Home grown terrorism continues to afflict African American Christians. Lord, have mercy.
9 dead in shooting at black church in Charleston, S.C..
Author: edengelbrecht6
Ancient Inscription Includes Name from Bible
This beautifully inscribed pot includes a name used for one of Saul’s sons, Eshbaal, “Man of the Lord.” A satirical form of the name likely is Ish-bosheth, “Man of Shame,” used to describe the last king of Saul’s line.
AP – Israeli archaeologists find inscription of name from Bible.
The Encyclical: A History and Explanation. Modern Church
This article gives a brief history of papal encyclicals, beginning in 1740. However, the apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees describes such letter writing already in the second century BC.
The papal encyclical: What is an ‘encyclical’?.
North Korean Mission University Trains Elite Communists. Modern Church
In this TED Talk, Kim describes her teaching stint at a university founded and operated by Christian missionaries. The university uses outside professors who train elite North Korean students, future leaders of the regime. The missionaries are not supposed to proselytize the students.
Suki Kim: This is what its like to teach in North Korea | TED Talk | TED.com.
Christianity under Communism in Cunmoyu, China. Modern Church
This a fascinating account of religious persecution in communist China, where tensions continue between Roman Catholics loyal to the pope and the country’s officially recognized patriotic church.
via In Hebei, Where Chinese Bishops Loyal To The Pope Vanish#.VXVuMOnbI5t.
Elder Survived Japanese Prison Camp. Modern Church
The story of Jack Graham, whose parents were missionaries in China when WWII broke out. Inspiring history.
Elder Survived Japanese Prison Camp | byFaith.
Martyrs of King Mwanga II of Buganda. Modern Church
Commemoration of 24 Roman Catholic and 23 Anglican martyrs will take place in Rwanda. They were burned or speared to death under King Mwanga II between 1885 and 1887.
allAfrica.com: Uganda: Rwandan Pilgrims to Attend Martyrs Day in Kampala.
Anglican Issues of Authority. Video Commentary
Rev. Canon Phil Ashey, CEO, American Anglican Council, presents an interesting commentary on the meaning of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Anglican Church for today. This link takes you to article XX. He introduces it by noting the emerging conflict between westernized churches and the missionary churches in Africa.
Article XX: Of the Authority of the Church.
The History of VBS. American Christianity
An appeal for a history of VBS appeared on Religion in American History blog. My experience is that it was a summer extension of Sunday School. It used to run two weeks but is no commonly just one week. These days there is more emphasis on the “vacation” part of the name rather than the “school” part. I hope someone follows through and writes the history!
I did find on the EBSCO site “An Improved Vacation Bible School?” Christian Century, 69 no 32 Ag 6 1952, p 893. This brief article from 1952 mentions the growth of VBS as a recent development in religious education. A historian would need to verify whether this means that VBS was new at that time or whether the growth was new.
A Detail from the Pew Report about Churches. Young Women. Modern Religion
This article explores why an increasing number of young women are falling away from church, a significant detail in the recent Pew Report about American Religion.
Why more young women than ever before are skipping church – The Washington Post.
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