Society
Judge orders anti-abortion protestors to end demonstrations outside of Planned Parenthood facility.READ MORE
Mission
The technological progression of modern times have forever changed the idea of immortalization. Gone are the days of stone and chisels as notable events, individuals, and works of art, are memorialized forever online. Now, Bibles have been made accessible to virtually everyone in the world through digitization, and companies are now looking to revive many endangered and "lost" Bible translations. Spearheaded by MissionAssist, and joined by Bible Society and Wycliffe Bible Translators, a new digitization project seeks to revive dying languages by making the Bible accessible to hundreds of minority language groups. READ MORE
Society
The Smith County Board of Education in Tennessee has been accused and sued over Promoting Christianity in a "religiously hostile" setting. After admitting to incorporating prayer into official activities and morning announcements, as well as proselytizing students through distribution of Bibles and religious iconography, the School District has agreed to stop these practices. The district was sued last year by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of the two plaintiff families. One of the students of the families released this statement explaining her experiences with her school's religious promotions, "Overall, it's really uncomfortable. You feel like you don't fit in at all. I feel like it's almost like it's coercing everybody to be the same. I feel uncomfortable because I feel like I'm the only one sitting there not participating." READ MORE
US
The U.S. Department of Defense issued a new guidance decree on September 1st with the intent of supporting President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order on freedom of speech and religion. The guidance, Instruction 1300.17 established "DoD policy in furtherance of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment" and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The policy would require Defense Department officials to "oversee the development and provision of education and training on the policies and procedures pertaining to the accommodation of religious practices of Service members" for higher ranking officers. READ MORE
US
Tennessee Representative, John DeBerry Jr. has served his constituents for the last 26 years. In addition to his responsibilities as a government official, DeBerry has also been an ordained minister for the Coleman Avenue Church of Christ in Memphis. DeBerry explained in an interview with the Catholic News Agency, "My work in Nashville as a legislator is nothing more than an extension of my work as a child of God, as a Christian." Therefore, DeBerry has also been vocal about his pro-life beliefs and conservative views on gay rights, which have not gained him any favors amongst some of his Democratic peers. READ MORE
Society
New research by Barna Group indicates white Christians seem to be increasingly opposed to recognize and become involved in racial injustices causes in the U.S.READ MORE
Life
Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church continue to hold packed indoor worship services despite multiple closure and restraining orders.READ MORE
Entertainment
Popular worship leader Chris Tomlin delivers a surprising new album with a country theme featuring popular country artists Florida Georgia Line and many others.READ MORE
Entertainment
Disney's new live action remake of 'Mulan' has been the subject of much controversy after it was revealed that Disney filmed portions of the movie in a region of China known to hold concentration camps.READ MORE
Mission
Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian, was wrongly imprisoned on death row in Pakistan for 10 years. Now, safely in Canada, she speaks to the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) about her plight, and that of girls and religious minorities all over Pakistan. Bibi has become a symbol of the persecution Christian minorities face around the world. In her conversation with Alessandro Monteduro, the director of ACN's Italian Office, Bibi spoke about the suffering of many young Pakistani girls, who are abducted and forced to convert and marry against their wills. In response to two young girls, Huma Younus and Maira Shahbaz, both victim of such abuse, Asia Bibi stated, "I know that these girls are being persecuted and I appeal to Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan, please help our young girls, because none of them should have to suffer like this!" READ MORE
Society
St. John's Church continues to spread messages of love and peace through the murals painted on its boarded up windows.READ MORE
US
This year in March, the LifeWay Research group conducted their biennial State of Theology survey in which they surveyed over 3,000 Americans adults. The results of the survey showed that Americans have increasingly complex and conflicting ideas of theology and Christianity. Perhaps the greatest discrepancy was that 54% of Americans believe theology to be a matter of personal opinions, rather than actual objective truths. As Scott McConnel, executive director of LifeWay Research puts it, "Many Americans treat theology like a choose-your-own adventure book... It's clear from certain beliefs that some people feel truth is something people are free to define on their own, and in doing so they possess seemingly incompatible beliefs."READ MORE
US
In a world whose dependence on technology and social media is rapidly increasing, engaged christian parents are becoming more and more concerned with how these developments will affect their children's faith formation. In a recent report released by Barna Group in collaboration with OneHope titled Guiding Children, data found that approximately one third of engaged christian parents are struggling with the effects of media on their children's faith development. Barna Identifies "engaged Christian parents" as U.S. adults who are the parents of at least one child aged 6 to 12 and identify with Christian faith and the desire to pass that faith down to their children. In the report Guiding Children, these parents were asked to rank their top three areas of struggle when it came to their child's faith formation, and approximately 34% ranked at least two of their top three being media related. These parents were identified as being "Media Stressed." READ MORE
Church
The California based Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry, with the help of the religious rights law group Liberty Counsel have filed a lawsuit to appeal and challenge California Gov. Newsom's ban on in-person worship services. Liberty Counsel stated that the lawsuit would appeal "both the total ban on in-person worship (including in private homes) in the counties on the 'County Monitoring List,' and the ban on singing and chanting in the remaining counties." Not only does Harvest Rock seek to reinstate their in-person worship services, but their "Life Groups" (smaller home Bible studies) as well. READ MORE
World
According to Barnabus Fund, an international Christian aid agency, at least 500 Ethiopian Christians have been murdered in coordinated door to door killings since June. This slaughter of Christians seems to have begun after the assassination of a popular Oromo singer Hachallu Hundessa, whose music promoted resistance and political freedom. READ MORE
The Sunday Assembly, also known as the “Atheist Church”, based in the United Kingdom is scheduled to have its first global assembly. The “church” is also known to have a branch and ...
World May 06, 2014 02:34 AM EDTThe leaders of the DPRK have been making very strong statements regarding human rights. A representative from the North Korean government has stated in a speech that the U.S. is a ‘living ...
World May 08, 2014 03:08 AM EDT
