Gloo and Barna Group today announced new findings from the latest State of the Church research. The report, which focused on five key trends, highlighted one surprising finding: belief in Jesus among Americans has reached its highest level in a decade since 2013. The April research release unpacked this trend and provided additional insights for
More than 1,000 people, including Christians, were killed in early March as the country’s new government, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), clashed with forces loyal to the recently deposed Assad regime. Entire families were massacred, according to reports. It is estimated that there are only 300,000 Christians remaining in Syria, a significant decrease from 1.5 million before
3rd podcast to top the Apple charts from Ascension Ascension has released a third instant-hit podcast, securing the #1 spot in all categories on the Apple charts, surpassing shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, Dateline, and The Daily. The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR) is a sequel to Ascension’s 2021 breakout hit,
In case you think Pope Francis and the Catholic Church have softened their stance on abortion to align with the times, the Pope reaffirmed his position on the issue today. In recent years, the Argentine Jesuit has voiced stronger opinions on abortion than at the beginning of his papacy, and he didn’t hold back on the
Fresh off the holiday hit The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company are in preparation for production on I Can Only Imagine 2, a sequel to the breakout hit I Can Only Imagine. The 2018 film I Can Only Imagine took in over $83 million in domestic box office. The sequel will
In neighboring Russia, Belarus guarantees freedom of religion in its constitution. However, as observed in many former Soviet Union countries, this right is often severely restricted in practice. Such was the case this week when a Catholic priest in Belarus was convicted on charges of high treason for criticizing the government and handed an 11-year
We often forget that other countries are far and away different than ours, with violent massacres being not so uncommon. We saw this on Christmas day in Nigeria when Fulani herdsmen attacked a cluster of five predominantly Christian villages in Benue state, massacring 33 people. The most recent death toll of attacks by herdsmen on Kwande
In Turkey, archaeologists have discovered a sarcophagus thought to belong to Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop who inspired the figure of Santa Claus. Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism discovered a sarcophagus during an excavation at St. Nicholas Church, located in the two-story annex in Antalya's Demre neighborhood. In the fourth century, Saint Nicholas was a
In Hesse, Germany, a Protestant church is under investigation after vendors were seen selling items associated with the terrorist group Hamas at its Christmas market. Prosecutors are examining whether the Michaelskirche parish was involved in inciting hate and used prohibited terrorist symbols during the event. The market included stalls offering keyrings displaying Hamas’ red triangle emblem,
Nigerian persecution of Christians and other minority religions Rhoda Jatau, a Christian and mother of five in Nigeria, has been fully acquitted of any wrongdoing after a two-and-a-half-year legal ordeal involving alleged blasphemy charges. Jatau was imprisoned in May 2022 for reportedly sharing a video on WhatsApp that condemned the lynching of Deborah Emmanuel Yakubu, a