St. John’s Episcopal Church, where Trump posed with a Bible on June 1, is known as the “Church of the Presidents.” Here are five facts about the historic church that you probably didn’t know, involving Abraham Lincoln, a marriage record of both enslaved and free African Americans, a presidential pew and more.
Read MoreWhile white evangelicals are the least likely religious group to view global warming as a crisis, there is a growing movement of evangelicals like Michelle Frazer who not only care about the impacts of climate change, but perhaps more significantly, are appealing to conservative Christians in ways that the secular, left-leaning environmental movement hasn’t.
Read MoreGilead Sciences, which has raised hopes of a drug to treat coronavirus with some early signs of success in clinical trials, is named after an ancient salve used in Bible times.
Read MoreWith a long-trending decline in the number of Americans who identify as Christian, stay-at-home orders are testing churches’ ability to maintain connections with followers or lose more of their flocks. During Holy Week, many churches report higher views online than can fit in their sanctuaries. Some are even hosting virtual activities like an Easter egg hunt to engage kids.
Read MoreA recent poll found that two-thirds of evangelical pastors say their tithe incomes have fallen in the past two weeks, since the spread of coronavirus hit the U.S. Churches are responding with salary cuts, temporary layoffs and reorganizing budgets while filling food pantries for those stuck at home without work.
Read MoreEgypt, Israel and Palestine are closing several holy sites after a fleet of Greek tourists who visited them have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Meanwhile, faith groups around the world are rethinking traditions to curb the spread of the disease and protect their worshippers without straying from their religious laws.
Read More(OPINION) “Weekend Plug-In” is a column by veteran religion writer Bobby Ross Jr. Look every Friday for analysis, insights and top headlines from the world of faith. This week: a focus on the intersection between politics and religion in the news.
Read MoreThe Mormon church has combined and updated its handbook, a portion of which had previously remained off-limits for lay members. Several changes relate to LGBTQ members, while the church remains firm in its support for only traditional marriage.
Read MoreA new citizenship law that excludes Muslim migrants is the latest and boldest move by India’s Hindu nationalist government, igniting protests by Indians who support the country’s secular founding and worry about increasing authoritarianism in the world’s largest democracy.
Read MoreToday 65% of American adults describe themselves as Christians, a steady decrease from 77% a decade ago. Those who identify as atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular are on the rise.
Read MoreThe 22-year-old Catholic Agnes Chow and her evangelical colleague Joshua Wong were arrested and released on bail Friday on charges of unlawful assembly. This weekend marks five years since China restricted free elections in Hong Kong and pro-democracy protests dubbed the Umbrella Revolution brought the young activists to fame.
Read MoreAs the Indian government’s communication ban reaches two weeks, it announced that 50,000 landline connections have been restored for calls after crowds surged last week to the few phones available from government offices. Internet and mobile networks remain shut.
Read MoreWe talked to human rights activist Dr. Widad Akreyi about the Yazidi community’s wait for justice on the international stage after the start of a genocide on Aug. 3, 2014. Thousands captured by Islamic State fighters remain missing.
Read MoreWe break down each candidate’s faith affiliation and how their religion could inform their chosen policy issues. Some might surprise you.
Read MoreA bill to ban triple talaq, or Islamic instant divorce, is creating controversy in India. The bill could be unconstitutional in two ways: it would criminalize only Muslim men for deserting their wives and it trumps so-called personal laws meant to provide religious freedom in civil matters like marriage.
Read MoreThe same-sex relationship affirming ministry of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Paul the Apostle represents a divide between some liberal Catholic parishes and the Vatican’s conservative teachings.
Read MoreSaudi Arabia, China, Russia and Myanmar are the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom in 2018, according to the U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report.
Read More(COMMENTARY) The Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting wrapped up Wednesday by taking an “action” against sexual abuse that is a way of distancing itself from churches that have mishandled sexual abuse instead of reaching out to victims.
Read More(NEWS ANALYSIS) India’s Hindu nationalist and populist Bharatiya Janata Party won reelection Thursday in a sweeping parliamentary majority. Here’s what that means for religious minorities, other marginalized groups and the organizations working for their welfare.
Read More(NEWS ANALYSIS) Reports claim that more than 40 Nigerian Christians were killed in the week leading up to Easter, and many more remain missing. Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari was quick to send condolences to Sri Lanka, but slower to respond to Islamist attacks on Christians in his country.
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