Worldcrunch
Father Petro Balogh recalls the later books of the Old Testament, and especially in the New Testament, where personal faithfulness and holiness do not necessarily guarantee deliverance from earthly enemies or suffering — look at the story of Jesus himself.
France’s churches are a rich religious heritage that, unlike other European countries, largely belong to the national or local governments. But with strained budgets and years of neglect, keeping these historic churches standing has become a daunting and costly struggle.
Despite its sincere tribute to Mary’s story, the film falters with over-the-top drama and underdeveloped characters, making it a mixed holiday offering.
Jesus spoke Aramaic, but the Bible has been translated from Greek. Many mistaken translations of the Gospels have skewed the development of Christianity — and the course of history. It’s time to let the Bible be retranslated to let its true message be known.
The first mosque in East Germany to have visible Islamic architecture is soon to open in Erfurt, in the State of Thuringia. But it’s already become a target for Islamophobic attacks, including pig heads and wooden crosses tossed on the premises.
Footage showing an Iranian woman stripping to her underwear at a Tehran university in protest of the country’s strict clothing laws, and her subsequent arrest, shows that fundamentalists over the world share a common terror of the female body existing in its own right.
People call them “free people in an unfree world”. They live without electricity, they cannot look in the mirror, and their education ends at age 14. Who are the Amish? What is their lifestyle really like? And could they even be decisive in the Nov. 5 presidential election?
The nation’ deputy health minister, concerned about declining birth rates, wants more young brides, and expects them to start procreating as soon as possible.
Updated Oct. 10, 2024 at 12:00 a.m. Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council on this day in 1962. What was Pope John XXIII’s significance in the Roman Catholic Church’s history? Pope John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, was the 261st Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, serving from 1958 until his death in […]
Updated October 4, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The first Pope to visit the United States was Pope Paul VI happened on this day in 1965, and had significant political and religious implications. Who was Pope Paul VI? Pope Paul VI, born Giovanni Battista Montini, was the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1963 to […]
The call in Lebanon to “postpone politics” is driven by a narration of the war as a religious, and not a political, event: that’s the root of Hezbollah’s ideology.
Updated September 24, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. On this day in 1988, Barbara C Harris of Mass became the first woman to be elected as an Episcopal bishop. What was Barbara C. Harris’ background before becoming a bishop? Before becoming a bishop, Barbara C. Harris had a diverse background. She was born in Philadelphia and had a […]
A new gruesome case of the rape and murder of a young female doctor trainee in India is bringing once again to the forefront the issue of women’s safety in the country. Why does this keep happening?
Only a select few reside behind the walls — and even fewer women. From strict rules to unique traditions, is life inside this “man’s world” worth the sacrifice?
Year after year, the Camino trails leading to Santiago de Compostela have been setting new records for visitor numbers — and are now among France’s most popular walking routes. Behind this craze, a small ecosystem has grown up to serve today’s pilgrims.
The positions of ultra-conservative Christian and Islamic Salafism supporters are almost identical on cultural, social and legal issues, such as their position on private and public freedoms. That often starts with women’s freedoms.
Once defined the most homophobic country in the Balkans, Kosovo’s queer community is now calling for more recognition and consideration from the authorities. But numerous obstacles remain.
Updated June 11, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. On this day in 1963, Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức self-immolated to protest the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. Why did the monk self-immolate during the Vietnam war? Buddhists were facing religious discrimination, and the South Vietnamese government had imposed various restrictions on them. […]
An ad for one of Colombia’s biggest banks sparked controversy for including a gay couple. Some viewed it as a step in the right direction, while detractors said the ad was not suited for a bank.
Not for the first time in history, simplistic dualism is taking hold of people’s minds, often rooted in religious beliefs. Is this a prelude to even more violent intolerance and — in the worst scenario — another big war? asks Argentine poet and writer Miguel Espejo.
As designers and entrepreneurs worldwide transform sacred spaces into vibrant hubs of activity, abandoned churches find new purpose: from breweries and nightclubs to yoga studios, bookshops, and even supermarkets. Antwerp, Pittsburgh, Oviedo … Let us take you to (that place that used to be a) church!
Updated June 2, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. On this day in 1979, Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła in Poland, visited his home country for the first time as pontiff, marking a crucial moment in Polish history. And beyond… Why was Pope John Paul II’s visit to Poland significant? Pope John Paul II’s visit […]
“The gospel that is being preached on the pulpit these days is just meant to insult and belittle us,” says a Ugandan churchgoer.
Egyptologists and religious scholars alike blasted the new Netflix docudrama series that chronicles the story of Moses, raising both current political issues and the deeper questions around the religion-science dialectic.
Gardening, cooking sweets or binding books are tasks associated with monasteries. But today, a growing number of Spain’s contemplative communities have turned to activities such as gourmet products, tourist rentals through digital platforms, astrotourism and even sushi making to achieve economic sustainability.
Inside the activism of a prominent Ukrainian Protestant trying to show Republicans in the U.S. that Kyiv is the real defender of Christian values.
Is 15 minutes enough time to reflect during a prayer?
In traditionally Catholic Ireland a different kind of clergy is emerging, one which is making weddings, funerals and other ceremonies more inclusive and personal.
It is hard to reconcile the long list of brutalities and a government validating hate toward its Muslim minority. But the leaders are not the country. Elections are when people get to choose new ones.
Updated April 24, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. The Armenian genocide began on this day in 1915, when the Ottoman government arrested and deported hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople (now Istanbul). What led to the start of the Armenian genocide? The Ottoman government had long been hostile towards the Armenian population, who […]
For decades Iran’s leaders have promoted the vision of martyrdom as a precept of the regime, but appear to have carefully weighed how much damage to try to inflict on Israel after its attack against its top military leaders in Syria on April 1. What does this say about the state and stability of the regime?
At the end of October in western Senegal, a mob exhumed the body of a man, Cheikh Fall, then burnt it in a public square, on the grounds that he was homosexual. Since then, his relatives have been fleeing death threats.
Political battle lines are becoming increasingly entrenched, and opposing views are being pushed towards ever greater extremes. Language has become a battlefield. If morality pushes us apart, and religion does not help in the process, we may find a solution in our sense of humanity, writes German psychiatrist Manfred Lütz in Die Welt.
Germany has been shaken by a study showing that sexual abuse has been widespread and systematic within the German Protestant Church, which has 19 million members. Now it is time for society to wake up to the fact that Protestantism is not superior to Catholicism when it comes to abuse.
It’s not easy coming out to your family as gay or transgender, nor for every family to accept it, especially in conformist societies like Latin America’s. But, unlike decades ago, today families can seek out sensible information and professional help to avoid hurting their children.
With Monday’s consecration of the controversial new Hindu temple, Ayodhya Ram, Indian Prime Minister Narenra Modi declared that God had “made him the representative of the people of India” to be present at the ceremony. This is a dark watershed in modern India’s attempt to reconcile church and state.
The practice of gift giving exists in every culture in the world, and has for as long as recorded history. What does it tell us about the nature of human society?
Poland remains one of the last strongholds of Catholicism in Europe, and one of the few countries to have a concordat with the Holy See in its constitution. Until now, the conservative Law and Justice Government has maintained close ties to the religion. With a new opposition government, and religious practice trending towards decline, many wonder if Poland will become a secular state for the first time since the fall of Communism.
As Israel ramps up its attacks on Gaza, and support from the West continues, ordinary people in Turkey are falling into the trap of seeing the world as an inevitable showdown between East and West.
Disney’s new movie “Wish” is being touted as a new children’s blockbuster to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary. But some Christians may see the portrayal of the villain as God-like and turning wishes into prayers as the ultimate denial of the true message of Christmas.