Four Catholic laypersons in St. Louis, Missouri, filed a joint lawsuit Tuesday (April 28) challenging the “draconian restrictions” in St. Louis County’s stay-at-home order that limit religious gatherings to no more than 10 people. A hearing in the case is set for May 7.
India, which recently passed legislation that experts say is detrimental to Muslims, should be placed on the U.S. government’s list of most egregious religious freedom violators, a watchdog agency says in its new report.
From hashtagged travel photos posted on Instagram to immersive apps, a number of digital pilgrimages are making spiritual journeys possible for the faithful and the curious alike, even as they stay home.
Lothar Wieler, the head of the German government’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, specifically warned on Tuesday that communal singing was ill-advised. “Evidence shows that during singing, the virus drops appear to fly particularly far,” he said.
Governors across the country recently started lifting coronavirus restrictions even as health experts warn it’s too soon to reopen. With the rashness of the biblical Judge Jephthah, many governors push ahead with their plans even though it means sacrificing lives.
An initiative that seeks to financially help small and struggling churches in the wake of COVID-19 has raised more than $400,000 and received over 1,000 applications for funding.
The headlines that ran last week (April 24) announced a new sexual abuse scandal to roil the Southern Baptist Convention: “Cedarville professor fired over allegations of misconduct.” That’s true, to be sure. But that’s not the headline.
As politicians are reopening states and saying churches can again meet in person, many churches remain hesitant to rush back into their sanctuaries since the risk of coronavirus remains. Pastors in Georgia particularly spoke out over the weekend as the state led the country in
Americans are split on the question of who should receive critical care when medical resources are in short supply, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. And there are stark differences in opinion based on respondents’ religious affiliation and how religious they are.
Pastor Michael Catt would like to resume onsite congregational activities at Sherwood Baptist Church in the unlikely COVID-19 hotspot of rural Albany, Ga., but he's too concerned with the safety of his congregation and the community to take the risk.