a climactic testament at the twilight of a distinguished life and career.
Read MoreEven though the days of slavery and indentured labor in South Africa are long gone, the Hindu and Muslim festivities that take place on Easter weekend have become beloved occasions for their respective communities. In a variety of ways, South African Hindus and Muslims have made the Christian holiday their own.
Read MoreStatistics compiled by Amnesty International show that there is a culture of stigmatization and victim-blaming towards rape survivors in Nigeria. The result is a large percentage of rape and sexual assaults going unreported. One man is trying to change all that by helping others after experiencing abuse himself as a child.
Read More(OPINION) With the ever increasing warnings about the alleged danger of “Christian nationalism,” however ambiguous that term might be, it is only fair to ask: Is America a Christian nation? And, just as importantly: Has America ever been a Christian nation? And how does this relate to Christian nationalism?
Read More(OPINION) Mostly we butt into other folks’ affairs because we’re control freaks who need to fix, or at least feel superior to, everyone else. Or, like Dear Abby’s correspondents, we’re nosy. Or we reap some type of social currency from getting the inside scoop and then passing it along to friends. Or we hope to deflect attention from our own shortcomings by calling attention to someone else’s.
None of those is a good look, is it?
Read MoreMuslim athletes face a unique challenge when Ramadan coincides with their training and competition schedules. Throughout the month-long period, practicing Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, abstaining from both food and drink. For athletes, this can be particularly demanding as they need to maintain their energy and performance levels.
Read MoreWhy do churches grow? Lots of reasons. Why do churches shrink and die? Lots of reasons. That’s the complex reality that we discussed during this week’s “Crossroads” podcast.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights four takeaways from a new national survey on religion in public life. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Here’s a fun fact, the United States Census Bureau is prohibited from asking questions about religion on the decennial census. That’s the big data collection effort that is conducted every decade to get an accurate headcount of the United States for purposes of apportionment.
Read MoreIn the “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church,” Sarah McCammon, a national political correspondent for NPR, shares — with a sometimes visceral honesty — the everyday currency of childhood in an evangelical subculture in which the Bible was the ultimate authority.
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