This edition is sponsored by Museum of the Bible
Today’s Briefing
As national attention hits Springfield, Ohio, Haitian immigrants there feel panic, and local churches are trying to deal with the real-world fallout of internet rumors.
The uneasy conscience of Christian nationalism pretends that by controlling what is on the outside of us we can renew what is inside.
CT interviews a Ukrainian religious freedom expert on whether Ukraine’s laws banning the Russian Orthodox Church violate religious freedom.
In our new issue, CEO Timothy Dalrymple announces the launch of Christianity Today’s first capital campaign, a way to help us advance our mission as a great storyteller for the global kingdom of God.
Behind the Story
From staff writer Emily Belz: In phone calls with pastors in Springfield, Ohio, last week, I could hear their distress. One brought up a TikTok provocateur who had come to town to ride the controversy over the social media–fueled rumors about Haitian immigrants eating pets. Another said a white supremacist had pretended to be a reporter and peppered him with questions. Springfield pastors have been through months of tension over the recent arrival of thousands of immigrants, but they weren’t prepared for the full attention of the worst corners of the internet.
No one is prepared for that spotlight coming to their town. When the attention and controversy is so fierce, it can feel like anything bad can happen. But the local pastors I talked to responded hopefully: In a short time they rearranged schedules and sermon topics and planned a community prayer walk.
These local news events also provide a window to see how much norms have shifted in American society. A pastor of one of the largest churches in town told me, “Our community as a whole has suspended the rules on things like slander … things I would expect we would have some kind of allergic reaction to. They have now become expected and the norm because we’re watching it modeled at the national level.”
Paid Content
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In Other News
- According to a new study published in Nature, school closures and mask mandates were pretty effective ways to stop the spread of COVID-19. Limiting the size of social gatherings such as church services, however, reduced the spread of infection by only about 2 percent.
- A Swiss politician claims she didn’t realize the “religious content” of an image of Mary and Jesus when she used it for target practice and posted a picture of the bullet-riddled mother and child to social media. She has now resigned.
- A Jewish outlet criticizes a pro baseball player with a Hebrew tattoo … referencing a New Testament verse.
- When it was first published, Martin Luther’s translation of the New Testament cost 40 percent of a teacher’s annual salary. Or roughly 17 fat geese.
Want to be part of the next generation of global missions? Discover how indigenous missionaries with Reaching Souls International are transforming communities through the Gospel—inspiring over 1 million decisions for…
Today in Christian History
September 16, 681: The Third Council of Constantinople adjourns, having settled the Monothelite controversy in the Eastern Church. The Council, which proclaimed the orthodox belief of two wills in Christ: divine and human, condemned as heretics, the Monothelites, who believed Christ had only “one will,” (see issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church).
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Of this year’s Emmy-nominated television shows, my husband and I have watched all of The Crown, a fair bit of Abbott Elementary, and a couple episodes of Only Murders in…
When disaster strikes, it’s easy to comfort ourselves with empty phrases like “It was a freak accident” or “That’s so unlikely to happen.” Much easier, certainly, than acknowledging that none of…
in the magazine
The secret is out: We’ve updated our look with a nod to our legacy and refreshed our content—while keeping longtime favorites like testimonies and books coverage. In this issue, we look to the past for wisdom to address a fractured evangelicalism in the present and future, with editor in chief Russell Moore issuing a call for moral clarity. Read an in-depth report on a consequential evangelical voting bloc; sit with an honest reflection on struggling to find community; and, as same-sex sexuality divides the church, be equipped and encouraged to stand on biblical fidelity. New features include an advice column (featuring Beth Moore), some curated podcast gold, and a brand-new pastoral column. We’re glad you’re here with us and look forward to seeking the kingdom together in this new era at Christianity Today.
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