Nuns Back In Court To Defend Contraceptive Mandate Exemption

The Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home was back in court defending its federally approved exemption to the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate in a case dating to 2013 and involving three Supreme Court victories. The ministry in Pittsburgh last won its case before the U.S. Supreme Court in July 2020, when the justices said the Department of Health and Human Services acted lawfully when it granted exemptions to the contraceptive mandate to employers with religious and conscientious objections.

What Was Religion In The United States Really Like In 1776?

The United States had its 250th birthday last week. And, in the last few episodes we have tried to understand the role of Christianity in America’s founding. But what kinds of Christians were the first Americans? And what role did Catholics, Jews and Atheists play in the Revolution? Were there muslims or Hindus on U.S. soil in 1776?

Cosplaying Free Speech: How Religion And Politics Determine Campus Taboos

(ANALYSIS) I feel like I got into a debate or a disagreement with someone about politics or religion on a near daily basis when I was between the ages of 13 and 25. I would fight with anyone about anything and I would often argue positions that I completely disagreed with because I just liked the intellectual gamesmanship of the whole exercise.

Beijing Pastor Ezra Jin Released After Diplomatic Talks

Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, founder of Beijing-based Zion Church, one of China’s largest and most influential unregistered Protestant congregations, has been released after nine months in detention following high-level diplomatic engagement between the United States and China. Jin arrived safely in Los Angeles in the early hours of July 4.

A Doctor Allegedly Killed Patients: Why Justice Still Eludes Victims’ Families

Many in the African nation of Zimbabwe are continuing to seek justice for their friends killed by Michael Swango, an American serial killer doctor now serving three life terms in a U.S. federal prison for similar crimes he committed on U.S. soil. Despite being imprisoned, families say he’s never been punished for poisonings committed in Zimbabwe during the 1990s.

What to Know About Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s Funeral

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral is unlike any other in the history of Iran’s Islamic Republic and the wider Middle East. The country’s longtime supreme leader was killed four months ago in U.S.-Israeli strikes, but his burial has been delayed until now, making the ceremony a rare departure from Islamic tradition.

Houston Christian University President Robert Sloan Jr. Dies At 77

Robert Sloan, Jr., president of Houston Christian University, died on the morning of July 4. He was 77.

Polygamy Debate Reignited In Kenya After Viral Widow’s Confession

Akinyi Kaula postponed the “American Dream,” dropped out of her nursing degree studies and flew back to her homeland of Kenya — only to end up in a polygamous marriage. Now, her story is igniting online debate in Africa. The debate over polygamy, Christianity and Western values continues as many men ponder whether to wed multiple wives.

UMC Cuts Ties With Asbury Following Continued ‘Progressive’ Drift

Proponents of historic Christian orthodoxy are no longer welcome in the purportedly big tent of the United Methodist Church. That is the message sent by the removal of Asbury Theological Seminary from the UMC’s list of schools approved to train United Methodist clergy, observers of Methodism say.

Ahead Of Return, UFC Fighter Conor McGregor Went On A Spiritual Journey

UFC star Conor McGregor says he is living a Christian life after embarking on a spiritual journey that has left him feeling “saved” and “healed.” McGregor has said his renewed faith has reignited his competitive drive and inspired him to leave a legacy others can learn from. McGregor, now 37, prepares to fight again with a renewed sense of himself.

‘Modeling Religious Pluralism’ Puts Forth An Ambitious And Timely Collection

(REVIEW) At a time when religious differences are frequently portrayed as sources of division, a new book — featuring a collection of pieces from various authors — provides a thoughtful and hopeful alternative grounded in education, justice and, more importantly, mutual respect.

🇺🇸 America At 250: 1976 Bicentennial Mixed Faith And Fireworks 🔌

Fifty years ago, America celebrated its Bicentennial. The 200th anniversary of the nation’s founding occurred on a Sunday. For many, celebrations mixed faith, family and fireworks.

The Nones Are Everywhere: What Decades Of Data Tells Us

(ANALYSIS) Being around academics for my entire working career has taught me that most of them grew up in highly populated areas and want to live in close proximity to large population centers. I never really wanted to do any of that. I’m happy to live in a small town where housing is cheap, crime is low, and traffic is non-existent. But I also realize that my environment shapes my work. I understand American religion through the lens of a guy who has lived in the rural Midwest for four decades.

Iran’s Christians And The Media’s Religion ‘Blind Spot’

There’s that question again: How can mainstream media cover this story? Do elite journalists want to cover it? Is it cynical to thinkthat this story could, finally, end up on the front page of The New York Times if, and only if, it can be framed as yet another failure linked to Orange Man Bad?

Vatican Excommunicates Breakaway Traditionalist Bishops, Declares Schism

(ANALYSIS) Pope Leo has reaffirmed that disputes over doctrine and worship within Catholicism ultimately converge on a single question: Whether authority rests with individual movements claiming to preserve tradition or with the pope as the center of ecclesial unity.

‘Young Washington’ Mixes Faith And The Limits Of A Hero’s Transformation

(REVIEW) The faith-based film industry is shifting from family-friendly dramas toward male-focused, patriotic stories for conservative Christian audiences. “Young Washington” reflects that evolution with strong action, but ultimately weakens its emotional impact by oversimplifying George Washington’s ambition and spiritual transformation, limiting its cultural and thematic potential.

Taking On a Post-Oct. 11 World: 2 Plays Stage 3 Years Of Infighting Over Israel

The Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, proved to be just the first bloodletting in a renewed cycle of violence and recrimination. Israel responded with its destructive campaign in Gaza. Far from the theater of war, American Jews reckoned with renewed fears of antisemitism and fractures within their own communities and families.

The Founders’ Revolutionary Choice: Separating Religion And Government

(ANALYSIS) Did the founders of the United States intend to create a Christian nation? Political leaders who addressed a prayer rally on the National Mall on May 17 seem to think so: House Speaker Mike Johnson led the crowd in rededicating) the United States of America as “one nation under God.”

Tattoos And Faith: Christians Weigh Identity, Grief And Redemption

(ANALYSIS) Struggling with the loss of her child, a mother asked Father Peter Jon Gillquist a question that pastors are hearing more often — about getting a tattoo.

Camp Mystic Files For Bankruptcy After Report Finds Deaths Were Avoidable

On June 18, the Texas Legislature released a 115-page investigative report, based on 140 interviews. The losses at the camp, it says, were avoidable. Days later, Camp Mystic filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, court records show. Unlike a chapter 7 bankruptcy, which liquidates a business, a chapter 11 filing means that the business pays a portion of its debts and keeps operating.

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