The Government was justified in blocking churches from holding large gatherings during the red traffic light setting under the Government’s Covid-19 response, the High Court has ruled. But a group of churches say the restrictions essentially forced them to excommunicate members and seriously infringed on the separation of Church and State. The measures included imposing Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Churches’
Churches must rise to the challenges of the modern world
Monday, July 11th, 2022
It’s an interesting experience being a churchgoer these days. We’ve been nudged to the periphery of society and lost out in numbers and influence. Countless revelations about sexual misconduct by clergy have shaken public confidence. The accumulation of negative publicity in very recent times has been remarkable: Dilworth School, Gloriavale, Destiny Church’s antics, Arise Church’s Read more
Nice to have, but we don’t need churches
Thursday, August 27th, 2020
Just as Christians in the 21st century are heirs of the apostles and martyrs of the early Church, Christians in Japan are heirs of the martyrs and hidden Christians of that country from the early 17th century to the late 19th century. That is true whether we modern believers are Japanese or not, Catholic Christians Read more
Auckland churches rally together as COVID-19 spreads
Thursday, August 27th, 2020South Auckland churches rallied together after more cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in the community. Last Friday, 11 new cases of COVID-19 were announced – nine linked to the community breakout and two were imported. Five of these cases were linked to churches in Auckland. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said 223 close contacts Read more
Just because the economy is reopening doesn’t mean churches should
Monday, May 11th, 2020
Some states are beginning to lift COVID-19 restrictions, like releasing residents from stay-at-home orders, reopening retail and hospitality businesses with limited capacities, and even allowing elective surgeries. Research has shown that many people are struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness. People are longing to get back to life as “normal” after weeks of physically Read more
Britons swapping pints for prayers
Thursday, May 30th, 2019
Every village in the United Kingdom used to have a pub, a church, and a general store. Today, pubs (short for “public houses”) have become iconic, a popular destination for visitors to try drinks, traditional pub meals, and the cultural ambiance. But these local landmarks are closing quickly; only 39,000 are left in England, down Read more
Going to church — great churches to visit
Friday, November 11th, 2016
1. Church of Saint Simeon Stylites in Syria In northern Syria, the ruins of this Byzantine church still display a very beautiful architectural ensemble dating back to the 5th century. The church was built on the spot where St. Simeon had retired atop a pillar to pray. This is the origin of the name “Stylite,” the Read more
Trump will let US churches make political endorsements
Friday, June 24th, 2016
Donald Trump says he will remove the decades-old ban on “politicking” by tax-exempt organisations like churches if he becomes US president. Speaking to a Christian audience in New York on Tuesday, Mr Trump also promised, if elected president, to appoint anti-abortion Supreme Court judges. In the 1960s, US President Lyndon Johnson established a ban on Read more
Women stage church walkout in Poland over abortion laws
Tuesday, April 12th, 2016Groups of Catholic women walked out of Masses in two Polish cities to protest at a proposed tightening of the nation’s abortion laws. They walked out of churches in Warsaw and Gdansk. At the Warsaw church of St Anna, the women shouted “scandal” as a priest read out a letter from Poland’s bishops in favour Read more
Voting in church buildings keeps order in Samoa election
Tuesday, March 15th, 2016
The orderly and peaceful way Samoa’s general election took place has been ascribed in part to a decision to have most polling booths in church buildings. The Samoa Observer reported that the decision “contributed largely to absence of violence and unruly behaviour in most villages”. The presence of church pastors at voting places also helped Read more