Bojan Jovanović is a Father in the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Damir Katulić is the president of the Association of Christians of Croatia. Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Thank you for your patience with me, and for taking the time for this interview today. Often, the media stories on the Catholic Church garner more attention and notoriety. Orthodoxy seems less affected in the public sphere. I do not want to stereotype or portray this inaccurately or unfairly, as the subject matter arouses many emotions and instincts at tension with one another, because of the seriousness of the allegations and the severity of the consequences for churches, communities, priests, and laity: defensiveness, retribution, fear, pity, pain, regret, anger, betrayal, shame, sadness, disillusionment, guilt, helplessness, maybe hope. As my knowledge and experience grows on this topic, I want to relay experiences and views with sensitivity, but with forthrightness, given the deep impact on people’s lives. I will fail at this, but I will continue to aim for this mark in this work. In prior writing, my bias would have been more oriented towards a bias of directed blame against abusive acts within religious institutions without proposal of, or search for, realistic and concrete constructive solutions. Looking back at my younger self, the former emotions in empathy with the experiences of others in pain seems legitimate, while not directing these energies to appropriate formal and grassroots fairness and justice movements was a gap, a failing. I come from the intellectual backgrounds of several non-religious traditions locally and internationally, which colours, therefore potentially biases, the qualitative research into these areas. How have you observed clergy-related abuse manifesting at the local level within the Serbian Orthodox Church?

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christians and Hindus must promote harmony among all groups of people despite their differences, especially when ideologies increasingly seek to sow division, the Vatican wrote in a message for the Hindu celebration of Diwali. "In the divine project, diversity and differences are not meant to be...

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a public apology on October 13, 2024, following backlash over a viral video that critics say mocked the Catholic faith. The video, posted on social media, shows Whitmer placing a Dorito chip onto the tongue of podcast host Liz Plank, resembling the Catholic sacrament of Holy Communion. This gesture led many, particularly in the Catholic community, to view the video as offensive and disrespectful towards their religious practices.

This article contains AI-generated imagery. The concept of spiritual warfare is deeply ingrained in Christian theology. Throughout history, believers have been cautioned against certain practices and objects believed to open doors to the demonic.

Hats! We love them! But should Alabama Christian men or men globally wear a hat in church? The question of whether men should wear hats in church is one that has sparked debate among various religious and cultural communities for centuries. This topic touches on issues of tradition, respect, and evolving social norms. To understand this issue, it is essential to delve into the historical context, religious doctrines, and contemporary perspectives, alongside examining the related topic of women’s head coverings as discussed in 1 Corinthians 11:4-7.

(The Conversation) — Some 79 countries around the world continue to enforce blasphemy laws. And in places such as Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, violation of these measures can result in a death penalty. While the U.S. is not among those countries, it also has a...

Remember the days when you could freely discuss just about anything without fear of sparking controversy? Well, those days are long gone. In today’s hyper-sensitive world, there are topics so fraught with tension that even mentioning them can lead to heated debates and hurt feelings. Let’s take a look at 25 things you simply can’t talk about anymore without tiptoeing through a minefield of political correctness, heated arguments and hurt feelings.

As People of Faith, we believe that everyone is created in God’s image and we are commanded to love one another. As Americans, we value our system of government and the good that can be accomplished in our constitutional democracy. Today, we are concerned about a persistent threat to...

Housed in a chapel built in 1954 on the campus of Saint Louis University, the Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA) is the first museum in the U.S. to bring an interfaith focus to contemporary art. Through exhibitions, collections and educational programs, MOCRA explores and showcases the various ways that...

Including religious identities in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts could positively impact workplace culture and communities as a whole, according to newly published research from Rice University’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance. “The workplace in the midst of these fraught times is a place...