Pope Francis changes catechism to declare death penalty “inadmissible”
RNS Pope Francis has ordered a change to the catechism of the Catholic Church, altering existing language to read “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”. It vows that the church will work “with determination for its abolition worldwide”. Although Catholics have been generally opposed to […]
Survivor of acid attack hopes art can change law
Thomson Reuters Foundation Doused in acid as punishment for rejection, Patricia Lefranc is typical of the thousands of women whose lives are ruined by ex-partners armed with acid. But instead of hiding away, the 54-year-old Belgian is using her disfigurement to fight for change. The mother of three is fronting a Europe-wide campaign for tighter […]
GREENSIGHT: THE ‘HADAS’, ONE OF FOUR SPECIES “WAVED” BEFORE THE LORD
ALVIN JOHNSON looks at where the ‘hadas’ or common myrtle appears in the Bible…
Bible Gateway marks 25 years – and 14 billion views
Claimed to be the world’s most visited Christian website, Bible Gateway has been viewed more than 14 billion times by people using more than a billion devices since its creation 25 years ago, according to the company behind it. Rachel Barach, general manager of Bible Gateway, said that to provide some perspective, “one million seconds equal 11.5 […]
Why fewer Americans are attending religious services
RNS Fewer adults are attending religious services in the United States, but not necessarily because they don’t believe. Many cite practical or personal reasons for skipping weekly services, according to new Pew Research Center data released on Wednesday (1st August). Most notably, nearly four in 10 say they simply practice their faith in other ways […]
US: CHRISTIAN CAMPS GET CREATIVE TO ATTRACT YOUTH IN TECH-DISTRACTED AGE
STEVE RABEY, writing for Religion News Services, looks at how Christian camps in the US are adapting to engage with young people…
Call for prayer in Zimbabwe as violence breaks out in wake of Monday’s elections
Violence has broken out in Zimbabwe in the wake of Monday’s national elections with at least three killed. The three were reportedly killed in the capital of Harare after the army opened fire on opposition supporters who police said were rioting. Protestors had taken to the streets claiming the elections had been rigged after the Zimbabwe Electoral […]
WOW!: THE SPANISH YOGHURT FARM THAT CULTIVATES BETTER MENTAL HEALTH
SOPHIE DAVIS, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how Spanish dairy business La Fageda employs people with mental health conditions, like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, to help them find purpose in life…
Indonesia’s religious minorities protest against closure of worship places
World Watch Monitor Indonesian Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims gathered together in West Java last weekend to protest against the closure of several of their places of worship, Catholic news agency UCAN reports. More than 100 people took part in a range of events, including the sharing of personal stories of discrimination. The participants included members of […]