American Protestantism’s Commodification of the Middle East’s “Holy Lands”
Middle East Christians were (and are) far from the monolithic representations crafted by the biblical orientalist imagination. Read full piece
In Battleground States, Catholics are a Pivotal Swing Vote
For decades, Catholic voters have been a pivotal swing vote in U.S. presidential elections, with a majority backing the winner nearly every time. How they vote in the battleground states this year could decide the outcome, and the campaigns are targeting them with fervent appeals to
ICE Apprehension on Church Grounds Violated Federal Policy, Say Faith Leaders
Prominent faith leaders are condemning the apprehension of an undocumented immigrant on church grounds by federal officials, arguing the action violates a government policy that discourages agents from raiding “sensitive locations” such as churches, hospitals, and schools.
Pope Says Autistic Kids are Beautiful, Unique Flowers to God
Pope Francis told a group of children with autism and spectrum disorders Monday (Sept. 21) that they are beautiful, unique flowers in the eyes of God. Francis met with members of an Austrian center for autism, Sonnenschein (“Sunshine”), in an audience at the Vatican.
Robert Graetz, White Minister Who Helped Organize Montgomery Bus Boycott, Dies at 92
Robert Graetz was the only white clergyman to support the boycott, and like other participants in the boycott, the reverend and his family persisted in the face of harassment, terrorism, and death threats that extended to their preschool children. Read full piece
Soil Collection Ceremony Remembers Springfield, Mo., Lynching Victims
Community and religious leaders in Springfield, Missouri, gathered downtown Saturday (Sept. 19) for a soil collection ceremony to honor three innocent Black men lynched there in 1906.
Most Church Records Oddly Silent on 1918 Pandemic
The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 was deadly but not altogether noteworthy to many Baptists, historians say. Read full piece
The Weaponization of the Free-Exercise Clause
The Supreme Court’s majority is transforming this onetime protection into a sword to strike down hard-fought advances in civil rights. Read full piece
COVID-19 Pandemic Increasing Discrimination Against Egypt’s Christians
Persecution is the reality of life in Egypt for Christians, and it is gotten worse over the past decade, according to a leading human rights group. Read full piece
Carpenters Wow Public with Medieval Techniques at Notre Dame
With precision and boundless energy, a team of carpenters used medieval techniques to raise up — by hand — a three-ton oak truss Saturday in front of Notre Dame Cathedral, a replica of the wooden structures that were consumed in the landmark’s devastating April 2019