Science and faith intersect at this special place. While some may find it strange that the Vatican has an observatory, the Catholic Church has been involved with science since the Jesuit order was founded in 1540. Saint Ignatius, for example, would spend hours on his balcony gazing at the night sky.
Read MoreDonald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris and returning to the White House for the second time following his unexpected victory in 2016. The win marked an unlikely political comeback for Trump. Faith voters were a big reason why Trump and the GOP dominated the 2024 election cycle.
Read MoreWhat intrigued Ma was that they weren’t trying to get people to agree with each other, but to respect each other, which is one of our nation’s biggest issues, especially in light of the upcoming presidential election. Initially, the filmmakers suggested assembling a group of multiple faith leaders from all over the country, but it was eventually changed so that all the participants lived in the same city.
Read MoreAlong the Hudson River, about an hour north of New York, is a church perched atop a hill in a village called Sleepy Hollow. When Washington Irving immortalized the Old Dutch Church with its Headless Horseman in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” it became a literary mainstay. For 300 years, the ghost who haunts the churchyard has frightened people. These days, a new force distresses the locals.
Read MoreAmid the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, a group of Salesian nurses are helping women combat drug addiction. Manipur — an Indian state nestled in the mountains along the border with Myanmar — has been gripped by ethnic violence since last year. Approximately 250 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced.
Read MoreNo publicity has gone to women who have chosen a different path. The Catholic Church, for example, opposes aborting the handicapped unborn on the grounds that all life — no matter how disabled — has “inherent dignity.” This debate has been reignited as Vice President Kamala Harris, who favors expanding abortion rights, runs for president.
Read MoreWith two weeks left until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris has made visiting churches an integral stop along the campaign trail, urging voters to cast early ballots as part of her “souls to the polls” campaign. The push comes as Harris attempts to motivate Black Christians who have traditionally been a part of the Democratic Party’s voter base.
Read MoreIt is said that all dogs go to heaven. At least, these two certainly will. In fact, Eric and Florence are no ordinary assistant attendants undertaking duties at England’s Tewkesbury Abbey located northwest of London. These special helpers are two Labrador dogs belonging to the head attendant, Chris Skepper, who come to work on a regular basis within the abbey.
Read MoreFormer President Trump headlined the New York Archdiocese’s annual Al Smith charity dinner on Thursday night, trading a few jabs with Vice President Kamala Harris while also using the event as an opportunity to connect with Catholic voters. Harris did not attend the event in person and instead appeared in a pre-recorded video.
Read MoreWithout any physical distinction from their neighbors and without any open religious congregations of their own, many Jews in Zimbabwe couldn’t resist the lure of joining mainstream society in which they lived. This assimilation trend by younger members of the Lemba community prompted soul searching by some, resulting in a decision to retrace the way back to their original Jewish faith.
Read MoreOver the past few months, Republicans have been crisscrossing rural parts of Pennsylvania with one mission: Turn this reluctant and reclusive religious group into MAGA voters. This untapped pool of 80,000 voters — the same number by which Trump lost to President Joe Biden in 2020 — could result in the former president winning the crucial battleground state.
Read MoreMany charities and nonprofit organizations are currently accepting donations to help the victims of Hurricane Helene. As the country turns its attention to Hurricane Milton, which is expected to bring life-threatening conditions to Florida’s Gulf Coast, specifically Tampa, communities throughout the region are still reeling from the devastation caused by Helene almost two weeks ago.
Read MoreZimbabwe’s Mutemwa Leprosy Care Centre is home to 34 patients living with deadly diseases, such as AIDS, as well as mental and physical disabilities. The center is supported by the John Bradburne Memorial Society, founded in memory of the British-born missionary. Bradburne's legacy lives on in this embattled community to this day.
Read MoreThe Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, no stranger to reducing tremendous suffering and damage in communities all over the world, has had to find a way to help others as well as themselves. In fact, once Hurricane Helene robbed millions of Americans of their electricity and running water, the focus had to become more local.
Read MoreSpearheading one of a growing number of attempts among evangelicals to empower clergy and laypeople to reframe the political divide, the creators of “The After Party” hope to foster conversations that will not only promote healing but enable those engaged to participate in public life in ways that are constructive, rather than chronically divisive.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Two recent events have made major headlines in the faith-based film industry. The first was the dominance of faith-based, politically right-wing films at the domestic box office. The second was Dallas Jenkins’ announcement that his “The Chosen” TV series about Jesus was expanding into a whole “The Chosen” universe of shows.
Read MoreSerbian judo star Nemanja Majdov was slapped with a five-month ban for making the sign of the cross before he competed at the recent Paris Olympics. He was accused by the International Judo Federation of violating its code of conduct for “having shown a clear religious sign when entering the field of play” and barred from participating in tournaments and other events.
Read MoreThe Vatican gave Catholics the green light to continue visiting the Bosnian village of Medjugorje, where children reported seeing visions of the Virgin Mary some four decades ago. The Vatican's doctrinal office released a statement that fell short of declaring the apparitions “authentic” — but instead recognized the “positive fruits” for pilgrims stemming from the spiritual experience.
Read MoreA new report finds that a majority of Indian American Muslims living in the United States said they have experienced discrimination due to the rise of Hindu nationalism, an ideology that has fostered “an environment of intolerance” in and outside of India. The survey revealed the trend, tying it to the ideology of Hindu nationalism among Indian immigrants.
Read MoreA report issued on Tuesday found that religious beliefs aren’t motivated by politics and that a series of “misconceptions” has left Americans polarized. More in Common, a nonpartisan research organization, released the report where more than 6,000 Americans were polled just two months before the presidential election.
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