Christian

US Hispanic Protestant church is young, growing, effective in evangelism, study shows

A new study shows that the Hispanic protestant community in the US is flourishing, with a rapidly increasing number of churches, a strong base of young congregants and first-generation American citizens, and a strong record in effective evangelistic outreach, Lifeway Research reports. The study was sponsored by Lifeway Recursos, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Samaritan’s Purse, and surveyed 692 pastors of congregations that are at least 50 percent Hispanic.

United Methodist Church loses more than 1,800 congregations over LGBTQ debate, “not a real schism”

America’s United Methodist Church has now lost over 1,800 congregations as conservative churches have disaffiliated with the denomination over UMC acceptance of same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy, Christianity Today (CT) reports. Nevertheless, analysts have said the rate of disaffiliation does not represent a major schism and the denomination is expected to survive.

Church of England publishes draft prayer of blessing for same-sex marriages

The Church of England has published draft prayers for God’s blessing for same-sex couples, the denomination said in a press release last week. The move follows the Church of England’s recently announced plans to continue the prohibition of marriage ceremonies in church but to allow clergy to bless homosexual civil partnerships in church on a voluntary basis.

Church of England: homosexual couples cannot marry in church but clergy can hold blessings for same-sex civil partnerships

The Church of England has announced it cannot change its doctrine to allow same-sex couples to be married in the church but proposes that clergy may voluntarily choose to hold blessing ceremonies for homosexual couples in civil marriages, the Guardian UK reports. The “historic plans” announced on Wednesday represent a form of compromise after decades of anguished debate within the Church of England over the acceptance of homosexuality.

Post-pandemic attendance at worship services has significantly declined, report shows

A new report shows that, while religious identity among US adults has remained “mostly stable” since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Americans who regularly attend worship services has declined significantly, the Washington Times reports. The report was published by the American Enterprise Institute on Thursday.

Bipartisan religious freedom commission “outraged” at US failure to add Nigeria and India to list of countries of particular concern

The bipartisan US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has expressed “outrage” over the Biden’s administration’s “inexplicable” decision to keep Nigeria and India off the State Department’s list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) when it added Cuba and Nicaragua to the list on Friday, Christianity Today reports. 

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