Entering the Nativity Store gift shop, located around the corner from the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square, the first thing many visitors notice are its oversized photos of Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.
This Lent, US Lutherans are learning a new Palestinian practice: Sumud
Lent is a time of reflection for many Christians, and each year a host of devotionals are published to bring insight and inspiration to the 40 days of contemplation leading to Easter.
Trump resort in Gaza: ‘Blatant, unapologetic idol worship’
President Donald Trump’s plan to turn the devastated Gaza Strip into a luxury beach resort with his branding appears not to be dead on arrival as some suggested. On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Trump posted on Truth Social an AI-generated video…
On ‘SNL,’ Dave Chappelle recalls uproar over Jimmy Carter’s book ‘Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid’
Hosting “Saturday Night Live” in its final broadcast before the inauguration of Donald Trump, comedian Dave Chappelle concluded with advice for the new president.
Jewish leaders decry Pope Francis’ criticism of Israel as ‘incendiary’
A group representing the leaders of the United States’ largest Jewish organizations has written a letter to Pope Francis criticizing his recent condemnation of Israeli airstrikes that killed 25 Palestinians, calling the pope’s comments “incendiary.”
Here’s a Mike Huckabee connection with the Holy Land you didn’t know
President-elect Donald Trump named Mike Huckabee as his choice to be the United States ambassador to Israel. Huckabee, of course, was a Southern Baptist minister before getting involved in rightwing media and politics. His faith has been a central feature…
Evangelical groups call for ‘unequivocal’ support for Israel on October 7 anniversary
Since Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, Israel’s military has responded in force, killing an estimated 40,000 Palestinians and injuring nearly 100,000 more in Gaza while ramping up attacks on…
A prayer for peace in the Holy Lands
On Oct. 7, 2023, the American Airlines flight I was on landed at Tel Aviv Airport at about 5 p.m. local time. I’d slept most of the flight and was completely oblivious to what was happening in the world. Imagine…
The Living Stones
In early September, I returned from a visit to Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Led by the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, my visit was part of a multifaith delegation of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Quaker, Buddhist and Hindu clergy,…
A Christian call to confront the silence of the Gaza genocide
In our age of advanced technology, where global connections are just a click away, a desperate cry echoes from the Gaza Strip — a cry from a land enduring the weight of more than 57 years of Israeli occupation and…
Letter to the Editor: Don’t forget what ‘Genocide Joe’ has done
Dear Editor: On Aug. 7, David Bumgardner penned a column for BNG under the title “Blinded by Their Hatred of Biden, Arab Voters Cut Off Their Noses to Spite Their Faces.” Bumgardner’s biased and disheartening column takes American Arabs, especially Michigan…
PC(USA) continues protest against Israel with more divestment
The Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly has continued its decade-long protest of Israeli occupation of Palestine by voting to divesting from Israeli bonds. The unanimous consent vote of the 500-member assembly marks a continuation of a protest begun in 2014…