Christianity
The Rev. Erickson Mugo knows what it means to be a Christian living with a disability. “We have been called upon by the Lord to always proclaim peace and blessings in our homes and society,” he said. “When we encourage one another … we invest ourselves in doing good. May the Lord enable us to invest ourselves in our homes, villages and societies.”
South Africa faces a sexual abuse crisis, with assaults occurring in homes, streets, and increasingly, churches. Pastors have exploited trust, targeting victims of all ages and backgrounds. Investigative journalist Vicky Abraham details the challenges survivors face, the cycle of abuse and the urgent need for accountability.
A California artist walks the streets of Los Angeles, drawing portraits of and talking with unhoused people, producing moving art, and life-changing conversations about self-worth, dignity and resilience. Before his first semester at Biola University, Leith, a practicing Christian, prayed, asking whether he should do art or missions. The response was clear.
Larry Lyon, a Southern Baptist educator who oversees the business side of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, will become the next Truett McConnell University president, the school said Monday. The appointment comes a little more than four months after Truett McConnell University (TMU) trustees fired longtime president Emir Caner.
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.
(OPINION) When winter streets freeze and night skies are black and snow swerves down against the glow of porch lights, my thoughts inevitably turn to one of the more powerful works of fiction I know, James Joyce’s story “The Dead,” which appeared in his 1914 collection “Dubliners.”
(ANALYSIS) I’m a bit enamored recently with the life of Ernest Hemingway. He was obviously a tremendous writer, maybe one of the finest in our country’s history. But he also lived a life that could charitably be described as “chaotic.”
Pope Leo XIV cautioned against “overly affectionate” AI chatbots, warning they can manipulate emotions and blur lines between humans and machines. The discussion, covered by CNN and explored in the “Crossroads” podcast this week, raises broader questions about AI as quasi-divine. A “Harry Potter” quote underscores the perils of trust and unseen entities.
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.
(ESSAY) Flee the clamor of urban life, and take a drive through this beautiful desert and wilderness area. Meet three faith leaders who found the solitude and peace they were looking for — and who ultimately made this stunning landscape their home. Across New Mexico, religious communities locate themselves in remote areas in order to gain solitude and silence.
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.
When the Pew Research Center asked Mainers what religions they followed, the most common answer wasn’t Catholicism or Evangelical Protestantism. It was “nothing in particular.” But there’s more to the story.
Travis Reger claims he was abused in 1984 at the age of 10 by a leader in the Royal Rangers at Albany First Assembly of God church in Oregon. Although he says his father confronted the pastor, Stan Baker, about the leader’s behavior, nothing happened. The leader was convicted in 1988 for abusing two other boys.
In the second half of the State of Discipleship study, Lifeway Research studied churchgoers’ levels of discipleship by asking dozens of questions related to Christian doctrine and practice. Analysis of their answers reveals eight characteristics that are consistently present in the lives of believers who are progressing in their spiritual maturity.
It all began on a sunny day at a local park. missionaries Russell and Tori Minnick were watching their kids have fun on a playground when, at the far end of a field, a group of men were running routes and huddling over playbooks. Both men could tell they were practicing American football, so he made an inquiry.
(ANALYSIS) William James is remembered as the father of American psychology. But for many believers, he holds a different place altogether. He stands as one of the rare modern thinkers who refused to mock faith. He didn’t preach religion, and he certainly didn’t try to dress it up in academic jargon. Instead, he studied it with care, reverence and genuine respect.
Until temperatures rise high enough and long enough to make roads more accessible, response to a winter storm stretching from Texas to the Northeast is going to have a more local focus, officials said.
This past Dec. 18, on International Migrants Day, participants in an interfaith prayer group gathered at Winton’s statue with Jewish children. In freezing weather and amid the noise of passing trains, the refugees were remembered by the people who had helped them.
Churches across the U.S. use Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program to build lasting relationships with families of incarcerated parents. What began as a Christmas outreach expanded into year-round ministry, providing practical support, spiritual care, and community connections that strengthened churches, families and neighborhoods.
During this tense moment in journalism, will Southern Baptist leaders return telephone calls from elite newsrooms or will they choose to speak to “conservative” and “religious” publications, alone?
Once an evangelical monolith, claiming influence in 30 countries and 16 churches in the U.S., the Australian-based Hillsong Church has — due to leadership scandals — shrunk considerably. Eleven U.S. churches have left Hillsong, bringing the U.S. total to five. And the global church network just lost a country: Russia.
(ESSAY) In a world where reporters cover the Vatican more like a political state rather than a religious institution, John occupied a rare space, even rarer these days. The longtime Rome correspondent explained things — both fairly and with plenty of context — to a world largely unfamiliar with how the Vatican works.
“It is painful to see how, especially in the West, the space for genuine freedom of expression is rapidly shrinking," said Leo.
(REVIEW) The faith-based film industry is going through major changes. It’s starting to break into the mainstream, with critical and box office success. As a result, there’s a new film genre called “based faith” targeting conservative, Christian male audiences, but if “The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin” premiere is any indication, this new genre has a rocky road ahead.
(ANALYSIS) Sam Kinison, the famed comedian, is remembered for his intensity, volcanic punchlines and the wild nights that carried him far beyond the boundaries most people never cross. But long before the fame, he lived in a world far more holier. Born into a family of Pentecostal preachers, he grew up where faith was the structure around which life revolved.
Catholic affiliation is declining across much of Latin America, while the number of religiously unaffiliated adults is rising sharply, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Despite these shifts, belief in God, prayer and the personal importance of religion remain widespread throughout the region.
El dominio histórico de la Iglesia católica en América Latina continúa debilitándose, incluso cuando la mayoría de las personas en la región sigue siendo profundamente religiosa, según nuevos datos de encuestas del Pew Research Center.
Nearly 175 worshippers were abducted on Jan. 18 from three churches in Kaduna State in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, Christian advocacy groups reported, after at least 35 were killed in separate attacks on villages in the Middle Belt and eastern Nigeria.
Behind the medals and records, some Olympians say faith and spirituality play a meaningful role in how they train and compete. Faith can offer athletes a framework for resilience, especially in a world defined by so much pressure and scrutiny.