How the Black Plague Made the Shroud of Turin a Beloved Relic
Just as the faithful clung to religious iconography — whether true relic or icon — during pestilent periods in the Middle Ages, relics remain relevant to the hopeful in the modern era.
Our California Church Met in Person. Then the Police Came and Said ‘Well Done.’
Alan Cross, a Southern Baptist pastor in California, reflects on how his church has worked to both meet in person for worship and follow state health restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump Couldn’t be More Wrong about Biden’s Faith
As a White House staffer, Melissa Rogers had the opportunity to see Vice President Biden up close. That’s why she writes that Trump’s assertions about Biden’s faith could not be more wrong.
Amid Pandemic, Future of Many Catholic Schools is in Doubt
As the new academic year arrives, school systems across the United States are struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Roman Catholic educators have an extra challenge — trying to forestall a relentless wave of closures of their schools that has no end in sight.
Lebanon Priests Recount Horror as Blast Rocked Church
The world witnessed fleeting glimpses of the horror wrought on the Lebanese people on Aug. 4 through videos that circulated widely online, among them that dramatic footage as Rabih Thoumy celebrated Mass via livestream from Saint Maron-Baouchrieh church. He recounts the explosion and aftermath.
Judges 9:15 (in photos)
A parable in Judges 9 about picking poor political leaders, as seen in photos from political protests in Lebanon following a deadly explosion in Beirut that killed more than 150 people.
Jerry Falwell Jr. Taking Indefinite Leave from Liberty University Amid Controversy
Jerry Falwell Jr. is taking an “indefinite leave of absence” from his role as president of Liberty University. The move comes Friday (Aug. 7) following a request from the executive committee of Liberty University’s board of trustees, according to a statement from the Baptist university
Lebanese Baptists Minister in Aftermath of Explosion
After a massive explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut Tuesday (Aug. 4), Baptists in that Middle Eastern nation immediately asked for prayers — and then started ministering to their neighbors before the dust from the blast even settled.
To Cope with Pandemic, Americans Choose Binge-Watching TV Over the Bible
When it comes to coping with the stress and uncertainty of a pandemic, most Americans are turning not to God, but to TV. That’s just one of the findings of a Pew Research Center survey released Friday (Aug. 7).
What White Evangelical Christians Can’t See When They See Racism
James K.A. Smith argues that White evangelicals’ view of racism is hampered by an aspect of evangelical spirituality he calls evangelicalism’s rationalism. He adds that this focus prevents White evangelicals from fully addressing the sin of racism.