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        <title>Christian Today | US</title>
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            <title>Christian Today | US</title>
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                <title><![CDATA[Pastor Greg Locke's 20-year-old son dies from drug overdose]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/pastor-greg-locke-s-20-year-old-son-dies-from-drug-overdose</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/pastor-greg-locke-s-20-year-old-son-dies-from-drug-overdose</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Leonardo Blair]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/88/98835.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Pastor Greg Locke]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: TKO Publicity) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Pastor Greg Locke ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 17:25:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Greg Locke, pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, announced Friday that his 20-year-old son, Evan Roberts Locke, has died.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Greg Locke, pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Lebanon, Tennessee, announced Friday that his 20-year-old son, Evan Roberts Locke, has died.
The pastor's announcement was made on his social media just a few hours after he was told his son had died from a drug overdose.
“Today, words fail us. It’s been a long, hard battle the last few years. In times like this, the sacrifices and the struggles don’t even matter. A few hours ago we received the most earth-shattering news that our 20-year-old son, Evan Roberts Locke, could not be revived after his heart stopped due to an overdose,” Locke said.
“His struggle was very public. It was used as a warning to many, a punchline to the haters, but an overall reminder that even in our deepest pain, the grace of Jesus will sustain us. I’ll address the church family with arrangement details this Sunday. Please respect our privacy. He has 5 heartbroken siblings and a world of people that helped him along his journey,” the statement ended.
Since making the announcement just after 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Locke has received an outpouring of support from Evangelicals, like missionary and activist Sean Feucht.
“Brother I am so so sorry and my heart and prayers are with your family,” Feucht replied on X.
“Absolutely heartbreaking!!! Greg Locke, I’m praying for Holy Ghost Comfort, Strength and Supernatural Healing for you, your Family and everyone of us who were blessed to know Evan in JESUS Mighty Name!!!! Much love from our Family to each of you!!!” wrote revivalist and evangelist Stan Lovins II on Facebook.
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Campaign seeks to put children's rights first in gay marriage debate]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/campaign-seeks-to-put-children-s-rights-first-in-gay-marriage-debate</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/campaign-seeks-to-put-children-s-rights-first-in-gay-marriage-debate</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/88/98826.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Katy Faust]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Them Before Us) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Katy Faust ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2026 06:42:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Katy Faust is challenging the legal definition of marriage in the US, arguing that the rights of children to a mother and father have been undermined, and she sees parallels with the UK.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Katy Faust, the founder of Them Before Us, has set out a fresh campaign to challenge the legal redefinition of marriage in the US, arguing that the issue is ultimately about children, parenthood and the role of the state.
Speaking to the Coalition for Marriage’s Tony Rucinski, Ms Faust said the Greater Than Alliance was, in her view, “the first attempt in any country to retake marriage on behalf of children” after same-sex marriage had been written into national law.
The campaign seeks to make what she called a direct connection between same-sex marriage and a wider shift in how parenthood is understood. 
“If you believe in gay marriage, mothers and fathers are optional in the life of a child,” she said. “If you believe children have a right to their mother and father, benefit from their mother and father, long to be known by their mother and father, you cannot support gay marriage as policy.”
She highlighted that the debate is not centred on opposition to individuals, but on how law defines parenthood. 
Throughout the interview, Ms Faust returned to the argument that marriage should not be treated chiefly as an expression of adult desire or identity. Instead, she described it as a social institution ordered towards children and their bond with their biological parents.
She explained: “You can and should love your gay family and friends, but you have to reject the idea that marriage is a vehicle of adult validation. It is not. It is and always has been the tool that nearly every society throughout history has used to unite children to their mother and father so that they can have the best shot at being safe and loved, invested in, connected to, discover their identity and maximising their development.”
The Greater Than Alliance brings together around 100 organisations and individuals in the US. The aim, she explained, is to challenge not only same-sex marriage itself but the wider legal and cultural assumptions that sit behind it.
A major theme in the discussion was adoption. 
Ms Faust rejected the idea that adoption policy should focus primarily on meeting a couple’s needs for children, saying: “Adoption doesn’t exist for adults. This is not some vehicle to have a DEI win on the registry … You talk about it [adoption] as an industry. I talk about it as an institution, an institution that is centred around the best interest of the child.”
Drawing on her own experience as an adoptive mother, Ms Faust argued that children benefit from both maternal and paternal influence. 
Speaking about one of her sons, she said he needed both deep nurture and firm boundaries, adding: “He needed one of each.”
The conversation then widened into questions of parenthood, fertility law and the state’s authority. 
Ms Faust said the deeper issue was whether parenthood is something to be recognised in law or something the state can assign. 
She expounded: “Parenthood should be observed, not assigned … If biology does not matter when it comes to parenthood, you render children as legal accessories. They are now objects to be assigned to any adult.”
In her view, once the law detaches parenthood from biology, it opens the door to a much broader reordering of family life. 
She warned that the implications stretch well beyond marriage policy alone, affecting adoption, surrogacy and birth registration. 
“If the state has the ability to assign parentage to an unrelated adult, they have much more the ability to unassign parentage from you, from your own relationship with your own child,” she said. 
The interview also touched on the UK. In response to questions from Mr Rucinski, Ms Faust argued that Britain had already shifted significantly by treating parenthood in increasingly legal rather than biological terms. 
She said that any attempt to “retake marriage” in the UK must begin by restoring what she called the “natural contours of the family” in law and public language. 
She added: “We will say mothers and fathers, not guardians, not parents. We are going to say biology matters. We're going to recognise that in our laws. We are going to say there's something different about a procreative relationship versus a relationship that centres around adult identity. These things do different things for children.”
While the US and UK differ in their legal frameworks, Ms Faust believes the underlying questions are shared. 
“It all comes back to this child,” she said. “Where do they come from? To whom do they have a natural right? What are the conditions that lead to their flourishing?”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Sam Allberry resigns after being 'disqualified' from ministry by church]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/sam-allberry-resigns-after-being-disqualified-from-ministry-by-church</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/sam-allberry-resigns-after-being-disqualified-from-ministry-by-church</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Sam Allberry]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Identity Project) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Sam Allberry ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 08:48:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Sam Allberry has resigned from his position as associate pastor of Immanuel Church Nashville after reportedly being in an “inappropriate relationship with an adult man in 2022". ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Sam Allberry, one of the leading apologists for the view that Christians can identify as same-sex attracted and celibate, has resigned from his position as associate pastor of Immanuel Church Nashville. 
He had been in the role since 2023 prior to his resignation, which came after he was “disqualified from gospel ministry” by the church elders after reportedly being in an “inappropriate relationship with an adult man in 2022". The church's leadership includes Barnabas Piper, the son of John Piper.
Protestia reports that the relationship had already ended before Allberry's appointment and that the church became aware of it in 2024 but did not believe his conduct amounted to disqualifying behaviour. The church leadership changed their position after new information came to light. 
In a statement the church said that his conduct had "constituted a serious breach of trust and a failure to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel". 
"The Elders are unanimous in their decision that Sam is currently disqualified from gospel ministry. Sam agrees with this decision and has resigned from Immanuel Church," they said.
They added, "Throughout this process, Sam has been repentant, humble, and cooperative with the Elders and outside counsel."
Allberry has also resigned from the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. 
The Gospel Coalition, which Allberry contributed to, said it would be removing his articles "per TGC policy and procedures".
"We are heartbroken over this news, and we continue to pray for Sam, Immanuel Church and everyone affected," it said. 
Living Out, which Allberry co-founded in the UK for Christians who identify as gay and celibate, said it would not be removing his articles as "his many past contributions to this site retain their value".
It said in a statement, "Living Out exists because of people like Sam, and for people like Sam. We continue to appreciate all that he has contributed to Living Out. Please join us in praying for Sam and everyone involved – and all of us impacted by this news."
Allberry has been one of the leading voices for the contested view that same-sex attraction is not sinful so long as it is not acted upon. He is the author of Is God Anti-Gay?, which is widely read in evangelical circles.
Church pastor and writer Michael Clary said he hoped Allberry's resignation would prompt discussion in the Church. 
"This was no random, moral failure, but the fruit of a system that refused to acknowledge 'same sex attraction' as a dangerous and sinful error, one that particularly aligns with the world’s agenda of normalizing every kind of sexual perversion," he said. 
"This is one of the most destructive forces in modern evangelicalism. And the whole godless enterprise needs to be dismantled, brick by brick, and burned to the ground."]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[US churchgoers report stronger faith and renewed commitment five years after Covid pandemic]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/us-churchgoers-report-stronger-faith-and-renewed-commitment-five-years-after-covid-pandemic</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/us-churchgoers-report-stronger-faith-and-renewed-commitment-five-years-after-covid-pandemic</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[church, Christianity, church attendance]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 02 May 2026 05:31:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A major new survey of over 24,000 Christian churchgoers in the US suggests many believe their faith and congregational life have strengthened in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A major new survey of over 24,000 Christian churchgoers in the US suggests many believe their faith and congregational life have strengthened in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report, This Place Means Everything to Me, was produced by Faith Communities Today and the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project. 
Based on responses gathered from Christian churchgoers across over 80 denominations, it offers a rare look at post-pandemic church life from the perspective of worshippers rather than clergy.
Overall, the findings present a “largely positive picture” among those still attending church. 
Researchers found that 64% of respondents attend worship at least weekly, while 21% said they attend more frequently than they did five years ago. 
More than 80% said their attendance had either stayed the same or risen over the past five years. Only 15% reported a decline in attendance.
The findings also point to a significant post-pandemic influx of new churchgoers, with over a third (38%) saying they had joined their current congregation within the past five years. 
Among them, 69% had moved from another church, while 22% were returning after a long absence and 8% were attending church for the first time.
The leading reason new attenders chose their church was congruence with their beliefs, values and preferences, cited by 63%. 
A warm atmosphere and worship experience were each cited by 45%, while 44% pointed to denominational or faith tradition links.
Online worship also remains a significant part of church life, though in-person attendance is still favoured. 
Three quarters of respondents attend mainly in person, while around 26% of respondents regularly worship online or combine online and in-person attendance. 
Among online worshippers, 46% cited convenience as a reason for participating virtually. Others pointed to work schedules, illness, caregiving, family responsibilities or accessibility. 
Only 8% said they preferred online worship itself.
The report found that online worshippers are often more engaged than some church leaders may assume, with 95% saying they pray or meditate during services, 79% reading along, and 71% singing along. However, 64% said they were also occupied with other tasks while watching.
The report found high satisfaction with online worship, with 87% of virtual churchgoers saying they were satisfied or very satisfied.
Financial giving and volunteering also appear to have recovered. Nearly all respondents (93%) said they give financially to their church, while 37% said their giving had increased over the past five years. 
Half volunteer at least monthly, and 24% said they now volunteer more than before. Around one in five (19%) said they were volunteering less.
The pandemic also appears to have reinforced personal faith for many active churchgoers. Over half (55%) said their religious faith had grown stronger, while 57% reported stronger spirituality. 
Almost half said they felt more connected to their church (49%) and more confident in its leadership (49%) and spiritual support (48%).
Most respondents also viewed their churches positively, with 84% saying they approved of their church’s pandemic response, and 49% believing their church has emerged stronger than before.
One respondent said their church was “a beacon of hope, healing and restoration,” while another said, “becoming a Christian has done nothing but vastly improve my life.”
Another worshipper reflected: “This place means everything to me.”
The study also highlighted changing patterns of church loyalty. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they often take part in services at other churches, while 7% identify with more than one home church.
Researchers said those with multiple home churches tend to show lower commitment to any one congregation, though regularly engaging with other churches does not necessarily weaken involvement in a primary church.
The authors cautioned that the findings should not be read as a complete picture of all Americans’ religious experience. 
Respondents were mostly active churchgoers, and many attended larger congregations, which were often better equipped to withstand pandemic disruption.
Lead researcher Dr Scott Thumma said: “These findings shed light onto the changing patterns of attender participation that we can’t easily observe.
"For those who have remained as active participants in their churches, the pandemic seems to have been a catalyst to strengthen their faith, increase their giving and explore new ways of enhancing their spiritual practices.” ]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[King Charles tells US Congress Christianity is his ‘firm anchor and daily inspiration’ during historic Washington address]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/king-charles-tells-us-congress-christianity-is-his-firm-anchor-and-daily-inspiration-during-historic-washington-address</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/king-charles-tells-us-congress-christianity-is-his-firm-anchor-and-daily-inspiration-during-historic-washington-address</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/88/98805.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[King Charles III]]></media:title>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:29:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[King Charles III declared that Christianity remains a “firm anchor and daily inspiration” in his life as he delivered a landmark address to a joint session of the United States Congress during his first official state visit to the US as monarch.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
King Charles III declared that Christianity remains a “firm anchor and daily inspiration” in his life as he delivered a landmark address to a joint session of the US Congress during his first official state visit to the US as monarch.
Speaking in Washington DC the King reflected openly on the role of faith in public and personal life, telling lawmakers: “For many here - and for myself - the Christian faith is a firm anchor and daily inspiration that guides us not only personally, but together as members of our community.”
The British monarch, who serves as Supreme Governor of the Church of England and holds the title “Defender of the Faith,” said his hope is rooted in Christian belief, noting that the liturgical calendar is still in the Easter season, “the season that most strengthens my hope.”
He added: “Having devoted a large part of my life to interfaith relationships and greater understanding, it is that faith in the triumph of light over darkness which I have found confirmed countless times.
“I believe, with all my heart, that the essence of our two nations is a generosity of spirit and a duty to foster compassion. To promote peace, to deepen mutual understanding and to value all people, of all faiths and of none.”
King Charles also referenced his long-standing commitment to interfaith dialogue, saying he had witnessed “the profound respect that develops as people of different faiths grow in their understanding of each other.”
The address formed part of a four-day visit to the US by the King and Queen Camilla, at the invitation of President Donald Trump, as America marks the 250th anniversary of its founding.
It was the King's first address to Congress as monarch, following in the footsteps of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who spoke there in 1991. His grandfather, King George VI, became the first reigning British monarch to visit the US in 1939.
Marking the upcoming 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Charles said: “This atrocity was a defining moment for America, and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world. We stood with you then. And we stand with you now in solemn remembrance of a day that shall never be forgotten.”
The King said he and Queen Camilla would travel to New York later in the trip to honour victims and their families.
He also pointed to NATO’s invocation of Article 5 after the attacks and highlighted the military cooperation between the UK and US in conflicts including the two World Wars, Afghanistan and the ongoing support for Ukraine.
He remarked: “Today … that same, unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace.”
The King returned to one of the causes he has championed for decades: environmental protection.
He warned lawmakers of “the collapse of critical natural systems” and said ignoring environmental threats would come “at our peril,” arguing that nature underpins both “prosperity” and “national security.”
Charles praised generations of Americans who have worked to preserve the nation’s “most precious and irreplaceable asset,” from rural communities to political and civic leaders.
He also celebrated diversity as a source of national strength, saying that America’s founders were helped by the country’s diversity. 
“In both of our countries, it is the very fact of our vibrant, diverse and free societies that gives us our collective strength, including to support victims of some of the ills that, so tragically, exist in both our societies today,” he said.
In his closing remarks, the King urged America not to become “ever more inward-looking” and called for renewed international cooperation.
“To the United States of America, on your 250th birthday, let our two countries rededicate ourselves to each other in the selfless service of our peoples and of all the peoples of the world,” he said.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Is Donald Trump religious?]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/is-donald-trump-religious</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/is-donald-trump-religious</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/76/97621.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: JDA Worldwide) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Faith leaders praying for Trump at the White House. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:10:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[New figures from Pew Research Center suggest that most Americans believe President Trump is not a very religious person.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
New figures from Pew Research Center suggest that most Americans believe President Trump is not a very religious person.
The research was conducted prior to a row that broke out after Trump posted an AI-image of himself in which he appeared to be Jesus healing a sick man. Trump later deleted the image and claimed he thought the depiction was of himself as a doctor from the Red Cross.
Whatever the case, the Pew figures suggest that around 70 per cent of US adults believe Trump is either “not too” or “not at all” religious. Almost a quarter of respondents (24 per cent) believed Trump to be “somewhat” religions, while just five per cent believe him to be “very” religious.
Among Christians, the figures are somewhat different, with nearly two thirds (64 per cent of Protestants) and nearly three quarters (71 per cent) of Catholics saying that Trump is either “not too” or “not at all” religious. Among white Evangelicals, a core Trump-supporting demographic, that figure drops to 51 per cent.
Perhaps the biggest divide in views is between Republicans and Democrats, with 42 per cent of Republicans believing Trump to be somewhat religious, compared to just 8 per cent of Democrats.
Some reports have suggested that following an assassination attempt during his re-election campaign, Trump became more open to religion. A shooter’s bullet grazed Trump’s ear and the nearest of near misses has led some, including Trump himself, to speculate that he was saved by God.
If such speculation is true, there is still no agreement as to why God decided to save Trump. Options range from making America great again, to being a staunch supporter of Israel, or both.
While many may doubt Trump’s personal faith, around 22 per cent of US adults believe Trump stands up for people of faith either “a great deal” or “quite a bit”. This figure rises to 43 per cent among Republicans and to 67 per cent among white Evangelicals.
Analysing the data, Pew Research Associate Chip Rotolo said, "Even among Trump’s strongest supporters, relatively few people say they think he is very religious. Just 8% of Republicans and 5% of White evangelicals say this is the case."
He added, “White Catholics are far more likely than Hispanic Catholics to say Trump stands up at least somewhat for people with religious beliefs like theirs.
"Hispanic Catholics, in turn, have become more likely to say Trump doesn’t stand up for people with their religious beliefs. [Fifty-five percent] now say he stands up a little or not at all for their religious beliefs, up from 40% when we last asked this question in February 2024.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Artemis II astronaut who isn't religious cried seeing the cross after Moon mission]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/artemis-ii-astronaut-who-isn-t-religious-cried-seeing-the-cross-after-moon-mission</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/artemis-ii-astronaut-who-isn-t-religious-cried-seeing-the-cross-after-moon-mission</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Foley]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98782.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: NASA) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 02:46:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman said that although he is not a religious man, he “broke down in tears” after returning from the mission and felt such intense emotion that he asked to speak with a Navy chaplain. ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman said that although he is not a religious man, he “broke down in tears” after returning from the mission and felt such intense emotion that he asked to speak with a Navy chaplain. 
During a press conference at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on Thursday, NASA astronauts who returned from the Artemis II mission last week discussed their experience in outer space. The astronauts were asked whether they had an experience similar to that of Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, who, after returning from the mission, focused on studying the nature of human consciousness. 
When Wiseman was asked whether he experienced a “universal connectedness” upon returning to Earth or a “a shift in consciousness,” he described the emotional impact of the experience.
"I'm not really a religious person, but there was just no other avenue for me to explain anything or to experience anything. So I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute. And when that man walked in, I'd never met him before in my life, but I saw the cross on his collar and I broke down in tears." 
"It's very hard to fully grasp what we just went through," he added, noting that the crew has been undergoing medical testing and hasn't yet had time to decompress. "We have not had that reflection time. So I'm basing this on what we saw. And when the sun eclipsed behind the moon, I think all four of us ... I turned to Victor [Glover], and I said, 'I don't think humanity has evolved to the point of being able to comprehend what we're looking at right now because it was otherworldly.'"
Glover, the Artemis II pilot, added, “That was a really special moment. I was in the bed right across when the chaplain came in, and the only thing I would add is I am a religious person, but everything else is the same. There is something in there, and as we start to process, I'll have to tell you next week, but I haven't had a chance to really unpack it all yet.
During an interview with CBS News from space on Easter Sunday, Glover reflected on how the experience of leaving Earth has reinforced his faith. “When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created, … we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe, in the cosmos.” 
“You are special in all of this emptiness,” Glover said. “This is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe. You have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together.” 
Glover concluded his remarks about Easter Sunday by telling CBS News, “Whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not … this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are and that we are the same thing and that we got to get through this together.” 
According to NASA’s website, the Artemis II mission lasted just over a week and consisted of a “crewed lunar flyby” designed as “a key step toward long-term return to the moon and future missions to Mars.” The 21-day Artemis IV mission is scheduled for 2028, and that trip will include a surface landing on the moon, where crew members are expected to spend about a week. 
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Young men in the US overtake women on religious commitment, new data shows]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/young-men-in-the-us-overtake-women-on-religious-commitment-new-data-shows</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/young-men-in-the-us-overtake-women-on-religious-commitment-new-data-shows</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[pastor, priest, Christianity, Bible, Bible study]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:35:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Young men in the US are now more likely than young women to say religion plays a central role in their lives, marking a notable shift in long-standing patterns of religious belief, according to new analysis from Gallup.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Young men in the US are now more likely than young women to say religion plays a central role in their lives, marking a notable shift in long-standing patterns of religious belief, according to new analysis from Gallup.
The latest figures, covering 2024-2025, indicate that 42% of men aged 18 to 29 describe religion as “very important” to them. This represents a sharp rise from 28% recorded just two years earlier.
Over the same period, the share of young women expressing the same view has remained largely unchanged at around 30%.
The change reverses a trend that has persisted for decades.
At the start of the 2000s, young women were markedly more religious than their male counterparts, with a gap that reached 16 points during the early to mid-2000s.
That difference steadily narrowed over time before disappearing altogether and has now flipped.
Researchers note that the increase appears concentrated among younger men (between 18 and 29 years old), with little movement seen among older age groups.
In fact, levels of religious commitment among older men and women remain near historic lows, highlighting how distinct the shift is among younger males.
The resurgence among young men brings their reported level of religious importance back in line with peaks last seen around the turn of the millennium.
Meanwhile, young women are now the least likely among female age groups to prioritise religion, with just 29% saying it is very important - 18 points behind women aged 30 to 49 and less than half the rate of senior women.
Other indicators of religiosity show a similar pattern.
Attendance at religious services at least once a week or month among young men has risen to 40%, up from roughly a third in the early 2020s and reaching its highest level in more than a decade.
Young women have also seen a modest increase, with 39% reporting regular attendance, although that figure still sits far beneath the levels recorded in the early 2000s. This leaves the two groups effectively level on this measure.
However, the alignment is not uniform across age groups. Young men’s attendance is now much closer to that of older men - separated by only a small margin of 4 points - whereas young women remain considerably further (12 points) behind older women, underlining a growing divide between younger women and the wider population.
Religious identity, however, has changed less dramatically, with 63% of young men saying they belong to a faith tradition, a figure that has remained stable in recent years but is higher than the lows recorded in the mid-2010s.
Among young women, identification has edged downward, now sitting at about 60%, giving young men a slight lead.
The shift is not evenly distributed across the population.
Gallup’s analysts point to political affiliation as a key factor, with the rise in religious engagement particularly pronounced among young men who identify with or lean toward the Republican Party.
Attendance has increased by seven and eight points among young Republican men and women respectively, as well as 3 points among young Democratic men, while young Democratic women have seen little movement since 2022 to 2023.
These political patterns help explain the overall trend.
Young men are more likely to identify as or lean Republican (48% vs 41%), while young women are more likely to align with the Democratic Party (60% vs 27%).
As a result, rising religiosity among Republican-leaning young men has had a stronger effect on overall male trends.
Despite these changes, the overall picture of religion in the US remains one of long-term decline. Across the population as a whole, measures such as religious importance, affiliation and attendance continue to hover near historic lows.
Even so, the recent surge among young men stands out as a rare countertrend. Whether this represents a lasting realignment or a short-term fluctuation remains unclear, with future Gallup polling expected to determine if the shift endures.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[US monitoring case of pastor arrested in abortion clinic buffer zone]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/us-monitoring-case-of-pastor-arrested-in-abortion-clinic-buffer-zone</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/us-monitoring-case-of-pastor-arrested-in-abortion-clinic-buffer-zone</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff writer]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Pastor Clive Johnston]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: The Christian Institute) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:48:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Pastor Johnston made no mention of abortion while within the zone.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The US government has said that it is “monitoring” the “concerning” case of Clive Johnston, a 77-year-old pastor accused of breaching an abortion buffer zone in Northern Ireland.
Johnston was delivering an open-air sermon by the roadside within the zone on a Sunday in 2024.
The sermon made no mention of abortion and was centred around the well-known Bible verse, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Johnston’s trial is due to resume on Wednesday. If found guilty he could be fined as much as £2,500.
The US state department told The Telegraph, “The United States is still monitoring many buffer zone cases in the UK, as well as other acts of censorship throughout Europe.
“The UK’s persecution of silent prayer represents not only an egregious violation of the fundamental right to free speech and religious liberty, but also a concerning departure from the shared values that ought to underpin US-UK relations.”
Last month, ahead of a scheduled hearing that was later postponed, Johnston thanked all those who had shown him support during his ordeal.
“I am grateful for the kind messages of support I have received from members of the public both here and abroad, and for the prayers being offered up to God about this case by many Christians," he said. 
Previously, US Vice President JD Vance has spoken in defence of others charged under buffer zone laws.
Last year at the at the Munich Security Conference Vance raised the case of Adam Smith-Connor, an army veteran who was convicted after praying silently within a buffer zone in Bournemouth.
Vance has also referred to letters sent by the authorities in Scotland to homes within abortion zones. While Vance was criticised for saying the letters warned residents against private prayer in their home, the text of the letters was ambiguous enough to leave this possibility open, stating: “In general, the offences apply in public places within the Safe Access Zones. However, activities in a private place (such as a house) within the area between the protected premises and the boundary of a Zone could be an offence if they can be seen or heard within the Zone and are done intentionally or recklessly.”
Indeed, the MSP who pushed for abortion buffer zones in Scotland, Gillian Mackay, confirmed to the BBC that private prayer by the window of a private home could fall foul of the law, depending on who is passing the window at the time.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[New study casts doubt on talk of religious revival in US]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/new-study-casts-doubt-on-talk-of-religious-revival-in-us</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/new-study-casts-doubt-on-talk-of-religious-revival-in-us</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98774.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Mammoth Chapel in Yellowstone National Park, church, Christianity, chapel]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:32:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Speculation about a possible religious revival in the US has been contradicted by new nationwide research suggesting that little has changed with Americans’ faith habits or identities over the past year.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Speculation about a possible religious revival in the US has been contradicted by new nationwide research suggesting that little has changed with Americans’ faith habits or identities over the past year.
The latest 2025 Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) Census of American Religion finds that religious affiliation has remained broadly stable, with no clear evidence of a widespread return to church life across the US.
As the report states: “Despite media stories to the contrary, religious affiliation among Americans has changed little in the past year.”
The study draws on a random sample of around 40,000 adults across all 50 states, using address-based sampling designed to reflect the US population. Researchers say the scale and methodology provide one of the most detailed snapshots of religion in America today.
Although some discussion in media and political circles has pointed to a renewed interest in faith, particularly among younger men, the data suggests otherwise.
Weekly church attendance has not rebounded. Around 26% of Americans said they attended religious services at least once a week in 2025, unchanged from the previous year and down from 31% in 2013.
Meanwhile, those who said they rarely or did not attend at all has risen sharply, now standing at 53%, compared to 42% a decade ago.
The overall religious landscape also appears steady.
Two-thirds of Americans (66%) describe themselves as Christian, while 28% say they have no religious affiliation - a figure that has levelled off after years of growth.
Key Christian groups, including white evangelical Protestants (13%), white mainline Protestants (13%) and white Catholics (12%) have seen no change since 2024.
Non-Christian religions and Christians of colour have also remained stable.
The plateau in religious disaffiliation is notable, but researchers caution it should not be mistaken for a reversal of long-term trends.
The share of Americans with no religious identity has risen significantly over the past decade, increasing from 21% in 2013 to 28% in 2025, even if that growth has now slowed.
Among younger Americans, often at the centre of revival narratives, there has been no meaningful shift, the study indicates.
Younger Americans remain significantly less religious than older generations, both in identity and practice - almost 40% of adults aged 18 to 29 described themselves as having no religion.
A widening gender gap is also emerging.
While young men’s levels of affiliation have remained steady, young women are increasingly unlikely to identify with a religion, with 43% now describing themselves as unaffiliated, while the figure for young men stands at 35%.
The report highlights stark differences in religious identity across political lines.
Republicans are far more likely to identify as white Christians (68%), while Democrats are more religiously diverse, with higher proportions of Christians of colour (34%), non-Christian believers (8%) and those with no religious affiliation (34%).
Religious identity also intersects with sexuality.
Less than 40% of LGBTQ Americans affiliate with Christianity, whereas the figure among heterosexual Americans is 69%.
LGBTQ individuals are also significantly more inclined to say they have no religious affiliation - 51% compared to just 25% of straight Americans.
While some observers have pointed to signs of renewed spiritual interest in the US, the data suggests a more cautious interpretation. Religious identity is not declining at the same pace as in previous years, but neither is it rebounding.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christian reactions to Trump's AI 'Jesus' image]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/christian-reactions-to-trump-s-ai-jesus-image</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/christian-reactions-to-trump-s-ai-jesus-image</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Samantha Kamman]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Twitter ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:47:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Christian leaders and influencers have voiced their disapproval after President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image on social media depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure, with some supporters of the current administration condemning the post as blasphemous.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Christian leaders and influencers have voiced their disapproval after President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image on social media depicting himself as a Jesus-like figure, with some supporters of the current administration condemning the post as blasphemous.
On Sunday, Trump shared an image on Truth Social showing him wearing a white robe with a red shawl, placing his right hand on the forehead of a man lying in a hospital bed. The image also included a nurse and a woman praying.
The background featured an American flag, the Statue of Liberty and other classic American symbols, along with several figures in the clouds above him, including a winged, three-horned figure descending from the heavens.
Trump later deleted the post, telling reporters during a White House briefing Monday that he posted the image himself because he “thought it was me as a doctor.”
“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with the Red Cross,” the president said. “There was a Red Cross worker there, which we support.”
However, many thought the post depicted Trump as a Christ-like figure. 
1. Matt Fradd
In a Monday Instagram post, Catholic author and speaker Matt Fradd, host of the “Pints With Aquinas” podcast, urged Catholics to “offer a rosary today for Donald Trump and all blasphemers."
Fradd expanded on the issue in an op-ed published Monday at The Daily Wire, reflecting on recent exchanges between the president and Pope Leo XIV over disagreements about the war in Iran.
Trump described the pontiff in a Sunday Truth Social post as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” following the Holy Father’s appeals for an end to the conflict.
After that post, Trump shared and later deleted the controversial AI-generated image of himself. In his op-ed, Fradd said criticizing the pope “falls within the bounds of political and public discourse,” but depicting oneself as Jesus crosses into blasphemy. He reiterated his call for Catholics to pray for Trump and others he described as blasphemers.
2. Michael Knowles
Michael Knowles, host of The Daily Wire podcast “The Michael Knowles Show,” reacted during a Monday episode, describing the post as an “art meme” that was intended to be “kinda trolly.”
Knowles suggested the president shared the image to signal that he is “healing” the country and is “great” for it and noted that Trump may believe he has been supportive of Christians by pardoning pro-life activists convicted under the FACE Act and appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“But the post is sacrilegious. It just is. It’s just inescapable. It’s just a sacrilegious post,” Knowles said. “To put oneself in the position of Christ is just sacrilegious.”
While he said he does not believe Trump intended to be sacrilegious, Knowles added that it would benefit the president “spiritually and politically” to remove it.
3. Doug Wilson
Pastor Doug Wilson, a Reformed theologian linked to several political figures, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, said in a Monday statement to The Washington Examiner that even if Trump’s explanation is accurate, the post amounted to “accidental blasphemy.”
“I am glad he deleted it, and glad that he rejected the idea of portraying himself as Christ,” he told The Washington Examiner. “But this was not manufactured by the press — it hit pretty much everybody the same way, Left, Right, and in the middle.”
“It was a robe around his neck, not a stethoscope, and the cosmic figures in the sky were something else, and the woman with praying hands,” Wilson added. “Even with his explanation accepted, it was accidental blasphemy, not high blasphemy. He has to do better either way.”
4. Riley Gaines
In a Monday X post, Riley Gaines, a conservative advocate for women’s sports and a 12-time NCAA All-American women's swimmer, criticized the image.
“Why? Seriously, I cannot understand why he'd post this,” Gaines wrote. “Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this?”
Referring to Trump, she added that “a little humility would serve him well,” adding, “God shall not be mocked.”
5. Allie Beth Stuckey
Allie Beth Stuckey, host of the “Relatable” podcast, said in a Monday X post that the image reflects “what happens when Paula White is your personal pastor and people around you are continually comparing you to Christ.”
“Trump desperately needs to understand the bad news that precedes the Good News: you are a helpless sinner in desperate need of a Savior, as we all once were,” she added.
Paula White-Cain, a Florida televangelist, serves in the White House Faith Office and has long been a spiritual adviser to Trump.
During a private Easter lunch at the White House on April 1, White-Cain compared Trump to Jesus, saying: “Mr. President … you were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It’s a familiar pattern that our lord and savior showed us.”
The comment drew backlash on social media, including from Christian leaders who viewed it as a sacrilegious comparison.
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Bethel Church announces governance review after sexual abuse allegations]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/bethel-church-announces-governance-review-after-sexual-abuse-allegations</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/bethel-church-announces-governance-review-after-sexual-abuse-allegations</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Leah MarieAnn Klett]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Bethel Church]]></media:title>
                                                                                </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:50:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Months after Bethel Church announced Pastor Ben Armstrong had been placed on administrative leave, the church says it is bringing in additional third-party oversight and has confirmed the firm leading an independent investigation into sexual abuse allegations against the longtime ministry leader.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Months after Bethel Church announced Pastor Ben Armstrong had been placed on administrative leave, the church says it is bringing in additional third-party oversight and has confirmed the firm leading an independent investigation into sexual abuse allegations against the longtime ministry leader.
In an April 2 update, Bethel leaders said they are engaging an outside expert to review the church’s governance, leadership structure and internal culture, expanding their response beyond the ongoing inquiry into Armstrong, the church’s Prophetic Ministry director and former Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry Revival Group pastor.
The announcement comes two months after the church placed Armstrong on leave following the release of a YouTube video in which a former student publicly alleged clergy sexual abuse dating back to 2009.
“As a broader leadership team, we want to understand and address how we can do better in the future by bringing in a third-party expert to review our governance, leadership structure, and culture,” the church said in a statement. “We want to ensure we have established clear accountability structures [and] prioritized the safety of all those engaging with Bethel, and upheld the standards that Scripture calls our leadership and culture to reflect.”
Bethel confirmed for the first time that Sintra Group Investigations is leading the inquiry into the allegations. The organization, according to the church, has more than 20 years of experience and uses what has been termed trauma-informed investigative protocols.
The church emphasized that the process remains ongoing and said additional steps tied to the governance review will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We believe this kind of accountability isn’t just right, but necessary,” the statement said, adding that leaders have been in continued dialogue with those impacted, as well as current and former students, staff and outside advisors.
“As we have said before, we do not take the pain that those who have spoken up are experiencing lightly, and we are not moving past it quickly — this process matters deeply to us, but more importantly, to the heart of God.”
The April update also highlighted Bethel’s use of “Safe Church,” a reporting system designed to allow individuals to confidentially raise concerns about misconduct, including allegations involving senior leadership. The platform is operated through a third-party provider, Mitratech, which enables anonymous reporting and preserves submissions in their original form.
Church leaders said the system is intended to ensure privacy and prevent reports from being altered.
Bethel, led by senior leader Bill Johnson, has grown into a global influence through its worship music, conferences and the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. The latest developments come as the church faces renewed criticism over its handling of past allegations and leadership accountability.
In earlier statements, Bethel acknowledged it is revisiting how it addressed the 2009 situation involving Armstrong, citing a need for greater awareness of power dynamics and pastoral responsibility.
At the time, Bethel leaders said they became aware late Feb. 13 of “a video containing serious allegations of clergy sexual abuse pertaining to Ben Armstrong and events that took place in 2009.”
“Earlier that day at 1:30 pm PT, we released a statement on our website based on the information that we were aware of at that time, and our understanding of Ben’s lived repentance since that time,” the church said in a February statement. “However, in light of these new and previously unknown allegations, we have placed Ben Armstrong on administrative leave. He will not be ministering while an independent third-party investigation takes place.”
In the video, “Bethel Survivor Sarah Shares Her Experience of Clergy SA by Ben Armstrong,” posted to YouTube by the "Wake Up and Win" podcast, a woman identified as Sarah says she was a 23-year-old intern and member of Bethel’s ministry school when Armstrong, then a pastor and mentor, groomed her under the guise of spiritual fatherhood before crossing sexual boundaries on multiple occasions.
Armstrong had previously characterized the 2009 incident as an affair. In past public remarks, he said he “had an affair” and was “getting my emotional needs met and then it turned physical with a woman I worked with” outside his marriage before repenting and entering a restoration process.
However, Sarah disputed his version of events, saying she never viewed the relationship as consensual or romantic and that she felt groomed and pressured within a culture that emphasized spiritual authority and obedience.
“It has been extremely confusing to deconstruct what happened and figure it out,” she said in the video.
The church has also faced criticism in recent months for platforming Shawn Bolz, who was later accused of fraudulent prophetic practices and sexually inappropriate behavior. Following an investigation by Christian apologist Mike Winger, Bethel acknowledged failures in how it handled concerns related to Bolz, saying it did not act with sufficient clarity, urgency or transparency.
In its April 2 statement, Bethel said it is continuing to approach the situation with “sobriety and care” and reiterated that it is not moving quickly past the concerns raised.
“We do not take the pain that those who have spoken up are experiencing lightly, and we are not moving past it quickly,” the statement said. “This process matters deeply to us, but more importantly, to the heart of God.”
The church did not provide a timeline for when the investigation will conclude.
In wake of the controversies, Jenn Johnson, who with her husband, Brian, have served as senior worship pastors at Bethel since 2000, told podcaster Alex Enfiedjian the church is a “very big organization” with people of various beliefs and “good hearts and good intentions, but kind of just doing a lot of different things that necessarily we wouldn’t all on a leadership level vouch for.”
“I definitely have seen a beautiful, healthy correction along the years,” she said, adding the church’s leaders are “very good, trustworthy people who are very human and are trying to live their lives according to the Bible and run the good race and shepherd an insane amount of people.”
“We definitely don’t all believe the same things at Bethel,” she continued, “and there are definitely some very weird things that have happened from people who are in lower levels, especially of leadership, but also higher, [myself] included, because we’re all human.”
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Young men are demoralised, not apathetic, says report]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/young-men-are-demoralised-not-apathetic-says-report</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/young-men-are-demoralised-not-apathetic-says-report</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Obianuju Mbah]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98762.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[young men, men, male, friends]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Getty/iStock) ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:13:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A new report is challenging familiar assumptions about the struggles facing young men, arguing that the problem is better understood as discouragement than indifference.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A new report is challenging familiar assumptions about the struggles facing young men, arguing that the problem is better understood as discouragement than indifference.
Published by the Institute for Family Studies, "America’s Demoralized Men" draws on a YouGov survey of 2,000 US men aged 18 to 29 conducted in early April 2025.
The authors say the findings point to a generation that still wants work, marriage, family and purpose, but often feels blocked from reaching those goals.
Public debate has increasingly portrayed young men as falling behind - educationally, economically and socially.
Commentators have pointed to declining college completion, weaker job prospects, isolation, and growing concern about addiction, mental health and online culture. But the report says those realities do not tell the full story.
Rather than finding widespread apathy, researchers describe a gap between “worthy aspirations” and “trying circumstances”.
In their telling, many young men have not abandoned traditional hopes for adulthood but are struggling to reach them in a changing social and economic landscape.
The study examined several popular explanations for the difficulties facing young men.
One view stresses structural shifts such as labour market changes and school environments that have reduced opportunities.
Another blames idleness, arguing that too many young men have retreated into digital distraction and drift.
A third suggests that confused ideas about masculinity and the influence of online subcultures, known as the “manosphere,” have left many socially and emotionally adrift.
The survey, however, paints a more complicated picture.
Researchers found that young men now place greater emphasis on personal responsibility (55%) and financial independence (53%) than on traditional milestones such as full-time employment (34%) formal education (31%), parenthood (25%) or marriage (22%).
Yet those more traditional achievements still appear to matter deeply in practice.
Men who were married, had children, worked full-time, or had completed college or vocational training were much more inclined to say they had certainly entered adulthood.
Even so, a strong sense of adulthood remained elusive for many.
Fewer than half (41%) of men in their mid-to-late twenties said they fully felt they had arrived there.
The report also found that relationships remain a major area of frustration.
Nearly six in ten (59%) respondents said they were not romantically involved with anyone at the time. Yet most single men (74%) said they were open to dating, and large majorities (68%) of unmarried men said they hoped to marry someday. Most childless respondents (62%) also said they desired to become parents one day.
That suggests, the authors argue, that young men are not turning away from family life so much as struggling to establish it.
Financial insecurity (32%), unstable work (25%), uncertainty about commitment (36%) and anxiety about finding the right partner (44%) all emerged as barriers.
Higher education also appears to be viewed with mixed feelings.
Even among men who were in college or had already earned a degree, half questioned whether a four-year course was worth the cost, and 60% felt they could still find decent work without going to university.
At the same time, trade schools and apprenticeships emerged as a strong alternative.
Men who had completed vocational routes, but not a bachelor’s degree, were employed at rates close to those of university graduates – 77% vs 80% - suggesting technical training may provide a more effective path for some.
That was especially notable for men with learning-related conditions such as ADHD, autism or dyslexia.
According to the report, these men were much less likely to complete a four-year degree but were about as likely as others to finish a trade programme or apprenticeship.
Even so, the report noted that blue-collar work still carries a social stigma, with 63% of young men believing those in such jobs are looked down on as less intelligent.
The findings also push back on the idea that young men are being shaped mainly by controversial internet personalities.
When asked about role models, respondents were far more likely to name parents, with 79% mentioning their mothers and 69% their fathers, followed by 57% who looked up to their teachers and coaches, rather than public figures.
Among well-known names, former US President Barack Obama ranked most positively, while influencer Andrew Tate ranked least favourably.
On masculinity, the report says respondents expressed concern that manhood is frequently perceived negatively in wider society.
But their own views did not align with the harsher stereotypes often associated with the online “manosphere.”
No less than 85% agreed that being a man involves sacrifice, responsibility, strength and leadership, but the authors argue that the wider findings undercut the assumption that young men are broadly embracing "toxic masculinity".
Instead, they say many still hold to relational and duty-based ideals, even while feeling uncertain about their place in modern society.
The most striking finding may be the level of self-doubt.
Using a question drawn from the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the researchers found that many respondents – 46% of men aged 18-23 and 38% of men aged 24-29 - felt the statement “All in all, I am inclined to think that I am a failure” described them at least somewhat well.
The report says this points to something deeper than disappointment: a wider and “frankly heartbreaking” sense of demoralisation.
Nonetheless, the authors insist the data should not be read as evidence that young men have given up. They say the problem is not a lack of aspiration, but frustration at the difficulty of achieving their aspirations.
Many respondents wanted stable work, a decent standard of living, marriage, children and social respect, yet felt unsure how to attain those things or pessimistic that they would achieve them any time soon.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Trump deletes Christ-like AI image after backlash]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/trump-deletes-christ-like-ai-image-after-backlash</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/trump-deletes-christ-like-ai-image-after-backlash</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ian M Giatti]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98761.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Trump Jesus]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Truth Social) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The image generated by AI that was posted on Donald Trump's Truth Social account. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:28:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Trump blamed “the fake news” for alleging that the image compared him to Jesus.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
President Donald Trump said he personally posted an AI-generated image on social media comparing him to a Christ-like healing figure, which drew outrage from conservative Christians. 
The Sunday evening Truth Social post depicted Trump, wearing a white robe covered by a red shawl, touching his right hand to the forehead of another man laying in a bed wearing a hospital gown. Surrounding Trump and the bedridden man were several Americans in various roles: a nurse, and a woman praying.
The image background included an American flag, the Statue of Liberty and other classic American iconography along with several figures in the clouds above him, including a winged, three-horned figure descending from the heavens.
By noon on Monday, the post was deleted from Truth Social.
At a White House media briefing Monday, Trump revealed that he posted the image himself because he “thought it was me as a doctor.”
"I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with the Red Cross,” the president said. “There was a Red Cross worker there, which we support.”
The image shared on social media did include a nurse, but there was no indication of a Red Cross worker in the image. 
Trump blamed “the fake news” for alleging that the image compared him to Jesus. “It's supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better, and I do make people better,” he said. “I make people a lot better."
The post drew condemnation on social media from a number of former Trump supporters, including former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who wrote: “It’s more than blasphemy. It’s an Antichrist spirit."
Christ Church pastor Douglas Wilson said he is “very grateful” for Christians who pushed back on the post.
“I was very grateful to see how many conservative Christians immediately denounced the blasphemous Jesus/Trump image,” Wilson wrote. “I was also grateful to see how many center/left Christians suddenly agreed that public blasphemy is a thing we should all be concerned about. A bit late, but still good.”
Conservative influencer Riley Gaines wrote: “Seriously, I cannot understand why he’d post this. Is he looking for a response? Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked.”
The controversial post comes just days after White House Faith Office director Paula White-Cain compared Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign — including surviving a failed assassination attempt — with the persecution of Jesus leading to His crucifixion.
In remarks she gave during a private Easter lunch at the White House with other Christian leaders last Wednesday, White-Cain claimed God told her to tell Trump how thankful she is for him, according to footage of the ceremony that the White House uploaded to YouTube.
"Jesus taught so many lessons through His death, burial and resurrection. He showed us great leadership, great transformation requires great sacrifice. And Mr. President, no one has paid the price like you have paid the price. It almost cost you your life," she said.
"You were betrayed and arrested and falsely accused. It's a familiar pattern that our Lord and Savior showed us. But it didn't end there for Him, and it didn't end there for you," she continued.
"God always had a plan. On the third day, He rose, He defeated evil, He conquered death, Hell and the grave. And because He rose, we all know that we can rise. And, sir, because of His resurrection, you rose up. Because He was victorious, you were victorious."
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Pope and Trump trade criticism amid escalating Iran war tensions]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/pope-and-trump-trade-criticism-amid-escalating-iran-war-tensions</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/pope-and-trump-trade-criticism-amid-escalating-iran-war-tensions</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Duncan Williams]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/84/98463.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Pope Leo XIV]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: Vatican Media) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Pope Leo has spoken out repeatedly against war. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:12:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The row escalated further when Mr Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure healing a sick person.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Donald Trump has intensified his dispute with Pope Leo XIV, blending pointed political criticism with a controversial social media post that has drawn condemnation from allies and opponents alike.
The US president launched his attack after Pope Leo criticised the war in Iran, warning that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have their “hands full of blood”. In response, Mr Trump described the pontiff as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy”, and claimed that “if I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican”.
The row escalated further when Mr Trump shared an AI-generated image depicting himself as a Christ-like figure healing a sick person. The post sparked widespread backlash, including from some of his own supporters, who branded it blasphemous. It was later deleted.
Asked about the image, Mr Trump said: “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better.”
Criticism was swift. Brilyn Hollyhand, a former youth adviser to the Republican National Committee, wrote: “This is gross blasphemy. Faith is not a prop.” Former swimmer Riley Gaines also questioned the post, saying: “Does he actually think this? Either way, two things are true. 1) a little humility would serve him well 2) God shall not be mocked.”
Despite removing the image, Mr Trump stood by his broader criticism of the pontiff, particularly over Iran. “He was very much against what I’m doing with regard to Iran. And you cannot have a nuclear Iran,” he said, adding that the Bishop of Rome “would not be happy with the end result” if conflict escalated.
Pope Leo, speaking to journalists, adopted a more measured tone but did not retreat. “I have no fear of the Trump administration,” he said, stressing that his calls for peace are rooted in the Gospel. “We are not politicians … but I do believe in the message of the Gospel, as a peacemaker.” He also declined to engage directly in a prolonged argument, saying: “I don’t want to get into a debate with him … I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing.”
The clash echoes Mr Trump’s 2016 dispute with Pope Francis over immigration, when the then-candidate criticised the pontiff and called his remarks “disgraceful”. However, that disagreement was short-lived, with Mr Trump quickly softening his tone and later praising Francis as a “wonderful guy”.
This time, the conflict appears more entrenched. Mr Trump has indicated he will not apologise, saying: “No, because Pope Leo said things that are wrong … He went public. I’m just responding.” Meanwhile, the head of the Catholic Church has continued to voice criticism on issues including the war and migration.
The dispute also carries wider political significance. Catholic voters were crucial to Mr Trump’s 2024 election victory, with more than half backing him - an unusually strong showing for a group that typically splits more evenly. Recent data suggests Catholics have remained relatively supportive of his agenda compared with other groups.
However, analysts warn that a prolonged and increasingly personal clash with the first American pope - who enjoys strong approval ratings in the United States - could test that support. The controversy surrounding the AI image, in particular, has unsettled some Christian supporters, with conservative commentator Erick Erickson suggesting that some are “waking up to his blasphemy”.
Unlike in 2016, neither side appears willing to de-escalate. With tensions persisting and criticism continuing on both sides, the dispute risks becoming a more significant political and cultural flashpoint.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christian Artemis II pilot Victor Glover reflects on God's creation from space]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiantoday.com/news/christian-artemis-ii-pilot-victor-glover-reflects-on-god-s-creation-from-space</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiantoday.com/news/christian-artemis-ii-pilot-victor-glover-reflects-on-god-s-creation-from-space</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anugrah Kumar]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiantoday.com/media/original/img/9/87/98753.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Victor Glover]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo: NASA) ]]>
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                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Victor Glover ]]>
                                </media:description>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:39:00 +0100</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Victor Glover, the Christian US Navy captain piloting NASA’s Artemis II mission, is being lauded for glorifying God in space and for his response to a question about his race.  ]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Victor Glover, the Christian US Navy captain piloting NASA’s Artemis II mission, is being lauded for glorifying God in space and for his response to a question about his race.  
On Easter Sunday, Glover reflected on God's creation and the Bible, saying in part, "As we are so far from Earth and looking back at the beauty of creation, I think, for me, one of the really important personal perspectives that I have up here is that I can really see Earth as one thing. ... You have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist together."
He added, "I think as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world - whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not - this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve got to get through this together.”
Ahead of the April 1 mission, a reporter asked how he felt about becoming the first African American to fly around the moon. Glover replied that the mission belonged not just to “black history” or "women's history," but to human history. 
Glover said he hopes that one day people will look past race. “I hope we push that one day,” he said in a Spectrum News video posted on X by Eric Daugherty of RightLineNews.
“It’s about human history, humanity, not ‘black history,’ not ‘women’s history,’ but that it becomes human history,” Glover remarked.
Artemis II is the first crewed test flight in NASA’s Artemis campaign and the first to carry astronauts aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The four-person crew will spend 10 days on a loop around the moon to confirm Orion’s ability to operate in deep space before next year’s Artemis III mission.
The Artemis IV mission is planned to land astronauts on the lunar surface, with later flights targeting Mars.
Reid Wiseman is commanding the mission, with Glover serving as pilot.
Christina Koch, a NASA astronaut, is the first woman to pass to the lunar distance, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency is the first Canadian on such a voyage, noted the Daily Citizen.
An elder from Glover’s church said he is praying that God’s name will be glorified, according to The Christian Chronicle.
“He’s just a top-shelf guy and down to earth, but with all the experiences and accolades,” Brent Hankins, an elder at the Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood, Texas, the congregation about 6 miles from NASA’s Space Center Houston that Glover and his wife, Dionna, call home, said.
Hankins said that as a shepherd, he has come to love and support the Glover family, and to cheer and pray for them.
“It was a rush,” he said of witnessing the launch. “I mean, I think we all had tears in our eyes. When we got to about five seconds in the countdown, the magnitude of that was pretty overwhelming.”
Glover was born in Pomona, California, graduated from Ontario High School in 1994 and holds a bachelor’s degree in general engineering and three master’s degrees. He served as a test pilot on the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, logging 3,500 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft, more than 400 carrier landings and 24 combat missions.
He was selected in 2013 as one of eight members of NASA’s 21st astronaut class and in 2018 was assigned to Crew-1 as pilot. He later served 168 days as a flight engineer on the International Space Station, or ISS. He and his wife have four children.
Glover told The Christian Chronicle in a 2023 podcast interview that his belief and his professional life are “interwoven.”
“My career is fed by my faith,” he said. “Anytime I do something that’s pretty risky, I pray. Before I fly, every time I fly. Definitely when you go sit on top of a rocket ship.”
He added, “In the military, there’s a saying that there are no atheists in foxholes. There aren’t any on top of rockets, either.”
He had been in the military for 26 years, and he said that working at NASA frequently produced conversations about creation and faith.
“We talk about our solar system, and I will often refer to the beauty of creation,” he said. “People hear that, and it’s like a trigger word for certain folks. But that’s in church and at NASA.”
He said he doesn't accept that faith and science are in opposition.
“They don’t actually work against each other like some people like to claim that they do,” he said, drawing parallels between the Big Bang account of the universe’s origins and the Genesis creation narrative, saying the two trace a similar sequence.
“Theoretical physics has actually not said that what’s in the Bible is not how the universe began,” he said.
He put the moon’s age at about 4.5 billion years and said biblical genealogies do not need to conflict with that figure, since the Gospel’s power lies not in chronological precision but in its message.
Glover said he carried prepackaged communion supplies to the ISS and received the sacrament each week. “I was able to worship in space,” he said. He called the experience “special and not special at the same time,” adding that it gave him a new sense of why the ritual held its significance regardless of location.
After returning to Earth, he said the view from orbit had changed his thinking about humanity’s place in the universe.
NASA had searched for life elsewhere and found it only on Earth, he said, a realization that made the planet seem small but profoundly important. He recalled visiting Israel, where an Arab student addressed him as “brother.” “We are all brothers and sisters,” Glover said.
The last crewed mission to the moon was Apollo 17, which launched on Dec. 7, 1972.
© The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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