Faith and Family
Stay up to date on the latest news and discussions on religion, faith and family.
Two top ex-execs at Christianity Today sexually harassed staffers, magazine says
By Mark A. Kellner - The Washington Times
Two top executives of evangelical magazine Christianity Today committed "unchecked" sexual harassment of colleagues over the course of a dozen years, the publication said Tuesday. Published March 15, 2022
Recent Stories
Church of England to ponder 'gender-neutral' terms for God and Jesus, bishop says
The Church of England, the spiritual ancestor of America's Episcopal Church, revealed Tuesday it would begin this spring a new "project" to consider "gendered language" in its liturgy.
Kirk Cameron: 'Woke' libraries that host drag queens denied his request to read faith-based book
Some public libraries inviting drag queens to read to children aren't willing to extend the same courtesy to Kirk Cameron, a well-known actor active in Christian causes.
Southern Baptist pastor in Northern Virginia issues amendment to exclude women as pastors
A Southern Baptist pastor in Northern Virginia is calling for the denomination's Executive Committee to advance an amendment to its constitution that would explicitly exclude women from holding the title of pastor.
Vermont family sues after being punished in flap over trans student in girls' locker room
A Vermont coach and his daughter have sued school officials after being rebuked for using male pronouns to describe a male-to-female transgender student in a girls' locker room, arguing that their First Amendment rights were violated.
Wash. state can investigate evangelical university's anti-LGBTQ hiring practices, judge rules
A federal judge in Washington state has tossed a lawsuit by a Christian university seeking to stop a state inquiry into the school's hiring practices that block LGBTQ individuals from full-time roles.
U.S. religious freedom watchdog warns of significant oppression if Russia gains Ukraine
Religious communities in Ukraine "will likely be targeted with violence and oppression" should Russia gain control of Ukraine, a federal commission on religious freedom has warned.
D.C. grants religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccine mandate to Catholic nun after lawsuit
The District of Columbia has granted a religious exemption from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate to a Catholic nun and doctor who sued Mayor Muriel Bowser over it last week.
Michigan group advocates 'sharing' of spiritual heritage
A private spiritual foundation in Michigan has released a report hailing innovations that connect the unaffiliated with a faith community's "heritage," if not an established organization.
Supreme Court nominee Jackson's record on abortion troubles pro-life advocates
The potential confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court could slow down the pro-life movement, conservative advocates warn.
Florida Democrats rally against Gov. DeSantis over parental rights legislation
Florida Democrats rallied Saturday against Gov. Ron DeSantis at the party's annual Obama Roosevelt Legacy Gala, calling for his defeat in 2022 in order to end "the cruelty that has been inflicted upon our state."
Big-name companies urge Texas to reverse actions on trans surgeries, treatments for kids
Dozens of big-name businesses are pushing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to backtrack on state efforts that have been condemned as harmful to the LGBT community, saying "discrimination is bad for business."
Pope Francis pleads with Putin to stop war in Ukraine
Pope Francis directly addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, pleading Sunday for an end to the invasion of Ukraine.
'Messianic Rabbi' brings Jewish perspective to Christian faith
Jason Sobel is not your typical rabbi.
Episcopal leader tells Putin to end Ukraine invasion
The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, said Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin should stop his country's invasion of Ukraine and "sit at the table of brotherhood" to resolve the conflict.
Catholic doctor-nun sues the District for refusing her religious vaccine exemption
Sister Deirdre "Dede" Byrne, a Roman Catholic nun and doctor who provides free medical service to the poor, has sued the District for refusing her a religious exemption to its vaccine mandate for health care workers.
Texas Supreme Court rules against abortion providers' challenge to fetal heartbeat law
The Texas Supreme Court has delivered another blow to abortion providers who are challenging the state's abortion restrictions, rejecting a lawsuit that objected to the state licensing board enforcing the law.
Coach fired by public school district for on-field prayer calls legal battle 'crazy'
The high school football coach fired for praying on the 50-yard-line and the parent concerned about prayer at a public school agree on one thing: The whole legal battle -- one that's now reached the Supreme Court -- has been crazy.
Actor/producer Kirk Cameron hosts new talk show, promises guests a 'no gotcha' zone
Actor/producer Kirk Cameron, who rose to fame as a teen heartthrob in the sitcom "Growing Pains" and has gone on to star in Christian-themed movies, says he knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of blunt, prying media questions -- which is why he promises a "no gotcha" zone for his new, "Takeaways," on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.
U.S. evangelist working to rescue faith workers in Ukraine
Nick Hall, an evangelist from Minneapolis, said he is desperately trying to evacuate his coworkers in Ukraine out of the war zone.
Houses of worship, nonprofits to see more federal security funding in spending bill
A key advocate for enhancing security measures at houses of worship on Thursday hailed the passage of a $1.5 trillion spending bill that includes a 40% increase in federal funding for such measures.
Nonbelievers say Christians don't represent Jesus well, Episcopal Church survey finds
Nonbelievers say America's Christians are doing a poor job of representing Jesus Christ, a new survey sponsored by the Episcopal Church revealed Tuesday.
Documentary film on heaven part of apologetic thrust to promote Christian faith, Strobel says
NASHVILLE, Tenn. | Former investigative reporter Lee Strobel says today's skeptics need evidence before they consider Christianity's claims.
Lawsuit challenges D.C. mask mandate in private schools
A faith-based advocacy group is suing the District of Columbia over the city's mask mandate on behalf of parents who send their elementary school children to Catholic schools.
GOP celebrates restoration of Hyde Amendment, other pro-life measures in spending bills
Republicans took a victory lap Wednesday after defeating Democrats' attempts to strip out longstanding pro-life measures from spending bills.
Most U.S. parents of preteens are now millennials who reject the Bible, survey says
Most American parents of children younger than 13 are now millennials who do not believe in the Bible, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.
Virginia Dems block bill to protect houses of worship from government interference
Virginia Democrats have blocked a bill that would protect houses of worship from excess government intervention such as COVID-19 mandates and shutdown orders.
Russian Orthodox Church leader: Ukraine invasion a justified war against gay pride
The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church said his country's invasion of Ukraine was a divine mission in opposition to gay rights.
Christian music radio offers balm for the soul, with a contemporary beat
Contemporary Christian music is reaching an audience beyond the pews, a top broadcasting executive says.
Nearly 3 in 4 Protestant pastors say identifying as transgender 'morally wrong'
Nearly 3 in 4 U.S. Protestant pastors say it's morally wrong to "identify" as a gender different than that one is biologically born with, a Lifeway Research survey reported Friday.
Florida teens walk out of school to protest parental rights bill
Florida teenagers have staged a statewide walkout from their classrooms to protest the state's proposed parental bill of rights, which would forbid teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation in elementary schools.
Faith-based groups fund relief, evacuation efforts in Ukraine
More than 200 Jewish refugees from war-torn Ukraine are expected to be greeted as immigrants in Israel Sunday by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a Jerusalem-based relief official said Thursday.
Hundreds of Russian Orthodox clerics sign letter calling for end to Ukraine invasion
At least 272 clerics in the Russian Orthodox Church -- the faith often aligned with Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin -- have signed an online letter calling for an immediate end of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the withdrawal of all troops and weapons.
Parenting expert urges parents to discuss Ukraine with kids
Europe's first ground war in half a century has made it urgent for parents to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine with their children, according to a noted parenting educator.
Kyiv shrines, memorials with powerful symbolic value at risk
Kyiv, bracing for a potentially catastrophic Russian attack, is the spiritual heart of Ukraine.
Sen. John Kennedy urges Justice Dept. to crack down on anti-Catholic crime, vandalism
Sen. John Kennedy, Louisiana Republican, prodded the Justice Department on Wednesday to act against rising crime targeting Catholic churches and worshipers, saying he has received no response since raising the issue in 2020.
Church openings approach pre-pandemic levels, but attendance levels stall, survey says
America's Protestant churches are gathering in person at a rate far greater than the beginning of 2021, a new survey from Lifeway Research reports.
Family of transgender teen sues to block Texas from probing child abuse
A Texas family is suing to block Gov. Greg Abbott's directive for the state to probe parents of transgender kids receiving transition care for alleged child abuse.
D.C. museums, monuments eye return of school groups
Museums and monuments in the District of Columbia are prepping for a resurgence of school field trips this spring following the lifting of mask mandates and vaccine card requirements.
Southern Baptist president won't seek second term, breaking decades of precedent
The Rev. Ed Litton, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, said Tuesday he would not seek a second consecutive term as head of America's largest Protestant denomination.
Alabama governor blasts high school sports association over inflexible playoff schedule
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, a Republican and self-identified Baptist, has sided with athletes from a Seventh-day Adventist high school that had to forfeit a game when the state's high school sports association balked at rescheduling a playoff game.
School district lawyers ask Supreme Court to dismiss lawsuit from coach who prayed on field
Lawyers representing a Washington state school district have asked the Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit from a high school football coach who was fired for praying on the 50-yard line, arguing the coach has moved to Florida so there's no longer a conflict over his employment.
White House condemns Senate vote blocking debate on abortion protections, flurry of state laws
The White House on Tuesday criticized Republicans for blocking attempts to take up abortion rights legislation in the Senate, calling it "extremely disappointing" as states pass new restrictions and hinting President Biden will explore actions he can take on his own.
Senate Republicans block Democrats' federal abortion bill
Senate Democrats failed to secure enough votes Monday to move forward with legislation that would codify Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision giving women a right to an abortion up until viability.
Washington National Cathedral embraces global reach via web streaming, pastoral care
The District of Columbia's newest megachurch doesn't have a smoke machine, praise band or rock concert-style musical numbers.
Russian-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church leader joins opposition to Putin's invasion
Metropolitan Onufriy, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate, an Eastern Orthodox body aligned with the Russian Orthodox leadership, ordered his clergy in the besieged nation to pray Sunday for Russia's defeat.
Supreme Court to weigh law on placement for children from Indian homes
The Supreme Court announced Monday it would hear a group of cases weighing a 1978 law that gave the federal government control over removing children from Indian homes, avoiding placement with families outside of tribes.
Eastern Orthodox faith leader joins Pope in condemning invasion
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world's 200 million Eastern Orthodox Christians, on Sunday condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as "beyond every sense of law and morality," according to a message posted online by his office in Istanbul, Turkey.
Youngkin identifies racially 'divisive concepts' in schools report
Gov. Glenn Youngkin released an interim report Friday outlining steps his administration is taking to remove "inherently divisive concepts" in Virginia's public schools, part of his pledge to ban critical race theory.
States ready abortion laws ahead of Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade
Liberal-leaning states are rushing to enshrine the right to abortion within their own boundaries ahead of the Supreme Court's looming ruling in a case challenging Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that guaranteed a national right to abortion.
Biden's Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson thanks God, credits faith
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson credited God and her faith on Friday as President Biden nominated her to the Supreme Court, where she would become the first Black woman to serve on the high court in its 233-year history.
Adopted Arkansas judge finds his deceased birth parents after long search
An Arkansas judge has found his deceased birth parents after decades of searching but says the process of understanding why they abandoned him as an infant has just begun.
Eastern Orthodox spiritual leader condemns Russian invasion
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world's 200 million Eastern Orthodox Christians, has condemned Russia's invasion in a phone call to the head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the independent Orthodox Times website reported.
Pope Francis visits Russian Embassy in Rome to appeal for peace
A day after President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, Pope Francis on Friday spent more than half an hour at the Russian Embassy to the Vatican where he expressed his concern about the widening war.
Clinics report 800% increase in women leaving Texas since new restrictions took effect
Abortion providers on Thursday said the number of Texans heading out of state for abortions skyrocketed since the state banned abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually after six weeks of pregnancy.
Nebraska conservatives petition to stop 'gender identity' bathroom bill, speech code
Nebraska conservatives are scrambling to block a Lincoln City Council proposal that would allow biological men who identify as female to use women's facilities. Businesses and organizations unwilling to abide by the new "gender identity" rules could face fines.
Museum of the Bible exhibit to probe Shroud of Turin's controversial history
The Museum of the Bible will open a major exhibit on the Shroud of Turin on Saturday, but its top curator says the genuineness of the alleged burial cloth of Jesus isn't the point.
Lockdown-defiant pastor finds common cause with Canadian truckers
A Canadian pastor who was imprisoned for keeping his church open during COVID-19 has found common cause with the truckers who have blockaded Ottawa to protest mask and vaccine mandates.
Christian docs' group: Calif. law an attempt to make morally opposed physicians assist in suicides
A group of Christian physicians sued California Tuesday claiming last year's revisions to the state's 2015 assisted suicide law will force medical personnel to violate their conscience and participate in procedures they oppose on religious grounds.
Report: U.S. to see a record number of weddings, rising costs in 2022
Wedding bells will ring more and cost more as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted this year, according to an industry report that predicts the U.S. will see a record 2.5 million weddings in 2022.
Russia faces fine for violating 'fundamental rights' of Jehovah's Witnesses
Russia's mistreatment of 14 Jehovah's Witnesses more than a decade ago violated their "fundamental rights to freedom of religion and liberty," the European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday.
