[Religion News Service — Jerusalem] Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University and the Israel Antiquities Authority have discovered a remnant of a massive ancient moat in Jerusalem that fortified the city during ..read more

[World Council of Churches] With the 2024 Summer Olympics beginning in Paris on July 26, churches are extending a caring welcome to athletes and spectators alike. As all eyes are ..read more

[Episcopal News Service] Episcopalians in Alliance, Nebraska, know how hard it has become for many congregations across The Episcopal Church to recruit priests to serve their communities – the result ..read more

[World Council of Churches] His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the archbishop of Constantinople, met with the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, in Istanbul, Turkey ..read more

[Religion News Service — Nairobi, Kenya] African faith leaders are calling for debt forgiveness as the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee year approaches to help their countries tackle growing economic crises. “We urgently ..read more

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry delivers a video message on immigration on July 15, 2019. Photo: Episcopal Church, via video [Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Michael Curry sent a letter to President Joe Biden on July 23 calling on the U.S. government to push for an immediate and sustained ceasefire. He also called for a prolonged commitment to support Gazans as they rebuild; and to hold Israel accountable for human rights abuses, violence and illegal land seizures. “We have expressed our horror at the loss of civilian life, Israeli and Palestinian, and have urged the U.S. government ..read more

[Anglican Taonga] The archbishops of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia have responded to the July 24 release of the report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care, saying it must be a catalyst for great change. Archbishops Don Tamihere, Justin Duckworth and Sione Ulu’ilakepa said, in part, “We acknowledge and take full responsibility for our failures to provide the safe, caring and nurturing environment those who have been in our care had a right to expect and to receive. There have been clear failures to properly investigate ..read more

[World Council of Churches] The Asian Ecumenical Institute began on July 22 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, opening a monthlong exploration of the theme, “Creation Care and Eco-Justice: Our Faith and With-ness.”  The ecumenical formation training is jointly organized by the Christian Conference of Asia and the World Council of Churches. Highlighting the interconnectedness between faith and creation care in the context of ecological crisis, the deliberations at the Asian Ecumenical Institute will help the participants learn about eco-justice from deeper biblical theological perspectives, and emer ..read more

The Rev. Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell spent the 1982 General Convention trying to find a bishop who would let her enter his ordination process without having to move to that diocese. Then-Diocese of Michigan Bishop Coleman McGehee eventually ordained her a priest in 1987. Photo: Courtesy of Elizabeth Wigg-Maxwell [Episcopal News Service] The historic ordinations of the Philadelphia Eleven on July 29, 1974, and General Convention’s vote on Sept. 15, 1976, to allow women to become priests and bishops were not the end of the women’s ordination struggle. Many women faced ongoing discrimination for yea ..read more

[World Council of Churches] Ahead of the International AIDS Conference July 22-26 at the Messe München in Germany, faith leaders, faith-based organizations and faith actors gathered for a two-day, interfaith pre-conference themed “Sustaining Hope for All – Through 2030 and Beyond.” Passionate individuals of faith convened to discuss inclusivity, compassion and support for all affected by the HIV epidemic. The pre-conference aimed to inspire lasting hope and resilience to ensure that efforts of faith communities extend beyond statistics to prioritize the wellbeing of every individual impacted b ..read more