Politics
Religious minorities in Iran are facing more persecution, human rights watchdog organizations warned in a report released on Thursday. Some policy analysts said last year’s conflict with Israel and the U.S. may have pushed the regime to look for a “scapegoat” to blame — and found it in religious and ethnic minorities.
Since Frederick Chiluba declared Zambia a Christian nation in 1991, religious rhetoric has shaped governance and elections in the African nation. Despite widespread faith, political corruption, poverty and inequality persists — leading some critics to argue the declaration remains largely symbolic rather than transformative in practice today.
The Anglican denomination continues to reject gay marriage, a decision it affirmed in 2023 while instead voting to pursue blessings. The vote to end the pursuit closed three years of work in the broader Living in Love and Faith initiative regarding identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, that the church launched nine years ago.
(ANALYSIS) Former Irish President Mary McAleese argues that infant baptism violates children’s human rights by imposing church membership without consent. Critics respond that parents possess religious freedom in child-rearing, note historical and biblical defenses of infant baptism, and compare similar birth rituals across Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.
(ANALYSIS) Each Valentine’s Day, Hindu nationalist groups in India target couples, framing public affection as a cultural threat. Drawing on theories of moral panic, moral foundations and crowd psychology, this anxiety about social change, identity politics and purity-based values combine to justify moral policing and restrict personal freedom.
(ANALYSIS) Fifteen years ago, Egyptians from all walks of life took to the street to demand “bread, freedom, social justice.” They were protesting the oppressive 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak. Egypt had been under martial law for 31 years. This meant that political opposition was silenced, and opponents were often imprisoned and tortured. Police brutality was the norm.
(ANALYSIS) Love and hate seem like obvious opposites. Love, whether romantic or otherwise, involves a sense of warmth and affection for others. Hate involves feelings of disdain. Love builds up, whereas hate destroys. However, this description of love and hate treats them as merely emotions.
While reading some of the outraged commentary about the spectacular staff cuts at The Washington Post, I keep thinking of the immortal words of King Theoden of Rohan, when facing dark waves of evil during the Battle of Helm’s Deep. All together now: “How did it come to this?”
U.S. Army soldier. Republican congressman. Executive pastor. That was former U.S. Rep. Steve Russell’s career path before his 2022 recruitment to lead a North Carolina-based international ministry known as JAARS — which stands for Jungle Aviation and Relay Service.
Former Miss California Carrie Prejean Boller was removed from the White House’s Religious Liberty Commission after rejecting Zionism during an antisemitism hearing. A recent Catholic convert, she argued the modern state of Israel holds no biblical significance, reflecting a broader shift among some American Christians away from traditional Zionist support.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee reflected on faith and redemption after reconnecting with singer Jelly Roll, whom he had met years earlier while speaking in prison. At a divided National Prayer Breakfast, Lee avoided politics, sharing how personal tragedy reshaped his life, as other speakers highlighted religious freedom.
On Monday, nearly a dozen abuse survivors and advocates testified before the Georgia House Judiciary Committee in Atlanta. They spoke in support of Trey’s Law, a bill that would prohibit non-disclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse.
(ANALYSIS) As Christian clergy across the United States participate in ongoing protests against harsh immigration enforcement actions and further funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, many are still pondering the words of Rob Hirschfeld. On Jan. 18, 2026, Hirschfeld, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, encouraged clergy in his diocese to “prepare for a new era of martyrdom” and put their wills and affairs in order.
Hannibal-LaGrange University settled its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education after new federal guidance reversed a rule it said violated religious freedom. The challenged regulation had blocked Pell Grants for incarcerated students, costing the university $700,000 and threatening Baptist governance structures nationwide.
(ANALYSIS) President Trump’s deportation drive is reshaping the 2026 battle for Congress, but celebrity protests and mass demonstrations show little evidence of moving voters. The real test may come in churches, especially among Catholics, whose leaders condemn mass deportations and whose increasingly fluid voting patterns could decide close races.
Catholic pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai was sentenced on Monday to 20 years behind bars in one of the most prominent prosecutions under a China-imposed national security law that has reshaped Hong Kong’s political landscape.
Karim Kaarar guides visitors through the church of Saint Augustine and the archaeological ruins of ancient Hippo Regius nearly every day, tracing the footsteps of Augustine, one of Christianity's most influential thinkers. But the Algerian Christian knows that in 2026, this small community will host its most significant visitor yet: Pope Leo XIV.
(OPINION) As a prolific writer — both fiction and non-fiction — when an inspiration hits me, I have to follow through on the process of getting my ideas on paper (or, in these modern times, typed into the computer) or it bugs me no end. My latest effort will, eventually, be a book about how not to be “beige.”
North Korea is right there. Standing on the observation deck at Aegibong Peace Ecopark, holding cups of coffee from the brand new Starbucks behind them, visitors gaze across the Han River to the rolling hills of the world’s most isolated, enigmatic and repressive state.
With a record $1.76 billion expected to be wagered on the Super Bowl, more people are asking if legal sports betting is good or bad for America.
(ANALYSIS) A Roman basilica’s removal of a cherub resembling Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reveals how quickly sacred art can become political symbolism. The controversy highlighted tensions between church and state, revealing how religious spaces amplify power when contemporary political figures become a part of devotional imagery.
(REVIEW) Faith-based films about sex trafficking are becoming more common, reflecting cultural anxieties and a push toward grittier storytelling. “Still Hope” exemplifies this trend, offering a sincere portrayal of recovery, but ultimately faltering through one-dimensional characters, didactic messaging and a tendency to prioritize education over authentic stories.
(ANALYSIS) As the complexities in Venezuela continue to evolve, President Donald Trump held his first face-to-face meeting with democratic opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Universal consensus says her party won the 2024 presidential vote by two-thirds or better, whereupon dictator Nicolás Maduro, now imprisoned in New York City, stole the office.
As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the focus is fixed on the New England Patriot and Seattle Seahawks. Beyond the game, the Super Bowl is a cultural touchpoint. Watched by millions, it remains the most-viewed event on American TV. While commercials and the halftime show are all big draws, faith once again plays a part in the biggest football game of the year.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested early Friday morning for his role in the Jan. 18 disruption at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn.
The Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown in Minnesota — which has led to confrontations with protesters and two high-profile shooting deaths of U.S. citizens — has dominated national headlines for days and even weeks. Here are key faith angles to follow.
Delegates from 17 congregations of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America heard five hours of argument in a church outside of Pittsburgh on Jan. 24. They determined Samuel Ketcham, a self-described “race realist” who says white supremacy is a historical fact, is guilty of “serious sin … and to the profession of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.”
(ANALYSIS) Beyond the debate over who is polarized in the U.S., there’s an adjacent, and perhaps more critical, discussion I want to tackle today: What drives polarized views? There is ample reason to think that religiosity impacts views on topics like abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender identity.
An affidavit describes how protesters disrupted a Jan. 18 service at Minneapolis’ Cities Church, frightening worshippers, blocking parents from children, and forcing families to flee. Federal agents say organizers targeted the church over alleged ICE ties, leading to arrests and civil rights conspiracy charges under an 1871 federal law statute.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s life was not without controversy. Still, the civil rights icon’s immense influence was evident in the wake of his passing.