Mark A. Kellner

Uyghurs languish in forced labor, re-education camps as Chinese governor preps European visit

For nearly 10 years, Chinese authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have increased repression of the Uyghurs, many of whom are wondering why so many liberal figures in business, professional sports leagues and the mainstream media have been muted in the face of this persecution.

February 13, 2023

Antisemitism fears up last year by 33% among U.S. Jews, poll says

Jews in the United States reported a 33% rise in fears about antisemitism during 2022, the American Jewish Committee's annual report, released early Monday, indicated.

February 13, 2023

SEC investigating $100 billion investment fund owned by Mormon church

A $100 billion investment fund owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which believes the church tried to keep the massive portfolio secret, The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday.

February 10, 2023

Ukraine’s Christians attacked for not cooperating with Russian occupiers, pastors say

The Rev. Mihail Britsin, an evangelical Christian pastor from Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine, is focused on a more secular form of salvation these days, praying for the liberation of his city and what remains of his congregation from Russian military domination.

February 9, 2023

Gay couples can receive blessing, not marriage, in Church of England: Bishops

Bishops of the Church of England said Thursday they "welcomed proposals" for same-sex couples to receive a blessing on their unions, which passed by majority votes in the church's General Synod. Anglican clergy will not yet perform marriage ceremonies for those couples, however.

February 9, 2023

No crown, a slight smile: ‘Accessible’ image of King Charles on first stamps of reign

Britain's Royal Mail unveiled Wednesday new stamp designs showing a crown-less King Charles III, the first change of the monarch's portrait in 70 years.

February 8, 2023

‘He Gets Us’ Christian campaign in $20 million Super Bowl ad buy to market Jesus

A multiyear, billion-dollar effort to "market" the message of Jesus Christ to a skeptical population will get high visibility Sunday, when the "He Gets Us" campaign airs two commercials totaling 90 seconds during the Super Bowl.

February 8, 2023

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.

February 7, 2023

Houston’s prayer-healing Lakewood Church to hold medical missions conference

A medical missions conference will be held next week at Houston's Lakewood Church, whose founding can be traced to the healing of its founder's daughter through prayer and faith.

February 7, 2023

Rights advocate Figel’ says ‘human dignity’ at root of freedoms

Jan Figel lives between two epochs: the first, in which communist forces in what was then Czechoslovakia killed the uncle for whom he is named, and the second, in which Mr. Figel' carried on the struggle for religious freedom as a European Union envoy.

February 6, 2023

U.K. prosecutors ‘discontinue’ charges against woman in silent prayer near abortion clinic

A British woman arrested in Birmingham, England, for standing silently near an abortion clinic that was closed at the time will pursue vindication in court even after the case had been "discontinued" by local prosecutors, though the charges could be revived.

February 3, 2023

Catholic bishop leader hits Biden’s claim that pope OKs abortion funding

The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops fired back against President Biden's claim that some bishops do not want to block taxpayer funding of abortion, while another bishop accused the president of being a "fake" Catholic.

February 2, 2023

Religious freedom under threat; summit highlights actions by China, developments in Japan

Religious freedom is not only under growing threat around the globe from China and other totalitarian regimes, warned dignitaries at a summit this week in Washington, but faces challenges such as efforts by leftists in such stalwart democracies as Japan to curb faith groups since last year's assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

February 1, 2023

Taiwan legislative leader says island has religious freedom, which China lacks

A top Taiwanese legislator drew a sharp contrast Wednesday between religious freedom on the island democracy compared to the record of the Communist mainland its repression of Uyghur Muslims, Christians and other minority religions.

February 1, 2023

Atheist leader supports protecting religious rights to safeguard nonbelievers

Nonbelievers advocate for religious freedom because the right to believe or not to believe must be protected from regimes that would persecute those who disagree with them, an atheist leader says.

January 31, 2023

Outpouring of faith support for NFL player confirms usefulness of public prayer, survey reveals

Most Americans believe a public call to prayer is appropriate, particularly during a national tragedy, a poll revealed Tuesday.

January 31, 2023

Israel critic, Anglican priest Stephen Sizer benched for 12 years in antisemitism case

A British Anglican priest whose longtime opposition to Israel's activities was found to have spilled over into antisemitism will not be allowed to perform clerical duties until 2030, a Church of England tribunal ruled Monday.

January 30, 2023

Christian wireless provider won’t change ways for ‘woke’ police chief, CEO says

Police, pizza, protests -- a perfect combination for a woke tempest in a teapot, but Glenn Story, the CEO of the wireless provider in the eye of the storm, says he is undaunted.

January 30, 2023

Fired gay guidance counselor challenges Catholic school’s religious exemption from employment law

School guidance counselor Shelly Fitzgerald isn't giving up her court battle against a Roman Catholic high school in Indiana that fired her after learning of she was in a same-sex marriage.

January 27, 2023

Religious liberty summit leader sees church link to Ukraine war

Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine threw a spotlight on religious liberty around the world, shifting the discussion from abstract arguments to the front lines of a war that's lasted 11 months with no immediate end in sight, said a co-chairman of the Tuesday-Wednesday International Religious Freedom Summit.

January 27, 2023