Probe underway of pastor who worked for Epstein

After latest attack, some Jews wonder how much more security is possible*
The New York Times: “We are synagogues — we are houses of worship,” one rabbi said. “We are not Fort Knox.”

 

Showing up as clergy*
The Christian Century: “I wasn’t sure about the MDiv,” says Teresa Kim Pecinovsky, a chaplain and pastor in St. Paul, Minnesota. “But in Ferguson, I kept seeing clergy show up in support of protesters on the front lines.”

 

Probe underway of pastor who worked for Epstein
United Methodist News Service: Bishop Robert Farr has suspended a United Methodist elder from clergy responsibilities after learning this week that she worked for Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender.

 

Why is Buddhism shrinking worldwide?
Pew Research Center: Buddhists are the world’s only major religious group whose population shrank between 2010 and 2020, according to a recent Pew Research Center analysis of religion in 201 countries and territories.

 

Thiel brings his Antichrist lectures to the Vatican’s doorstep, and Catholic institutions back away
The Associated Press: The invitation-only conference in Rome, from Sunday to Wednesday, has proven so controversial that the Catholic universities initially associated with it have all denied official involvement.

What is the story of Sarah Mullally?

 

Churches can draw in men, says pastor Eric Mason

 The Oscars are this Sunday. Oscar nominee The Secret Agent reminds Christians of the radical importance of remembering, writes CT’s Mariana Albuquerque, who was born in Brazil soon after the end of the dictatorship featured in the film. 

Mitford series author Jan Karon married at 14 and wrote her first book at 57. Now 89, she looks back on her career in an interview with CT.

The US spent $11.3 billion on the first week of the Iran conflict. The Bulletin discusses the cost of war, the decreased crossings at the US southern border, and the reordering of the global Anglican church.

Harvest Prude reviews three politics books, including Jacob Siegel’s new work The Information State.

Churches can draw in men, says pastor Eric Mason.

Behind the Story

From international editor Angela Lu Fulton: One of the joys of my job is working with writers from all around the world. This week alone, I edited a piece on global Anglicans by Emmanuel Nwachukwu in Abuja, Nigeria; ministries in Cuba by Hernán Restrepo in Bogotá, Colombia; Christians in southern Lebanon by Ghinwa Akiki and Hunter Williamson in Beirut; and an upcoming piece about a Bible translation in Rajasthan, India, by Vikram Mukka in Delhi.

There are unique considerations that I need to factor in as I work out of Columbus, Ohio. Differing time zones force me to plan ahead to make sure that I can get edits back in time to meet our internal deadlines for copyediting and scheduling a piece. Journalism styles and rules also differ from country to country, so we provide training and explain to writers our news guidelines. Sometimes writers will drop in historical events or cultural norms that need no explanation in their home countries but are often unfamiliar with our readership. I often ask writers to provide a line providing some additional context.

The story topic, sources, and on-the-ground color are richer when we have writers who live near where the news is taking place, who speak the local language, and who understand the regions’ cultural and evangelical landscape. If you are a reader from outside the US with stories you think CT should cover, feel free to send us an email at global@christianitytoday.com.

 

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey commuted the death sentence of Charles Lee "Sonny" Burton two days before he was set to be executed, following a national campaign against his death sentence from faith leaders including Christians.  

Iran-linked drone attacks are hitting Christian communities in northern Iraq, as the area’s security situation deteriorates from the escalating conflict in the Middle East. 

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields said he wants to be a missionary after football.

Pope names Spanish Augustinian as papal almoner

Catholics celebrate after Alabama governor commutes death sentence of man convicted in 1991 murder Gov. Kay Ivey said it would be “unjust" to execute Charles Burton because he did not actually commit the murder in question. Lebanon mourns Father Pierre al-Rahi as calls for peace echo at his funeral In the courtyard of St. George Church, in a scene marked by tears, prayer, and hope, mourners bid farewell to a beloved priest who was killed after shelling struck his town. Pope names Spanish Augustinian as papal almoner Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín will succeed Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who has been appointed metropolitan archbishop of Łódź, Poland. Detroit Archdiocese moves to diocesan‑wide employee fingerprinting to bolster security protocols The rule follows an “unprecedented review” of archdiocesan of safety policies and personnel records.

Catholic heads of Churches in Holy Land call for prayer and peace Catholic Church leaders in the Holy Land reaffirmed the Christian community’s commitment to peace amid the harshness of war.

The obscure paganism of eastern Europe

On Tracey Rowland’s important Introduction to Communio Theology By Larry Chapp on Mar 12, 2026 04:00 pm In an ancient Greek legend, Alexander the Great famously solved the challenge of untying the Gordian knot by bypassing that seemingly impossible task entirely and instead chose, simply and directly, to slice through it with [...] Read in browser » Synod calls for more leadership roles for women but female diaconate ‘not yet ripe’ By Victoria Cardiel on Mar 12, 2026 01:56 pm The Synod on Synodality’s study group on “Women’s Participation in the Life and Leadership of the Church” has issued its final report, calling for expanded leadership roles for women in the Church. [..] Read in browser » A new Lenten pillar: Abstaining from technology By Dr. R. Jared Staudt on Mar 12, 2026 03:00 am Since we are halfway through Lent, it’s a good moment to consider how it’s been going. The purpose of our self-denial is conversion, as we learn to let go of control and to depend more [...] Read in browser » Trappists considering abandoning historic abbey after 900 years due to lack of vocations By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú on Mar 11, 2026 04:28 pm The potential closing of the abbey is a sign of the times and the state of the Church in some areas of the world. [...] Read in browser » John Allen, nonpareil Vaticanista By George Weigel on Mar 11, 2026 04:00 am Early Sunday morning, July 28, 2002, things were looking grim for the closing papal Mass of World Youth Day in Toronto. The previous four days had been a tremendous success, symbolized by hundreds of thousands [...] Read in browser » Extra, extra! News and views for Wednesday, March 11, 2026 By CWR Staff on Mar 11, 2026 03:00 am Is conclave secrecy dead – and does it matter? (The Pillar): “A new book published on Sunday purports to pull back the curtain on the papal conclave which elected Pope Leo XIV last year.” The [...] Read in browser » Cardinal Newman: Doctor of Catholic Education, Part One By Peter M.J. Stravinskas on Mar 11, 2026 12:01 am Editor’s note: The following is Part One (of two) of an address given to The Thomistic Institute of Fordham University on February 26, 2026. Introductory Remarks We are gathered in the month which marks the [...] Read in browser » Cardinal Mathieu evacuated from Iran, many Catholics leaving the country By Elias Turk on Mar 10, 2026 11:20 am Archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan Cardinal Dominique Mathieu was evacuated from his residence in the Iranian capital and arrived in Rome last weekend after witnessing the first days of military clashes. [...] Read in browser » A unique fairy tale meant to give “Escape and Consolation” By Paul Senz on Mar 10, 2026 12:42 am Author E.P. Cowley is a retired homeschooling mother living in southern British Columbia, Canada, who holds a master’s degree in English literature from Portland State University. Her novel, Tales from Wakken Wood, recently published by [...] Read in browser » Slouching toward Gethsemane with Johnny Cash By Kenneth Craycraft on Mar 09, 2026 07:38 pm As we head toward Laetare Sunday, many of us are feeling rather discouraged by the inconstancy of our Lenten disciplines. We woke up on Ash Wednesday piously determined to pray the Rosary every day, or [...] Read in browser » NBC poll: Pope Leo XIV held in highest esteem among public personalities By Kate Quiñones on Mar 09, 2026 05:14 pm A March NBC poll found that American voters hold Pope Leo XIV in highest esteem among other public personalities. [...] Read in browser » Frances of Rome: The homemaker who became a saint By Dawn Beutner on Mar 09, 2026 04:00 am She never held a job in her life. She never went to college, and of her three children, only one survived her. She founded a religious community, but only joined it after her husband died. [...] Read in browser » Pondering the war on Iran By Marcus Peter on Mar 08, 2026 10:38 pm A recent appeal from Pope Leo XIV urged patient diplomacy amid rising tensions between Western powers and the Islamic Republic of Iran. His words reflected the Church’s perennial instinct toward peace. Through long decades of [..] Read in browser » Sudanese bishops: Killings in South Sudan mark a “descent into the abyss of human depravity” By Ngala Killian Chimtom on Mar 07, 2026 10:12 pm Catholic bishops in Sudan and South Sudan have described the recent killings in parts of South Sudan as “a fresh descent into the abyss of human depravity.” At least 178 people were killed on Sunday, [...] Read in browser » Hidden with God and completely enchanted by the love of God By Donald Jacob Uitvlugt on Mar 07, 2026 06:32 pm Among the other saints and blesseds given for March 7th in the Matyrologium Romanum, one finds the following brief entry: At Florence in Tuscany, the commemoration of Saint Teresa Margaret Redi, virgin, who, having entered [...] Read in browser » El Paso Diocese declares bankruptcy amid abuse filings, ‘very limited’ financial resources By Daniel Payne on Mar 07, 2026 02:23 pm Bishop Mark Seitz said nearly 20 lawsuits against the diocese led him to file for Chapter 11 reorganization. [...] Read in browser » Lent: a journey, an encounter, a time of purification By Carl E. Olson on Mar 07, 2026 10:00 am Readings: • Ex 17:3-7 • Psa 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 • Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 • Jn 4:5-42 Lent is not merely a season, but a journey, an encounter, and a time of purification. Pope Benedict XVI, [...] Read in browser » Felicity and Perpetua: On the horns of heroic dilemma By Sean Fitzpatrick on Mar 07, 2026 03:00 am The expression “caught on the horns of a dilemma” derives from the undesirable situation of facing a charging bull and having to choose which horn to be gored upon. Life is full of such terrible [...] Read in browser » Opinion: Mirabelli v. Bonta comes with heavy interventionist baggage By Gregory J. Sullivan on Mar 06, 2026 05:09 pm In the emergency-docket opinion in Mirabelli v. Bonta issued on March 2, the Supreme Court ruled that a district-court injunction should remain in place to stop California school policies that thwart parental knowledge of their [...] Read in browser » Silence of the Gods chronicles the obscure paganism of eastern Europe By Casey Chalk on Mar 06, 2026 08:52 am In the secular recounting of the history of the West, it is commonly asserted that Christianity held a many-centuries-long dominance over the peoples of Europe, stifling (supposedly) intellectual and moral development because of its superstitious [...] Read in browser »