North America

A year ago, Memorial Church of Christ volunteers served Ukrainian refugee families a traditional Thanksgiving meal from Pappas Bar-B-Q, a popular Houston restaurant chain. But this November, the refugees prepared a special feast — featuring Ukrainian favorites such as stuffed dumplings known as varenyky — to show their extreme gratitude to their English-speaking brothers and sisters.

(ANALYSIS) Earlier this month, 45 Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders were sentenced to years in jail for “subversion” following a controversial National Security Law trial. The group of human rights defenders, scholars and lawmakers were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion for taking part in an unofficial primary to select opposition candidates in July 2020.

(EXPLAINER) Thanksgiving Day isn’t just about parades, crowded airports, football games and a turkey dinner. The U.S. holiday also has roots in the Christianity of 16th century Europe. The celebration has been linked to the Pilgrims of 1621 and the harvest festival since the late 19th century. As the name implies, the theme of the holiday revolves around giving thanks.

(ANALYSIS) For Indigenous activists, walking the land can take on powerful spiritual and political significance. It has been, and continues to be, an important way Indigenous nations pursue healing, environmental stewardship and diplomacy across Turtle Island, the name many Indigenous groups use to refer to North America.

(OPINION) On a certain level, things just got a lot more simple. That’s because it will become increasingly difficult for the church to look to Trump to lead the way on key moral and cultural issues. To be sure, he has chosen his battles carefully, highlighting the destructive extremes of radical transgender activism while distancing himself from Project 2025.

Calling the rebuild a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for the church to expand its efforts to reach others, Senior Pastor Robert Jeffress noted that insurance will only cover the cost of what was damaged. Members are asked to reach a $27 million goal toward a project that could exceed $100 million. Debris removal remains ongoing and the church needs to be ready for the rebuild.

(ANALYSIS) Few questions have intrigued humanity more than the mystery of free will. Are we truly in control of our lives or are we following a script written by something greater? The debate over free will has raged for centuries, touching philosophy, science and religion. Which brings us to another age-old question: Can a belief in free will coexist with religious doctrine?

Ethiopia’s Amhara region, located in the north near Sudan, has benefited from measures that included pairing community medical workers with religious leaders on community health drives. Ethiopian Orthodox priests are respected for their collaboration with health organizations to spread awareness and immunization campaigns.

(ANALYSIS) An estimated 18 million Americans are invested in cryptocurrency, according to the Federal Reserve. And the United States just elected a pro-crypto president. But is cryptocurrency a good ethical investment?

Manipur is burning yet again, marking its third major escalation since the violence began in May 2023. The initial outbreak and the three subsequent flare-ups have almost seemed predictable, each coinciding with challenges to the leadership of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. Let’s start with the latest escalation, which is still ongoing.

Grand Canyon University, the largest Christian university in the country, has won its case pertaining to its nonprofit status at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The court ruled on Nov. 8 that the U.S. Department of Education had used the wrong standard when it denied the university’s application for nonprofit status in 2019.

About 150 Baptists forcibly displaced from their homes in Hidalgo, Mexico, since April have sought refuge in a neighboring state after Catholic village leaders reneged on an agreement that would have welcomed the Protestants home.

Archegos founder Bill Hwang, formerly one of the wealthiest evangelical philanthropists, will spend 18 years in prison for business practices that led to more than $10 billion in losses to Wall Street banks in March 2021.

(ANALYSIS) On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine and unleashed a full-scale invasion. This invasion, which in itself is a crime of aggression, was followed by a litany of international crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes. Furthermore, some of the acts may meet the legal definition of genocide. One thousand days later, the conflict rages, with an escalation being visible over recent weeks.

The tragedy that struck Appalachia has stirred up a profound emotional response within the local communities and throughout the country. Digging out mud, cleaning debris and donating are just a few contributions volunteers have made. In response, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association deployed chaplains from their Rapid Response Team to minister to homeowners.

(ANALYSIS) The creative economy is about translating the inspiration of culture and ideas into high-value businesses and enterprises.  For billions of people around the world their faith is a big source of inspiration and creativity. Artificial intelligence will be a major disruptor of our economy. It will also allow many people to join the ranks of the creative economy like never before. In essence, faith has a role to play in the unfurling of the next chapter in humanity’s economic story.

(OPINION) Our grandson Connor made a very interesting comment when he was a little boy. His parents (our daughter and son-in-law) were praying for him when he was fighting some minor illness, asking God to heal him. When nothing happened, he said, “Jesus doesn’t have enough hands to heal everyone.”

(OPINION) When Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom isn’t of this world. If it were, my followers would be fighting,” he was saying, in effect, there’s no kingdom on this planet — including yours, Pilate — that operates according to the rules of the kingdom I proclaim. Today we fail to see how cosmically revolutionary Jesus, his kingdom and his early followers were.

(ANALYSIS) We examined how religious organizations actually engage in political activities, providing a window into the behavior of congregations in ways often not explored. Our findings challenge common perceptions about the relationship between religious institutions and political behavior.  

A native of Gainesville, Ga., Doug Collins was senior pastor of Chicopee Baptist Church from November 1994 through October 2005, according to the church’s annual church profile reporting. He also served as chaplain for Chattahoochee Baptist Association and earned his Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Lisa are members of Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville.

The independent agency that accredits degree-granting institutions removed Hannibal-LaGrange University from probation. An assessment team with the Higher Learning Commission noted the efforts of the Missouri Baptist Convention-affiliated school, HGLU reported. Those steps included “diligent work toward financial health, improved enrollment strategies, and responsible endowment management.”

Heading into the busiest shopping season of the year, many Americans may find meaning and purpose while they’re picking up gifts for others and themselves. A Lifeway Research study asked 1,200 U.S. adults their level of agreement with 10 statements related to issues of consumerism and contentment.

(OPINION) Have you ever considered that we could be thankful and never give thanks? Imagine having a heart full of gratitude but never expressing your thankfulness. A search of the New Testament for the words “thanks,” “thanksgiving” and “thankful” reveals some interesting finds.

(ANALYSIS) The Archbishop of Canterbury, whose position has a 1,427-year history, is a major figure in world Christianity as head of the Church of England and, because of that, in modern times is also the spiritual leader of the international Anglican Communion. This branch of Christianity encompasses some 85 million members in churches across the world.

The scandals surrounding the life and work of the former (and now disgraced) cardinal Theodore McCarrick rumbled in the background of Roman Catholic life for decades — starting in the early 1980s. Insiders whispered, but nothing was done.

Unlike “The Chosen,” which spends a lot of time on the Jewish rituals that shaped Jesus’ life and that of his followers, “The Carpenter” makes no attempts to authentically portray life and practices in ancient Israel. It doesn’t even portray biblical events. The two plot lines — Oren’s journey to the Jerusalem competition and Yeshua’s serenely intoned life lessons — have seemingly nothing to do with each other.

(ANALYSIS) Angel Studios can’t seem to catch a break from controversy. Its first big hit, the film “Sound of Freedom,” was heavily criticized by sex-trafficking survivors for its deceptive portrayal of the issue. They’ve also faced allegations of unsavory business practices and for partnering with a conservative media company for distribution.

(ANALYSIS) The 2024 election faced a situation that echoes the circumstances of 2004. In the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court essentially turned the question of abortion regulation back to the states. That means that the ballot initiative/referendum has become the instrument through which states can set limits (or not) on abortion access.

Dallas-based Gateway Church announced to staff this week that donations have dropped 35%-40% and staff reductions are imminent. The announcement comes five months after the resignation of founding pastor Robert Morris due to an allegation of child sex abuse.