The state of Christianity's most important monastery
Amid threats of being taken over by Egypt's government
Hi Religion Unplugged readers,
St. Catherine’s Monastery, located at the base of Mount Sinai — where Moses received the Ten Commandments, as written in the Bible — may be the most important Christian monastery in the world.
That’s why many are shocked by the recent ruling by an Egyptian court that St. Catherine’s be taken over by the government. Still, the situation is more complex than that, and contributor Paul Marshall breaks it down in detail in today’s top story. Don’t miss the fascinating historical context and insightful explanation of the current ruling.
Is Egypt’s Government Trying To Take Over Christianity's Most Important Monastery?
(ANALYSIS) Much of the Christian world, especially the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, have been roiled by reports that an Egyptian court has mandated that St. Catherine's Monastery be taken over by the government. This issue is especially explosive because St. Catherine's is arguably Christianity's most important monastery — but the situation also appears to be complex. by Paul Marshall
Why The Pope Matters In A World Of Rivalries
(OPINION) We are all curious to see how Pope Leo XIV will engage with the Trump administration. The Chicago Archdiocese’s upcoming celebration of the pope, an American-Peruvian dual citizen, stands in contrast to the military parade being hosted in Washington, D.C. on the same day. At the same time, the Catholic Church has seen empires rise and fall. by Megan Sweas
Blades Over The Burial Mound: The Fight To Save A Sacred Northern Ireland Site
For the first time in centuries, public access to the Knock has been denied. Although the hill is widely acknowledged to be used publicly, it’s technically private land. After a group went to the summit for a winter solstice ceremony last year — honoring what many believe to be the hill’s ancient role in sun worship — they received a letter from the landowner warning they were trespassing. by Christiana Alexakis
Why Islam Grew (And Christianity Didn’t) Around The World In Just A Decade
Between 2010 and 2020, global religious affiliation shifted significantly, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. While Christianity remains the world’s largest religion, its growth lagged behind overall population growth. Christians increased by 122 million to 2.3 billion, but their share of the global population fell. At the same time, Islam saw a global surge. by Clemente Lisi
Israel’s Political Battle Over The Drafting Of Yeshiva Students
Many Jews are outraged that while the war in Gaza has been raging since Oct. 7, 2023 and they have suffered many casualties and interruptions to their civilian life in response to repeated reserve duty call-ups, their able-bodied ultra-Orthodox fellow citizens have not shared the defense burden. The IDF faces shortages, needing approximately 12,000 new recruits, including 7,000 combat soldiers. by Gil Zohar
‘The Life of Chuck’ Beautifully Shows The Meaning Of Life – But With No Afterlife
(REVIEW) Benjamin Franklin famously once said, “In life, nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Death is one of those things that the religious and non-religious have in common. It forces both to contemplate how to find meaning in life. Religious people have had the advantage in this regard, as the idea of eternal life is more appealing for people than the alternative. When secular artists dedicate themselves to unpack how life can be valuable (even if it all ends). by Joseph Holmes
Knitting Faiths Together: Using Art And Yarn To Grow Dialogue Between Religions
Exploring interfaith dialogue using knitting is the surprising theme of a new touring event taking place around the United Kingdom. It all started when Canadian actor and artist Kirk Dunn developed a passion for knitting. The result is an interfaith look at society, how faith can bring people together for a unique show and the “commonalities and conflicts between the three Abrahamic faiths.” by Angela Youngman
On Religion: There’s More To Catholic Liturgy Wars Than The Latin Mass
(ANALYSIS) So far, Pope Leo XIV has not addressed ongoing debates about restrictions on use of the Tridentine Mass, often called the “traditional Latin Mass.” Bishops around the world have been pulled into these battles after the 2021 release of the Pope Francis apostolic letter “Traditionis Custodes (Guardians of Tradition).” by Terry Mattingly
The Tension In India Between Free Speech And Religion
(ANALYSIS) A 22-year-old student has been charged with allegedly offending religious sentiments after making derogatory remarks about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Whatever the merits of the case, the incident raises an important question: Should the right to free speech include the right to criticize religion — one’s own or someone else’s? by Vishal Arora
New Wave Of Violence Targets Pakistan’s Ahmadi Community
The Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan has long experienced significant constraints on its religious practices. From not being allowed to call their places of worship “mosques” or use Islamic terms such as “Azan” (call to prayer) to not being able to vote because Ahmadis must either renounce their faith or agree to be placed on a separate electoral list categorizing them as “non-Muslim.” by Jamaima Afridi
Destroyed By Modernization’: Medieval Berlin’s Diverse Religious Roots Unearthed
Berlin faces growing intolerance of immigrants and their religions, especially Muslim Arabs from countries like Turkey and Syria. right-wing extremist political parties like the Alternative for Germany echo Nazi talking points and pine for a homogenous, white and Christian society. History, however, shows that such a time never existed. by Enzo Luna
‘The Ritual’ A Refreshingly Earnest (If Unoriginal) Return To The Exorcism Genre
(REVIEW) “The Ritual” is a movie you’ve seen many times before. But the story is clearly powerful enough that it is worth retelling. Hopefully, filmmakers will start figuring out how to tell these stories in new and different ways. In the meantime, we have movies like “The Ritual” and can always rewatch a classic such as “The Exorcist” again. by Joseph Holmes
Saving Faith With Help From Social Enterprise
(ANALYSIS) Houses of worship need social enterprise now more than ever. Churches, synagogues and other houses of worship are facing a dire situation. Up to 100,000 U.S. houses of worship may close over the next decade. The percentage of Americans belonging to a faith institution has plummeted from 70% to 47% over one generation with no sign of abating. by Rick Reinhard
🏀 OKC Thunder In A League Of Their Own — When It Comes To Pregame Prayer 🔌
Just one of the NBA’s 30 franchises tips off each game with an invocation: the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s a tradition that dates back to the Seattle SuperSonics’ move to OKC in 2008 — and even before that when the Bible Belt city served as the temporary home of the New Orleans Hornets after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. by Bobby Ross Jr.
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