Doctrine & Practice
In rights landmark, Greek novelist and lawyer are the first same-sex couple wed at Athens city hall
By Associated Press — March 11, 2024
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A cross-party majority of Greek lawmakers approved same-sex marriage in a vote on Feb. 15, despite strong opposition from the socially conservative Orthodox Church.
Sex abuse survivors dispute Southern Baptist leadership and say federal investigation is ongoing
By Peter Smith — March 11, 2024
(AP) — The SBC has faced a reckoning over its handling of sexual abuse since a 2019 report by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express News, documenting hundreds of abuse cases in Southern Baptist churches.
What is Ramadan and how do Muslims observe the Islamic holy month?
By Mariam Fam — March 11, 2024
CAIRO (AP) — Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons.
On eve of Ramadan, Jerusalem’s Old City offers little festivity as Gaza war rages
By Jack Jeffery — March 11, 2024
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli government has provided few details ahead of this year’s Ramadan.
Muslims welcome the holy month of Ramadan with a mix of joy and deep concern
By The Associated Press — March 11, 2024
(AP) — This year, war and starvation in the Gaza Strip casts an especially dark shadow on the festivities.
Muslims spot Ramadan crescent moon in Saudi Arabia, meaning month of fasting starts Monday for many
By Jon Gambrell — March 11, 2024
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — During Ramadan, those observing typically break their fast with a date and water, following the tradition set by the Prophet Muhammad.
A new memoir examines how to reclaim faith after a bipolar diagnosis
By Yonat Shimron — March 8, 2024
(RNS) — In her new book, 'Devout: A Memoir of Doubt,' Gazmarian lays bare how inadequately the church and church-approved therapists treated her condition and how she struggled to find another way.
Scorsese’s gods of the streets: From ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ to ‘Silence,’ faith is rarely far off in his films
By Anthony Smith — March 7, 2024
(The Conversation) — Though only a few of Scorsese’s films focus on religious stories, deeper questions about faith, doubt and living in a violent world tend to haunt his movies.
Tattooing has held a long tradition in Christianity − dating back to Jesus’ crucifixion
By Gustavo Morello — March 7, 2024
(The Conversation) — Historically, many Christians got tattoos around Holy Week − usually a cross − to honor Christ’s martyrdom.
The Church of England aims to raise more than $1 billion to address its past links to slavery
By Jill Lawless — March 5, 2024
LONDON (AP) — The fund was established as part of efforts by the Anglican church to reckon with its historic complicity in the trans-Atlantic slave trade
Hindu American organizations adopt a new short film on anti-Hindu ignorance
By Richa Karmarkar — February 28, 2024
(RNS) — Director Ravi Chand’s “Namaste Yoga,” released worldwide in late January, was created to highlight the challenges Hindu children face in the Western world.
Anti-immigrant pastors may be drawing attention – but faith leaders, including some evangelicals, are central to the movement to protect migrant rights
By Brad Christerson, Robert Chao Romero, and Alexia Salvatierra — February 26, 2024
(The Conversation) — Religious beliefs can provide motivation, hope and endurance in the long and often discouraging task of mobilizing people for social change.
Hinduism has no rules against marrying outside the faith. But couples say it has its bumps.
By Richa Karmarkar — February 20, 2024
(RNS) — Among American Hindus, a survey by the organization Interfaith Shaadi found that 38% marry outside the umbrella of Dharmic faiths — Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism.
Greece just legalized same-sex marriage. Will other Orthodox countries join them any time soon?
By Dasha Litvinova and Peter Smith — February 16, 2024
Roughly 200 million Eastern Orthodox live primarily in Eastern Europe and neighboring Asian lands, with about half that total in Russia, while smaller numbers live across the world.
Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalize same-sex civil marriage
By Nicholas Paphitis — February 15, 2024
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Supporters, waving rainbow banners, and opponents of the bill, holding religious icons and praying, held separate small, peaceful gatherings outside parliament Thursday.
