After assessing Christian missionary efforts from 1668 to 1950, researchers claim to have found the spread of Christianity in the Pacific was driven more by the influence of political leaders than grassroots empowerment. This challenges one of the most widely cited reasons for Christianity’s popularity, that it spread from the “bottom-up” by empowering lower classes Read more
Jehovah’s Witnesses target grief and see the recently bereaved as “ripe fruit” for conversion, a former elder of the faith says. Vince and Michele Tylor spoke out after reading the story of Wellington woman Jean Sergent-Shadbolt, who received a handwritten letter from a Jehovah’s Witness three months to the day after her step-cousin, friend and Read more
Jehovah’s Witnesses are being accused of “religious marketing” as another grieving Wellington woman reveals she was sent marketing guff from the religion. This week, Aro Valley woman Jean Sergent-Shadbolt spoke out after a hand-delivered, hand-written letter arrived from a Jehovah’s Witness, three months to the day since the well-publicised death of her close friend and Read more
The Mormon church is planning to arm its missionaries with 32,000 iPad minis, as well as broadening its social media outreach. This comes after a test programme last year which saw 6500 Mormon missionaries in the United States and Japan equipped with the devices. Mormon leaders say using iPad minis has helped missionaries keep in Read more