Exploring Faith and Spirituality

Religion

Best of 2024: The ‘doomsday cult’ recruiting Australian university students - podcast

The Shincheonji church is an international Christian sect which started in South Korea. But the group is being accused of bizarre recruitment strategies at a number of Australian universities and f...

Credit:

Pope Francis urges world to ‘silence sound of arms’ in Christmas speech

Pontiff calls for peace in Ukraine and Sudan, and expresses concern over ‘extremely grave’ situation in GazaPope Francis has urged the world “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions”, ...

Credit:

The birth of Jesus would probably have been forgotten – if it wasn’t for a plague | Jonathan Kennedy

When a terrifying Ebola-like pandemic struck the Roman empire, Christianity offered solutions that the old ways didn’tIn our Christmas imagery, ancient symbols such as fir trees, mistletoe, holly a...

Credit:

Hallelujah!

Read Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the...

Credit:

I grew up Muslim in a Catholic community – and Mary represented common ground | Zeyneb Sayılgan

Despite some theological differences, both denominations look to her as an inspiration for cultivating compassion and hopeI had just finished teaching a class on “the Muslim Mary”. Many non-Muslims...

Credit:

The Thief’s Good Works

In 2006, Alistair Begg preached a sermon titled “Blind from Birth.” He reflected on the free gift of salvation offered through Christ’s death, and to illustrate this, he referenced the thief on the...

Credit:

The Guardian view on the tenacity of hope: a necessary virtue in troubled times | Editorial

At a moment of the year associated with renewal and new birth, reflection on inspiring acts of solidarity and courage can point the way to a better futureIn the introduction to a new, seasonal comp...

Credit:

From Ministry to the American Dream and Back Again

When Ujjwal Rai was growing up in Nepal, it was one of the poorest countries in Asia. It still is. Rai’s dad did what he could to get ahead and provide for his family both financially and spiritua...

Credit:

Improvisation Is Key to Cultural Engagement

American evangelicals want to engage the culture on moral issues, but they don’t always feel prepared to do so. In a recent survey of U.S. evangelicals, 89 percent said they want to promote biblica...

Credit:

I Believe Miracles Are Possible. So Why Don’t I Expect Them?

It was my first day back at Bible school after a stubborn leg injury forced me to take two months’ leave. Unfortunately, through a combination of ignorance, bad medical advice, and my irrational fe...

Credit:

Death is at the heart of Christmas. That’s why we love to tell festive ghost stories | Kate Maltby

It’s a creepy time of year from The Archers to Nosferatu to Mark Gatiss’ Woman of StoneThis Christmas, find some pity for Lynda Snell MBE. Fans of the BBC radio soap The Archers know Lynda as the s...

Credit:

The Observer view on the Church of England: how does it recover after its annus horribilus?

A new Anglican leader must reinvent the role if they are to restore faith in an institution mired in sexual abuse scandals Next week churches, chapels and cathedrals across England will be celebrat...

Credit:

5 Lessons for New Church Planters

Many church plants run up against roadblocks that look like impossibilities. Our church, Trinity Baptist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is only weeks old. But for months as we prepared to start, t...

Credit:

There’s nothing meek or mild about childbirth: why have male artists sanitised the Virgin Mary?

She may be the most painted woman in history, almost always portrayed as subservient, pure, chaste – and never actually giving birth. Thank goodness female artists like Paula Rego and Esther Straus...

Credit:

Chatbots Aren’t a Solution to Our Loneliness Epidemic

I suspect most middle-aged Americans had never heard of Character.AI until The New York Times ran the tragic story of how 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III committed suicide after an obsessive and toxi...

Credit:

Biblical Justice Requires Strong Rules of Evidence

One hundred years ago, the legendary jurist Learned Hand dismissed the idea that the American criminal justice system, with all its procedural protections, could convict an innocent person. As he p...

Credit:

Dealing with Anxiety and Loneliness in a Fast-Paced World: An Islamic Perspective

People often experience anxiety and loneliness, feeling overwhelmed by constant pressures and the rush of life. High work demands, social pressures, and constant digital engagement can leave people...

Credit:

Prayer for Don Carson

Please be in prayer for The Gospel Coalition’s cofounder, Don Carson. As Don shared in a recent Christmas letter, the physical and cognitive limitations arising from his Parkinson’s disease have f...

Credit:

Why Pre-Marriage Counseling is Key to a Healthy Relationship

Getting married is one of life’s biggest milestones, and while the excitement of wedding planning can take center stage, preparing for a lifelong commitment goes far beyond picking the right venue ...

Credit:

Finally Transformed: From Transgender to Christian

“It’s done.” The nurse’s first words that greeted me when I awoke from my surgery were met with welcome grogginess. A new chapter of my life was beginning in a hospital bed. After years of psychol...

Credit:

Does Hebrews Teach I Can Lose My Salvation?

Few New Testament passages are as controversial as the warnings against apostasy in the book of Hebrews (2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 6:4–12; 10:26–39; 12:15–25). These passages pose a challenge to believers. ...

Credit: