Earlier this month, the Rev. Pilar Pérez, a United Methodist minister in the denomination’s Western North Carolina Conference, called up a parishioner who hadn’t been to worship in a while. The pastor encouraged the congregant to attend Christmas services, even…
Next in line to lead Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies
Jeffrey R. Holland, who was next in line to lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at 85 on Dec. 27 from complications associated with kidney disease, the church said.
Medieval peasants probably enjoyed their holiday festivities more than you do
When people think of the European Middle Ages, it often brings to mind grinding poverty, superstition and darkness. But the reality of the 1,000-year period from 500 to 1500 was much more complex. This is especially true when considering the…
Pope Leo XIV ‘Very Disappointed’ With New Law In His Home State
Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he was “very disappointed” that his home state of Illinois had approved a law allowing for medically assisted suicide, and he called for greater respect of life.
Israel becomes first country to recognize Somaliland, drawing condemnation from Egypt, Turkey and Somalia
Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland, a self-declared sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, in a decision that was immediately condemned by Somalia and other nations.
Movie Review: Ralph Fiennes shines in ‘The Choral,’ a heartfelt WWI drama about the power of music
The best parts of the “Ocean’s Eleven” movies aren’t the big heists. They’re when the crew, that motley assortment of raw talent, is being put together. And that’s perhaps the best bit in “The Choral,” if you substitute George Clooney with Ralph Fiennes and…
The Last Christian Boarding Houses of New York
At Christmas, the Hephzibah House on the Upper West Side looks like something out of a movie. The first level of the historic brownstone has a cozy parlor with a Christmas tree, fireplace, twinkle lights, garland running up the wooden…
Santa Claus or the ‘red rabbi’? How Christmas lost its taboo for some Jews in Israel.
Decades ago, the notion that a store in predominately Jewish West Jerusalem would conspicuously sell Christmas-themed merchandise would have caused discomfort, perhaps even outrage, especially among Eastern European Jews who throughout history experienced antisemitic attacks timed to the Christmas season.
Pope Leo summons world’s cardinals for a key assembly to help him govern the church
Pope Leo XIV has summoned the world’s cardinals for two days of meetings to help him govern the church, the Vatican said Saturday, in the clearest sign yet that the new year will signal the unofficial start of his pontificate.
A Time of Moral Indignation
The passage of President Lyndon Johnson’s landmark civil rights bill did not end Black Americans’ struggle for civil rights. In 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. led a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand the right to vote. CT’s…
Pope names pro-immigrant pastor bishop of Florida diocese where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago is located
Pope Leo XIV on Friday named the Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, currently pastor of a predominantly Hispanic church in the Queens borough of New York City, as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida.
NFL players urge Trump, Congress to address religious persecution in Nigeria
A group of NFL players sent a letter to Capitol Hill on Friday (Dec. 19), urging U.S. leaders to take steps to curb violence against religious groups in Nigeria, including Christians.