The Rev. Jacob Nhail Guut recalls painfully the relentless bombardment of his village in Southern Sudan about 20 years ago.
The Army is facing questions over a “spiritual fitness” portion of a mandatory questionnaire, with some atheists calling it “invidious and not inclusive” of soldiers who are nonbelievers.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation learned in December that soldiers were being asked to respond to statements such as “I am a spiritual person” and “I believe there is a purpose for my life.”
If soldiers received a low score on their spiritual fitness questions, they received an assessment that said “Spiritual fitness is an area of possible difficulty for you. ... Improving your spiritual fitness should be an important goal.” …
The six members of the Special Committee on Existing Authoritative Interpretations of the Book of Order held their first meeting here on January 17-18 to begin the detailed work assigned to them by the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The committee was recommended after last year’s assembly adopted a revised Form of Government, which requires approval by a majority of the PC(USA)’s 173 presbyteries to become an official part of the Book of Order within the denomination’s Constitution. Voting is currently underway, with a final tally expected by the end of spring.
As North Korea’s economy continues to deteriorate — exacerbating already chronic food shortages — Christians in the country, aided by partners such as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Church World Service, are assisting the most vulnerable North Koreans, the elderly and children.
United Methodist pastor James C. Howell discusses forty popular Bible verses in his new book, 40 Treasured Bible Verses.
In August, the Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness (PNTEH) and the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness (OPW) here announced a joint program focused on the PC(USA) 218th General Assembly’s resolution “From Homelessness to Hope” and the church’s mission effort to end homelessness in the United States.
Shortly after the beginning of each year, Christians around the world pray for church unity. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, traditionally celebrated from Jan. 18-25, draws on resources sponsored jointly by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity of the Roman Catholic Church.
The general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) on Jan. 18 welcomed a White House decision that will lift travel restrictions between the United States and Cuba to make it easier for religious groups in both countries to engage with one another.
Celebrity sightings and up-and-coming indie flicks are a given at the annual Sundance Film Festival here, but this year something else is drawing attraction on the red carpet: faith on film.
John Calvin said the true church was wherever the Word was rightly preached and the sacraments rightly administered. To put it another way, church happens when believers gather to tell the story and break the bread.