The Explainer: The ‘Curse of Ham’ – how people of faith used a story in Genesis to justify slavery
PAUL HAM, a lecturer in narrative history, looks at how “a grotesque misuse of the very words of the Bible” has been used to support the idea of slavery…
Significant Sights: Splendid Byzantine churches head Thessaloniki’s holy sites
GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO, of Associated Press, explores Greece’s second largest city…
Australian churches join with other religious faiths in supporting Uluru Statement
Australia Australian Christian leaders are joining with those of other faiths in declaring their support for an Indigenous voice in Australia’s constitution, according to a report. The Australian newspaper reported that the Catholic, Uniting and Anglican churches as well as representatives of the National Council of Churches are joining with Australian National Council of Imams, the Executive Council of […]
Churches condemn Israeli police charge at Al Jazeera reporter’s funeral
Jerusalem, Israel Reuters An organisation representing 12 Christian denominations on Monday condemned an Israeli riot police charge at the funeral of a Palestinian Christian Al Jazeera journalist, describing the actions as a violation of freedom of religion. Mourners, some carrying Palestinian flags, were escorting the coffin of Shireen Abu Akleh, a dual US citizen, from […]
French high court clears cardinal of abuse cover-up claims
Lyon, FranceAP France’s highest court confirmed on Wednesday that the former Archbishop of Lyon, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, did not cover up the sexual abuse of minors by a predator priest. The ruling by the Court of Cassation closes a long, emotional drama that brought angst to the Roman Catholic Church, under scrutiny around the world […]
In the US, multi-racial churches growing, but racial unity may be elusive, says study
RNS Derwin Gray and his wife, Vicki, founded Transformation Church in Lancaster County, South Carolina, 10 years ago, with the goal of gathering a congregation that reflected the racial demographics of the public schools in the area just across the border from Charlotte, North Carolina. They more than succeeded. The non-denominational church led by a Black pastor […]
Two more churches closed in Algeria
Algiers, AlgeriaBosNewsLife Two more churches have been closed by courts in Muslim-dominated Algeria as part of a government crackdown on places of Christian worship, according to court documents seen by BosNewsLife. The closure orders were given to a church in the coastal city of Oran on 12th January and to the House of Hope church […]
ESSAY: DEAF CHRISTIANS OFTEN STRUGGLE TO HEAR GOD’S WORD, BUT SOME FIND MEANING IN THE RICHNESS OF WHO THEY ARE
In an article first published on The Conversation, JANA BENNETT, professor of religion at the University of Dayton, looks at the challenges – and joys – people with hearing loss can face in Christian worship…
AFRICA: TIRED OF WAR, SOUTH SUDANESE PRAY FOR LATEST PEACE DEAL
DOREEN AJIAMBO, writing for Religion News Service, reports from South Sudan…
CUBA: FIDEL CASTRO’S DEATH “WON’T END REPRESSION OF CUBAN CHURCH”
Religious freedom advocates say the death of Cuba’s revolutionary leader Fidel Castro will not reduce pressures on Christian churches. The World Watch Monitor (with DAVID ADAMS) reports…