For Ukrainian Christians, each day brings a terrible mix of hope, loss and uncertainty. Last month, the Ukrainian army launched an incursion into Russiaâs Kursk region â invading its invader for the first time in the 2½-year-old conflict. In surprise attacks, Ukraine seized some 500 square miles of Russian territory and more than 90 villages.
Read MoreJulia Hanlon Rubio begins her book, âCan You Be a Catholic and a Feminist?â with the conundrum that women are senators, Supreme Court justices, presidential candidates, world-class athletes, CEOs, professors and artists â yet how is it possible that the Catholic Church underutilizes womenâs gifts?
Read MoreGeneration Z, the first to grow up with smartphones and tablets, is the most fearful and anxious of any age, the American Bible Society said in its latest release from the 2024 State of the Bible. But regular Bible engagement, a practice that attracts only 11 percent of Gen Z, reduces anxiety by half and can improve other markers of emotional health.
Read More(OPINION) As Iâve argued for years, being spiritual on your own isnât enough. I located a column I wrote in 2015 â speaking of repeating myself â that outlined a half-dozen arguments for why believers need to join a congregation of like-minded pilgrims. Hereâs a lightly edited version of that.
Read MoreIt is widely believed that out of the worldâs population of between 150 and 250 million deaf persons, only 2% are professing Christians, making them one of the largest unreached people groups in the world. September is deaf awareness month, and MinistryWatch is highlighting the work of several ministries that are committed to bringing the gospel to the deaf community.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Audience members may walk away from the first two movies in the âXâ trilogy believing theyâre meant to have picked up on a meaning. Maybe something about purity culture, womanhood or aging; maybe a warning about the perils of chasing stardom. But even the intended message is unclear.
Read MoreThe enduring presence and contribution of Christian schools across India, a majority Hindu nation, highlights their pivotal role in shaping the nationâs educational landscape. Despite facing challenges and opposition, these institutions continue to provide quality education to students from diverse backgrounds. Here's a look at the history of these schools and their enduring legacy to Indian society.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Numerous high-profile sporting stars talk openly about the importance of religion to their careers, including England soccer stars Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka. World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury credits his Catholic faith with bringing him back from addiction. It is sports, and its âgodsâ like Fury, that attracts far greater devotion among much of the public.
Read MorePope Francis â following his historic 12-day trip to Southeast Asia â chimed in on the upcoming U.S. presidential election, instructing U.S. Catholics to use their âconscienceâ when voting and to choose the âlesser evil.â The popeâs remarks came days after the very first debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Read MoreAs the two-year Adventures in Missions program â known as AIM â begins, participants get instruction on stewardship, security procedures, personal hygiene and respectful treatment of the Sunset Church of Christ members who house them. For nearly a decade, another topic â one often avoided by Christians â has gained prominent attention at AIMâs annual orientation. Sexual trauma.
Read MoreA Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist is leaving the Wall Street Journal for the National Catholic Reporter. Why this is a surprise â and why it's not.
Read MoreAfter a difficult economic stretch for many churches and pastors, Southern Baptist pastors may feel more comfortable compared to two years ago. Compensation for full-time Southern Baptist senior pastors, full-time staff ministers and full-time office personnel outpaced inflation over the past two years, according to a study conducted by Lifeway Research.
Read MoreThis brings us to megastar Taylor Swift and her decision to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 White House race, which was the hook for this weekâs âCrossroadsâ podcast. Legions of âSwiftiesâ from in America (and around the world) received this news via Instagram (Swift has 280+ million followers), where her much-anticipated post triggered celebratory mainstream media coverage.
Read MoreA coalition of civil society groups, activists, social media influencers and ordinary citizens launched a multi-faith protest movement earlier this summer against what they described as the #EndBadGovernance to address Nigeriaâs rising inflation, unemployment and insecurity. The result has also resulted in an unprecedented cooperation between Christians and Muslims.
Read MoreAccepting her role as the reigning Miss South Africa, Mia Le Roux said, âIt is my turn to be your community, to be a voice for those who, like me, have experienced the challenges of being different and feeling excluded.â
Read More(OPINION) Politics are very important. Politics played a role in the abolition of slavery and segregation and in the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Conversely, it was because of a political vote that Hitler came into power, resulting in the deaths of multiplied tens of millions of lives.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It was the kind of quote that, when said by the right person under the right conditions, would inspire bold headlines. âYour country ... has families with three, four or five children,â Pope Francis told President Joko Widodo of Indonesia. âKeep it up, youâre an example for everyone, for all the countries that maybe ... these families prefer to have a cat or a little dog instead of a child.â
Read More(PHOTO ESSAY) The U.S. president has the Secret Service as protection. The pope has the Swiss Guard. Who are these men donning multi-colored uniforms designed during the Middle Ages who march around St. Peterâs Square? Religion Unplugged takes you behind the Vatican walls for a closer look at the military unit.
Read More(REVIEW) âThe Front Roomâ tries to say something important about faith, but its social commentary is too silly to take seriously and the thrills arenât good enough to be silly fun. In a post-Christian society, itâs inevitable that movies will increasingly find creative ways to reflect and wrestle with this religious change. Hopefully, more of them will do so in a more intelligent (or at least entertaining) way than âThe Front Room.â
Read MoreAfter spending almost nine months in a Nicaraguan prison, 13 pastors and attorneys associated with the Texas-based Mountain Gateway ministry were released on Thursday. They were part of 135 unjustly detained political prisoners released on humanitarian grounds, according to a White House statement.
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