Tapio Luoma’s words were the latest in a series of apologies through which the former state churches in Scandinavia have sought to reset their relations with the Indigenous population of Sápmi, the natural and cultural area of Sámi people. Today, the region is divided between Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia.
Read MoreOver 6,000 years old and still a site for worship, Stonehenge remains a unique place. As the first rays of the sun shine into the Stone Circle at the recent summer solstice, thousands of worshippers gathered to celebrate, just as people have done throughout history. Druids, Wiccans and other pagan groups gathered to watch the sun’s arrival following a long winter.
Read MoreRussia continued to persecute pastors and shutter churches within its borders and in territories it occupies in Ukraine, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said in an updated report. The government has imprisoned, tortured and levied monetary fines against many religious leaders, including Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox Church of Ukraine and others.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Bono has never been backwards in coming forward, especially when it comes to God. He doesn’t mumble about “spiritual energy” or dodge the name of Jesus. He says it straight: “The Son of God.” He talks about Christ carrying his shame, not because it sounds poetic, but because he believes it. His faith isn’t necessarily neat or polished, but it's real.
Read MoreIf Jim Henson and Fred Rogers could connect with kids through puppets, why couldn’t Shlomit Tripp? “It’s really important that these kids understand that being Jewish is also fun,” Tripp said. “It’s not only the Shoah or this dry religion sitting in a synagogue and being bored.” Regardless of background, all appeared enthralled before Tripp’s colorful creations and exaggerated voices.
Read MoreFinding chaplains on-site at a National Trust heritage property is not something visitors usually expect. But at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, in the north of England, it has become a regular occurrence. The Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII marked the end of Fountains Abbey as a Cistercian monastery.
Read MoreFor the first time in centuries, public access to the Knock has been denied. Although the hill is widely acknowledged to be used publicly, it’s technically private land. After a group went to the summit for a winter solstice ceremony last year — honoring what many believe to be the hill’s ancient role in sun worship — they received a letter from the landowner warning they were trespassing.
Read MoreBerlin faces growing intolerance of immigrants and their religions, especially Muslim Arabs from countries like Turkey and Syria. right-wing extremist political parties like the Alternative for Germany echo Nazi talking points and pine for a homogenous, white and Christian society. History, however, shows that such a time never existed.
Read MoreThroughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Christianity flowed from Europe and North America to Africa, often carried by missionaries. But in the 21st century, the pattern has reversed. African-led churches are now sending their own missionaries abroad, and many are planting churches in many former colonial capitals.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On May 13, 2025, the Joint Committee on Human Rights in the U.K. Parliament, a committee consisting of members of the upper and lower houses of the U.K. Parliament, published a report looking into the U.K.’s responses to Daesh — also known as the Islamic State group — atrocities, and in particular, to the Daesh fighters who returned to the U.K.
Read More(OPINION) Angry students threatening campus police. Students holding signs in the lobby of a classroom building. Which do you prefer? Which is the best?
Read MoreA week doesn’t go by without President Donald Trump talking about “needing” to acquire Greenland. As reporters rush to cover this mysterious territory, much has been said the island’s politics and melting ice — but nothing about the island’s eclectic religious mix of Lutherans, Pentecostals, Baptists, Baha’is and Catholics.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The days after a pope's death are hectic, and it's a hard time for Vatican officials to examine complex, controversial documents. Nevertheless, the bishops of Germany announced — two days after Pope Francis died on April 21 — guidelines for handling blessings for same-sex couples and other "irregular" relationships. Welcome to the Chair of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV.
Read MoreA curiosity about Scripture and God may be one of the leading factors behind a study that claims a “quiet revival” is expanding among young people in the United Kingdom, said an International Mission Board leader. An increase in church attendance among 18-24-year-olds from 4 percent in 2018 to 16 percent in 2024, with young men’s attendance jumping from 4 percent to 21 percent.
Read MoreAs the pandemic dragged on, the Andersons remodeled an apartment adjoining their home into guest quarters. Mitch earned certifications in mission care and counseling and trained in assessment, coaching and leadership. The end result: Caretakers, a ministry that offers debriefing, transition support, stress assessment and spiritual formation retreats.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of the most important questions that one has to ask in doing data work is pretty simple: “Compared to what?” Sure, religiosity in the U.S. has dropped over the last half-century, but how does our religious behavior compare to Europe?
Read MoreThree men from different faiths sit side by side on a stage. It’s nearly sundown just outside Berlin, with more than 100 people gathered for an interfaith iftar — the fast-breaking evening meal of Muslims during Ramadan. Each religious leader speaks about the power of fasting in their tradition, their words framed by the clatter of Turkish food being prepared in the kitchen.
Read More(ANALYSIS) This may be unsettling to those who’ve invested in the idea of a steadily secularizing globe, but the numbers don’t lie. In the long run, the groups that reproduce tend to shape the narrative. If religion continues to dominate global culture through the 21st century, it won’t be because it won a war of ideas. It’ll be because believers have more babies.
Read More(REVIEW) With glittering treasures from Siena’s golden age at every turn, this outstanding exhibition at The National Gallery in London is the first outside of continental Europe to consider the major role that the Italian city played in the development of Western European art in the early decades of the 14th century. Siena was united in its devotion to the Virgin Mary, who was believed to be the city’s personal defender and celestial queen.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On April 13, a Russian ballistic missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy resulted in at least 30 people killed and over 80 wounded. According to officials, the missiles struck the heart of the city in the early hours as people gathered to celebrate Palm Sunday, the first day of the Christian Holy Week.
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