How many are moving forward in a divided country

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	Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more The future of American churches How many are moving forward in a divided country Religion Unplugged Jan 22   READ IN APP   Hi Religion Unplugged readers, “From a big-picture perspective, the outlook for many American Christian congregations can seem foreboding,” writes Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans in the opening of today’s top story. From dropping attendance to financial struggles to political divides, churches have a plethora of struggles to face — often not helped by the divisive landscape of the rest of the country. That doesn’t mean these congregations are giving up, of course. In fact, many are using these challenges to create vibrant faith communities. Read more to find out how churches are creating open dialogue, centering on Scripture and finding unity in the midst of controversy. In A Divided America, Churches Find A Way To Move Forward American churches are finding new ways to adapt and rebuild after facing crises like political polarization, the pandemic and even natural disasters. While some congregations struggle to stay afloat, others are embracing diversity, tough conversations and community engagement in an effort to become more resilient in the age of Trump. by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans Share Painter of Monks: The Enduring Legacy Of Spanish Master Francisco de Zurbaran (REVIEW) The Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán is celebrated today as one of the greatest masters of the Spanish Golden Age. His many paintings of friars, nuns and saints for the churches and religious orders earned him the sobriquet “painter of monks.” A favorite subject was Saint Francis of Assisi and nearly 50 paintings of the 13th-century friar by Zurbarán or his assistants are known to have survived. by David Trigg Trump Says In Inaugural Address He Was ‘Saved By God’ In a day punctuated by prayer and references to God, Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday as the 47th president of the United States. “I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said in his inaugural speech, alluding to the failed assassination attempt against him last July during a Pennsylvania rally. by Clemente Lisi Iranians Punished With Longer Prison Sentences For Practicing Christianity Christians in Iran were sentenced to a combined total of over 250 years in prison last year — a sixfold increase compared to 2023, according to a new report. In all, 96 Christians were sentenced to a combined 263 years behind bars in 2024. That’s compared to 22 Christians sentenced to 43½ years in 2023. by Clemente Lisi ‘Brave The Dark’ A Film That Puts The Spotlight On America’s Growing Boy Crisis (REVIEW) “Brave the Dark” is easily the best movie the faith-based film industry has released about the struggles of young men. It’s by far the best Angel Studios movie to date. There’s a major gender shift happening in American Christianity. Church pews have largely been filled by women, even as the pulpits were dominated by men. Women are abandoning church and men are starting to flock to it. by Joseph Holmes In Kenya, Churches Make The Case For Sign Language Interpreters During Services In one Kenyan church, most of the congregants were deaf, as were the choristers and choirmaster. The singing was muted — only lips moved, while bodies swayed with swan-like grace — while hands waved to the delightful rhythm of the drum beats. Even the minister, the Rev. George Obonyo, is deaf. by Joseph Maina Why The World’s Only Prison For Catholic Priests Was In Franco’s Spain (ANALYSIS) The Catholic Church was one of the social and ideological pillars of Francoism from the moment of the coup, as evidenced by the ‘Collective letter of all Spanish bishops’, made public July 1, 1937 to support a movement that “has strengthened the sense of homeland” and “has guaranteed order in the territory.” The same regime that was born out of a “crusade” with the purpose of shielding the power and traditional privileges of the church, ended up creating a prison to imprison priests critical of power. by Bernardo Álvarez-Villar After 15 Months, Israel And Hamas Agree To Gaza Ceasefire And Hostage Deal Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a ceasefire deal — pausing a brutal 15-month war in the hard-hit Gaza Strip with an eye towards ending one of the deadliest Middle Eastern conflicts in modern history. The provisional deal came weeks after negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha involving mediators from Qatar and Egypt, working with Israeli and U.S. officials. by Clemente Lisi On Religion: Denzel Washington Claims His Freedom To Preach (ANALYSIS) When describing his life, Denzel Washington often notes a mysterious encounter on March 27, 1975, offering it as a parable about his Christian faith and his acting career.. The young Washington was in his mother's Mount Vernon, N.Y., beauty parlor, after horrible grades forced a leave of absence from Fordham University. An elderly woman, Ruth Green, who many believed had unique spiritual gifts, looked him in the eye and asked for a piece of paper. by Terry Mattingly Land Grabs In Uganda Sparks Razing Of Churches And Mosques The rise in land disputes involving religious institutions in Uganda has triggered a trend of demolishing of churches and mosques throughout the country, raising religious freedom concerns over safety regarding places of worship. The issue has become a major problem across the country, a trend that has intensified over the last four years. by John Semakula 🐶 Doggone It, But A Few Readers Bark Over Idea Of Pets In Heaven 🔌 Our recent column on whether all dogs go to heaven generated some precious responses and a few emails that reminded us why dogs — and not some grumpy humans — are considered man’s best friend. by Bobby Ross Jr. Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column directly in your inbox on Friday mornings! 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