Flash flood kills nine at church gathering in South Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa AP At least nine people died and eight others were missing in South Africa after a flash flood swept away members of a church congregation along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg, rescue officials said Sunday. The dead and missing were all part of the congregation, which was conducting religious rituals along the […]
Sight-Seeing: Why Christians need to rethink holiness
NILS VON KALM looks at how Jesus saw the concept of holiness…
Protests in Malta as parliament debates abortion amendment
Valletta, MaltaReuters A large picture of an unborn baby was placed outside the office of Malta’s Prime Minister on Sunday as demonstrators called on the government to halt plans to amend the country’s strict anti-abortion laws. The protest, the biggest in years, attracted several thousand people including Malta’s top Catholic bishop and the leader of […]
Ukraine slaps sanctions on senior clerics in pro-Moscow church
Reuters Ukraine is slapping sanctions on 10 senior clerics linked to a pro-Moscow church on the grounds they agreed to work with Russian occupation authorities or justified Moscow’s invasion, the security service said on Saturday. The announcement is the latest in a series of steps against a Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox Church linked historically […]
Protesters storm Governor’s office in southern Syrian city, two killed in clashes
Amman, JordanReuters Dozens of demonstrators angry over worsening economic conditions in Syria stormed and ransacked the governor’s office in the southern city of Sweida on Sunday, clashing with police, the authorities and witnesses said. Earlier, more than 200 people had gathered around the building in the centre of the Druze-majority city, chanting slogans calling for […]
Thousands of Congolese churchgoers join nationwide marches against eastern violence
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of CongoReuters Tens of thousands of Christians took to the streets across Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday to protest violence in eastern regions, as church leaders accused the international community of hypocrisy over Rwanda’s alleged role in the fighting. After Sunday services, churchgoers in the capital Kinshasa and other major cities heeded […]
Half of world’s democracies in decline – intergovernmental watchdog
Stockholm, SwedenReuters Half of the world’s democracies are in a state of decline amid worsening civil liberties and rule of law while already authoritarian governments are becoming more oppressive, an intergovernmental watchdog group said this week. In its annual report, the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) said democratic institutions were being […]
Kyiv schools adapt to survive under Russian bombardment
Kyiv, UkraineReuters Despite the missile strikes and power cuts that have become a regular occurrence in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv’s 190,000 remaining school children are still expected to attend classes, whether online or in person. “If there is no light, it’s sometimes hard to see when you are writing,” said Yulia, 13, sitting in the front […]
US theological schools report continued drop in master of divinity degrees
United StatesRNS Professional degrees are gaining traction at theological schools across the US and Canada, while the traditional ministerial degree, the master of divinity, is faltering, according to new data released late last month. But Chris Meinzer, senior director and chief operation officer of The Association of Theological Schools, noted that overall enrollment at ATS […]
From farm to fork…via app: How tech is tackling food waste
CAREY L BIRON, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports that as inflation and food prices soar, millions in the United States save on grocery bills with apps like Flashfood and Too Good To Go…