The release of a jailed pastor by Chinese authorities this month has brought renewed attention to how Beijing treats Christians. The pastor leads one of China’s largest unregistered, or underground, house churches — congregations that refuse to comply with the government’s requirement that Christians worship only in officially approved, state-registered churches. China’s ruling Communist Party, which holds atheism as its official position, considers organized religion a potential challenge to its authority. Under President Xi Jinping, the government has pushed a campaign to “Sinicize” religion, demanding that faith communities demonstrate loyalty to the party. Despite ongoing crackdowns, underground churches continue to grow rapidly.
Egypt’s government has announced a major archaeological find — a well-preserved city from the Byzantine era, discovered in the country’s western desert. The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry says the settlement contains numerous buildings and inscriptions that reflect the strong presence of Christianity in the region during the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. A basilica church dating to the 300s stands at the entrance of the site, overlooking the main streets, with the ruins of two watchtowers that once guarded the city’s edges. Researchers have identified one home as belonging to a man named Tisous (pronounced TISS-oos), who served as a church deacon during that period.
A new survey from AP-NORC is shedding light on the divisions within American Jewish communities when it comes to Israel. The poll found that Jews who are religiously affiliated tend to view support for Israel as a core part of their identity, while those who are not religiously affiliated are more likely to be critical of Israel’s actions. The wide-ranging survey covered topics including views on Israel, anti-Semitism, and tensions in personal relationships. While supporting Israel remains important to many Jewish adults, how central it is compared to other aspects of Jewish identity varies widely — and disagreements over Israel are clearly creating rifts within Jewish communities across the country.
Christian missionaries from the evangelical organization Cru — which rhymes with “true” — are now spreading their message in VRChat, a widely used social platform where millions of people worldwide connect through digital avatars. As virtual spaces become an increasingly significant part of people’s social lives, Cru’s missionaries are adapting traditional outreach methods to meet people where they spend their time. Through VRChat, users can visit thousands of virtual worlds to talk, play games, and — in the missionaries’ case — hear about the Christian faith. Cru was founded in 1951 under the name Campus Crusade for Christ and has long focused on evangelism and faith development among younger generations.
