Rachel Held Evans, Christian Writer of Honesty and Humor, Dies at Age 37
(RNS) — Rachel Held Evans, a popular progressive Christian writer and speaker, died Saturday morning (May 4) at age 37 after a brief illness.
Volunteers Still Needed for Historic Midwest Flooding
With tornado season looming and increased volunteer needs anticipated nationwide, SBDR leaders are asking Southern Baptists to consider opportunities to aid flood relief efforts in Nebraska and Iowa.
Anti-Muslim Hate Is Driven by Politics, Not Faith — and It’s Preventable, Study Suggests
(RNS) — Americans who personally know a Muslim are more than twice as likely to have a favorable opinion toward Muslims than those who do not, according to a new report.
China, Two Dozen Other Countries Top Religious Freedom Offenders List in USCIRF Report
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan organization created 20 years ago, concludes in its 2019 report that “innumerable believers and nonbelievers across the globe continued in 2018 to experience manifold suffering due to their beliefs.”
2nd Mozambique Cyclone Met with Prayer, Response
PEMBA, Mozambique (BP) -- With Mozambique suffering its second major cyclone in the past six weeks, Baptist Global Response has requested prayer for ongoing disaster relief ministry in the southeast African nation.
Pew Study Finds Continued Support in Western Europe for Paying Church Taxes
PARIS (RNS) — To Americans who drop coins into the collection plate, write a check or perhaps text in their Sunday donation, the idea that the state would charge an annual tax to support their church can seem strange and off-putting indeed. Not so in
In N.C., a Religious Coalition Welcomes the Formerly Incarcerated Home
As inmates are being released from prison, states, cities and municipalities are recognizing the need to provide services to help people reenter society if they are to remain out of prison.
‘Harry Potter and the Sacred Text’ Creates Spiritual Experience for Fans of Secular Series
“Harry Potter and the Sacred Text” is a popular podcast that uses the seven-book series by author J.K. Rowling as the basis for discussions of virtues and for spiritual practices. The chance to discuss the series from a spiritual standpoint brought 300 fans to a live
In a Time of Rising Suicide, Religious Communities Move Beyond Condemnation to Care
(RNS) — The suicide rate is on the rise, contributing to a drop in life expectancy. In the midst of the shock and pain that often attends such unexpected deaths, it's crucial that clergy and congregants reach out to those left behind, offering a message of
How the ‘Harry Potter’ Books are Replacing the Bible as Millennials’ Foundational Text
(RNS) — When 61% of Americans have seen at least one "Harry Potter" film and just 45% of us can name all four Gospels, it's no stretch to say that Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are better known in American society than Matthew, Mark,