Reaching The globe

The Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has died at the age of 95. The former pope passed away at his residence in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery inside the Vatican on Saturday morning.  “With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 AM in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Read More

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has made an urgent appeal to the UK government to save an Afghan Christian convert facing “fatal” deportation from Pakistan. The convert, named only as Bashir, fled to Pakistan after the Taliban killed his father, brother and uncle, who worked for the Afghan army. He arrived in Pakistan Read More

A pro-life volunteer has been arrested after allegedly being told by police that she might have been praying silently near an abortion clinic in Birmingham.  Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, who is the Co-CEO of March for Life UK and runs 40 Days for Life Birmingham, was approached by officers and arrested close to the BPAS Robert Clinic in Read More

“Hostility” and “ridicule” are some of the experiences reported by Christian employees in the UK and US, according to a major new study. Participants in the study by Pearn Kandola, a business psychology company, also reported feelings of being “silenced” in the workplace and a reluctance to share their faith because of a fear of Read More

Christians in Afghanistan are fleeing for their lives under cover of darkness as the Taliban continues its intense persecution of religious minorities. Release International partners helped one Christian family fearful for their lives escape from the country in the middle of the night. Tareq, his wife and their one-year-old girl left without even saying goodbye Read More

After years of uncertainty, restrictions and lockdowns in the pandemic, Church of England churches across the country are getting ready to welcome people through their doors this Christmas and a new video has been launched with the message that everyone is invited. Many Church of England churches have traditionally enjoyed large turnouts at their Advent Read More

Meghalaya’s decision to open casinos brings together faith groups and social organizations against the government. An Indian state known for its scenic waterfalls, mountain ranges, and plateaus has reversed its decision to legalize gambling after stiff opposition and protests by the church and social organizations. Last month, the government of the northeastern state of Meghalaya Read More

Analysis: The rise of the nonreligious raises questions for the faithful in a new era of pluralism and diversity. Remember those math puzzles you used to do as a kid? What’s the next number in this sequence: 2, 5, 11, 23, … ? Or maybe try this one: 2, 4, 10, 28, … ? Well, Read More

Church structures and schedules often make it hard for the working class to participate. Let’s change that. As the holidays come around, with them comes a particular generosity and care that’s often expressed through charity initiatives. For the next month, this spirit will give rise to toy collections, food poundings, and coat drives. A lot Read More

After escaping the Khmer Rouge with my siblings, I learned who had been protecting me all along. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” The first time I heard those words, I was 14 years old. It was a cold, still night at the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp in Thailand. I’d Read More

Pope Francis said Wednesday his trip to the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain was a new step on the journey to create “fraternal alliances” between Christians and Muslims. The pope spoke about his Nov. 3–6 visit to Bahrain, a small, overwhelmingly Muslim country in the Persian Gulf, during his weekly public audience in St. Peter’s Square Read More

The creator of ‘Homeless Jesus,’ Catholic artist Timothy Schmalz is on his way to becoming the most prolific sculptor under Pope Francis’ pontificate. VATICAN CITY (RNS) — A self-proclaimed “visual ambassador” of Pope Francis’ message, Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz is on his way to becoming the most prolific Catholic sculptor under the pontiff’s tenure, with Read More

Prosecutors in Marseille probe the facts after a cardinal admits to ‘reprehensible’ acts against a girl in the 1980s. French prosecutors in Marseille said on Tuesday they had opened an inquiry into child abuse by a French cardinal after he confessed publicly to “reprehensible” acts against a 14-year-old girl in the 1980s. Jean-Pierre Ricard, a Read More

A Christian counselor on how Scripture keeps score—and the help we find beyond its pages. People used to avoid discussing their trauma, eager not to reopen old wounds or expose their vulnerabilities. Not so anymore. Survivors recount horrific experiences and bring up trauma language in everyday conversations—even with strangers on Twitter. This shift in how Read More

The plight of herding communities facing hunger echoes Old Testament examples. “I am the father and mother of my children,” said Regina, sitting on the ground of the straw hut she built herself and weaving a basket. The family’s possessions hang on the wall: a plastic blue bowl, a pair of small sandals, a green Read More

Pastors and theologians respond to opportunities and challenges in new study on explosive growth from Hong Kong immigration. For many Hong Kong immigrants to Britain, a church is their first point of connection. hinese pastors in the UK report their congregations have doubled or tripled in size. One church in Manchester has multiplied from less Read More

Christian advocate: The uprising in Tehran coincides with the rising disillusionment with Islam and the growth of the underground church. Growing up in a home with a Muslim father and a Christian mother, Iranian American Shirin Taber had a special appreciation for being able to choose what she believed. When she told her dad that Read More

Just as some North Americans are explicitly claiming the label of “Christian nationalism,” the ideology is advancing around the world. The ongoing near merger of the Russian Orthodox Church with Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian government made headlines when the church’s patriarch declared that dying in Ukraine as part of Putin’s invading army “washes away all sins.” At the Read More

Caring for people in pain requires a rich theology of suffering. According to the World Health Organization, 703,000 people die by suicide each year. In 2020, “suicide was the twelfth leading cause of death overall in the United States. … [In addition, suicide] was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10–14 Read More

The red flags you should and should not ignore. Over the past several years, the headlines have been filled with stories about Christian leaders who were ultimately untrustworthy, whether that be in their relationships, their running of an organization, or their own spiritual lives. Unfortunately, this kind of dishonesty exists in many institutions, nonprofits, and Read More

When “God’s smuggler” came to the Middle East, he went through the front door. Once known for hiding Bibles in the back of his Volkswagen when crossing behind the Iron Curtain, Brother Andrew instead simply handed them to terrorists. Coupled with his devotion to the Palestinian church, the founder of Open Doors shook the Western Read More

Egypt sees surge in foster care applications, though still insufficient, while Christians denied custody due to sharia law. Four years ago, Shenouda was an infant found at the door of a Coptic church. Today, renamed Yusuf, the boy is found in a state-run orphanage. In between lies the care of a priest, the devastation of Read More

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, has condemned the extremist Jews’ attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that any change to the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque is equivalent to a threat to the status quo in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Patriarch Theophilos III said in a statement issued yesterday that increasing Read More

The intensifying persecution facing Christians globally is reflected in the increasing numbers of believers being killed for their faith. In 2021, at least 5,898 Christians paid the ultimate cost for following Jesus, almost 80% of whom come from Nigeria. What makes Christians in Nigeria so prone to violent attacks? If there is one statistic from Read More

The United States Supreme Court’s decision in Yeshiva University v. YU Pride Alliance may seem like it spells trouble for Christian colleges that hold conservative positions on sexuality and gender identity. After all, the court held that the orthodox Jewish university must formally recognize an LGBT student group. But a more complete reading of the decision forebodes a favorable Read More