Ukraine is a fascinating nation, the second largest in Europe by land area and the eighth most populous, after Russia. Although it is the poorest country in Europe, its extensive farmlands enable it to be one of the largest wheat…
Baptists worldwide join in day of prayer for Ukraine
Baptists from 50 nations joined together via Zoom today for a unified season of prayer for the people of Ukraine as they face Russian troops sent to their country by Vladimir Putin. The event included Baptist participants from other highly…
Addressing war with those who don’t remember 9-11
I work with a variety of young people in a variety of settings. Today in a class in one of those settings, and on impulse, I told the class I wanted to take the temperature of the group. I said,…
Meditation on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
I can almost smell the acrid, thick smoke of diesel engines powering Russian tanks, personnel carriers and trucks hauling heavy artillery into two eastern provinces of Ukraine’s border with Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the two provinces as “independent…
American churches turn to prayer and song in solidarity with Ukraine
On the first Sunday of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, churches across America took to their knees and their feet, and turned to song and silence to utter their prayers for Ukrainians under siege. “When people were sharing their prayer…
‘The situation here is terrible,’ Ukrainian Baptist leader tells European allies
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is unfolding as the worst possible scenario faith leaders could have envisioned, a Baptist leader said in a Zoom call Thursday, Feb. 24. More than 75 people joined the online conversation organized on short notice…
Ukrainian and European Baptist leaders issue urgent calls to prayer
Ukrainian Baptist leaders, along with other European Baptist leaders, have issued urgent calls to prayer for the intense conflict emerging at the Ukrainian-Russian border. As dawn broke in the region Wednesday, Feb. 16, the status of the enormous threat from…
Religion Notes: Religious people happier; Baptist groups fund global projects
It’s long been assumed that religious belief and participation contributes to overall happiness. Now there are some statistics confirming that. The Pew Research Center has released a survey that found, globally, those active in congregations “tend to be happier and…
Peace group head urges Obama to get specific during Hiroshima visit
The leader of the nation’s largest peace group focused on abolishing nuclear weapons and urged President Obama to get specific about his plans to reduce their number during his historic visit later this month to Hiroshima, Japan. The White House…