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(The Conversation) At sundown on July 31, Jews around the world will observe Tisha B’av, the most somber of Jewish holidays. It commemorates the destruction of the two temples in Jerusalem, first by the Babylonians and then, almost seven centuries later, in A.D. 70, by the Romans.

More than 2 billion people do not have easy access to clean water and more than 4 billion lack proper sanitation, according to a joint World Health Organization and U.N. Children's Fund report.

In June, two Cuban Baptist pastors traveled to the U.S. to meet with Midwest Baptists. The two pastors also visited the Word&Way offices for an interview with Editor Brian Kaylor. 

For the past eight years, First Baptist Church in Kearney, Neb., has been in new construction mode. Land was purchased, plans were in hand and the congregation had voted to start building. And then God opened the door to an unexpected opportunity.

(RNS) — At least half of Americans realize that churches feed and clothe the poor but far fewer are aware of other social services that congregations provide, a new study shows.

Future Leadership Foundation, a non-profit headquartered in Jefferson City, Mo., that works to develop Christian leaders across the globe, hosted a June gathering for Baptist leaders across Eastern Europe. Nine Missourians trekked to the Ukraine Baptist Seminary in Lviv, Ukraine, to meet Baptists from Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. 

(RNS) — Since the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic, many communities of faith have supported millions of people living with HIV and kept future generations free from HIV through their prevention efforts.

Today, communities from all faith traditions are engaged in the HIV response. Their continued leadership in ensuring respect for human dignity, justice and rights is critical.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Elected officials in North Carolina violated the Constitution by opening meetings with Christian prayers and inviting audience members to join, a federal appeals court ruled Friday (July 14) in a closely watched case that could end up in the Supreme Court.

(RNS) Summer is in full swing. For many of us, that means trips to the pool or the beach to cool off from the summer sun. So what are the options for people — women in particular — whose religion dictates modest dress? Deciding what to wear in the water as a conservative or plain clothes dresser varies by religion, and among individuals within a faith.

(RNS) Paul M. Sutter teaches astrophysics at Ohio State University but reaches a far broader audience through his “Ask a Spaceman” podcast and on social media, where he fields questions — in plain, entertaining and conversational English — from anyone who wonders about the cosmos.