Photos and descriptions of various Easter traditions from the name of the holiday to its modern celebration.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Easter.
Death Penalty Repeal Gains Support from Latino Evangelicals
Roman Catholics, Latino and African American Evangelicals share a common opposition to capital punishment. White Evangelicals are key religious supporters of capital punishment, which remains legal in 32 states. In tension would be biblical teaching on the topic, which clearly supports capital punishment (e.g., Paul’s comments about the sword in Romans 10 and numerous laws in the Books of Moses), and issues of justice since bias and legal processes have been proven to be unfair in some cases. It is worth noting that St. Paul himself died from capital punishment. According to tradition, he was beheaded under the emperor Nero.
Death Penalty Repeal Gains Support from Latino Evangelical Co… | Gleanings | ChristianityToday.com.
Martyrdom of Bonhoeffer Commemorated. 70 Years
Dr. Joel Lawrence, a Baptist minister, will speak in commemoration on Thursday, April 9, 2015. He is the author of a book on Bonhoeffer.
Rev. Canon Phil Ashey Questions Muslim Service in Anglican Church
Ashey wonders why the bishops are not more active in addressing these kinds of situations, citing other historic examples. Where are Bishops when you need them?.
Church Planting Story in Burkina Faso. AllianceLife
Interesting account of settling into mission work in Africa from Christian Missionary Alliance.
News & Stories » A Season of Harvest.
Religion in Early America. Smithsonian
The National Museum of American History will have a new exhibit and symposium on religious freedom, religious growth, and religious diversity.
Mar Dinkha IV Enters Heavenly Rest. Patriarch of Assyrian Church
The Assyrian churches face significant, ongoing hardship and persecution as Christians in the largely Muslim Near East.
Pope Francis: Mar Dinkha IV “a courageous and wise pastor”.
Rev. Lyle E. Schaller Dies at 91. Church Growth Consultant
Highly influential church growth consultant, Lyle Schaller, taught sociological principles to churches, which made them more attractive and effective in gaining audiences. His approach helped shape modern churches, although it also raised concerns about whether sociology should trump biblical theology’s emphasis on God’s role in conversion and the role of tradition in guiding congregational life. Rev. Lyle E. Schaller Dies at 91; Helped Protestant Churches Survive and Grow – NYTimes.com.
What Did Jesus Look Like? National Geographic
These depictions of Jesus provide a pretty good overview. However, when the article asserts that Jesus was not depicted with a beard until the fourth century, I would question that conclusion. The fresco at Dura Europos (second image) might have included a beard on Jesus’ chin. The state of the image makes it difficult to tell. Other early depictions borrowed from existing Greco-Roman depictions of gods or heroes (think stock art), who typically did not have beards. So the evidence is not quite so helpful for determining how to depict Jesus.
Isaiah 50:6 speaks prophetically about Jesus’ suffering and describes Him as bearded. That prophecy may have helped settle early Christian depictions that became standard in later centuries. It would be interesting to research the history of interpretation for Isaiah 50. That Jesus was of Jewish descent is beyond dispute.
The Evolving Look of Jesus – Killing Jesus Gallery – National Geographic Channel.
Julio Ribeiro. Indian Christians. History of Conversion
Julio Ribeiro is a retired police officer who was a leading figure in India’s governance in decades past. He recently offered complaint about religiously motivated violence in India and the role of mass conversions in sparking such violence. This two part article offers analysis in view of India’s history. It is not an easy read but does help one sort through the roles of Hindu, Muslim, and Christian views in the present conflict as well as the history contributing to such conflict. Key to the author’s argument is the role of the caste system in holding people back and that people chose to convert to other religions in order to escape the dominant caste system.
Part 2: Julio Ribeiro and the choice before Indian Christians.
church history review 