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        <title>Christian Daily International | Society & Culture</title>
        <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/society-culture</link>
        <description><![CDATA[Discover how faith shapes society and culture worldwide. Explore Christian perspectives on ethics, public life, cultural trends, and the church’s role in addressing global challenges and influencing communities.]]></description>
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        <copyright>Christian Daily International © 2026</copyright>
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        <lastBuildDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 07:06:41 -0400</lastBuildDate>
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                <title><![CDATA[Willy Rice elected Southern Baptist Convention president on first ballot]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/willy-rice-elected-southern-baptist-convention-president-on-first-ballot</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/willy-rice-elected-southern-baptist-convention-president-on-first-ballot</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Willy Rice elected Southern Baptist Convention president on first ballot]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ live.sbcannualmeeting.net ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Willy Rice delivers a sermon at the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference on Monday, June 8, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:34:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Florida Pastor Willy Rice was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday, succeeding Pastor Clint Pressley as leader of the nation's largest Protestant denomination.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Florida Pastor Willy Rice was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday, succeeding Pastor Clint Pressley as leader of the nation's largest Protestant denomination.
Messengers to the SBC Annual Meeting elected Rice on the first ballot, giving him 5,217 votes, or 57.56% of the total cast.
Rice, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, Florida, defeated Josh Powell, lead pastor of Taylors First Baptist Church in Taylors, South Carolina, who received 3,821 votes, or 42.16%.
The election came during the SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando, where thousands of Southern Baptists gathered to vote on leadership positions and debate issues ranging from women's roles in ministry to denominational priorities.
Rice, 62, announced his candidacy last October, framing his campaign around the need for spiritual renewal within the convention, referencing the Protestant Reformation.
“The Church is always reforming,” Rice said in his announcement last year. “We receive correction, adjust course and embrace renewal. And it is to that end today that I want to share with my Southern Baptist family my desire for renewal in our time.”
Powell was nominated earlier this year by Tennessee Pastor Jay Hardwick, who described him as “a man of integrity” who is “humble, approachable and wise.”
Although the two candidates differed in style and emphasis, they largely agreed on many of the major issues facing the denomination. Both men expressed support for a proposed constitutional amendment that would strengthen the SBC's ban on women serving as pastors, elders or overseers.
On Monday, Rice preached a sermon at the SBC Pastors’ Conference, stressing that “it is not enough to affirm right doctrine,” warning that “if we seek the favor of the world more than the approval of Heaven, if we fear the rejection of men more than we fear the judgment of God, we are already on a dangerous slide.”
“It is not enough for us to engage in religious ritual,” Rice said. “Saul had lost sight of what mattered most: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.”
“I want a Southern Baptist Convention that is successful, but I want one that is faithful even more … Faithfulness today will bring fruitfulness tomorrow.”
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Faith Without Frontiers launches Season 2 with David Oginde on faith, leadership and corruption]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/faith-without-frontiers-launches-season-2-with-david-oginde-on-faith-leadership-and-corruption</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/faith-without-frontiers-launches-season-2-with-david-oginde-on-faith-leadership-and-corruption</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Bishop Dr. David Oginde]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Bishop Dr. David Oginde, chairman of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:14:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The second season of Faith Without Frontiers podcast opens with Bishop Dr. David Oginde, chairman of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), who discusses leadership, corruption, and the faith that sustains him in one of the country's most challenging public roles.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The second season of Faith Without Frontiers podcast opens with Bishop Dr. David Oginde, chairman of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), who discusses leadership, corruption, and the faith that sustains him in one of the country's most challenging public roles.
In the episode, titled “Chairman Kenya Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission: ‘There is Hope for Kenya’,” Oginde reflects on his journey from architecture student and church leader to one of Kenya’s leading voices on ethical leadership and public integrity.
Hosted by Gordon Showell-Rogers, the conversation explores how Oginde’s experiences in ministry, leadership development, and public service have shaped his commitment to combating corruption and promoting integrity.
Although architecture was a highly respected profession in Kenya, Oginde chose a different path. What began as a planned three-year period working with students became more than a decade of ministry, followed by over 20 years of church leadership.
His experiences convinced him that one of Africa’s greatest challenges was leadership. Too often, he observed, people sought positions of authority for personal gain rather than service and transformation.
That concern led him to pursue advanced studies in leadership and later establish the CataLead, an organization dedicated to developing leaders in business, government, churches, and civil society.
A central theme of the discussion is Oginde’s belief that leadership begins with self-awareness. Effective leaders, he argues, must first learn to know themselves, accept themselves, and appreciate themselves. Without a secure sense of identity, people often seek validation through titles, wealth, or power, creating conditions that can lead to unethical behavior and corruption.
Drawing on biblical principles, Oginde points to Jesus’ willingness to wash his disciples’ feet as an example of leadership rooted in confidence and service rather than status.
The conversation also explores his current role as chairman of Kenya’s Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), a position he assumed following a competitive national selection process.
Although he had written extensively about corruption for years, Oginde says he was surprised by the scale and complexity of what he encountered after joining the commission. Large corruption cases often involve international networks and multiple jurisdictions, making investigations far more challenging than many people realize.
The role also carries significant risks. During the podcast, Oginde describes how investigators can face intimidation, violence, and reputational attacks while pursuing corruption cases. He now travels with government-provided security, a major change from the freedom he enjoyed during his years in ministry.
Despite the challenges, Oginde remains hopeful.
One of his greatest sources of encouragement has been the dedication of the commission’s staff, many of them young professionals committed to integrity and public service. Their determination has strengthened his belief that Kenya’s future can be different.
Throughout the episode, he argues that corruption is ultimately a leadership issue. When success becomes associated with shortcuts and self-enrichment, corruption flourishes. Reversing that culture, he believes, requires raising leaders whose character is as strong as their competence.
Faith remains central to his approach. Reflecting on the pressures of confronting corruption, Oginde says his confidence comes from his belief that God has called him to serve in this role and can bring change even in difficult circumstances.
The title of the episode reflects that conviction.
“If I didn't have hope, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing,” Oginde says.
While acknowledging the scale of the challenge, he remains convinced that ethical leadership, public accountability, and personal integrity can help transform society.
Listen to the first episode of Season 2 for a thoughtful exploration of leadership, faith and public service, and a rare behind-the-scenes look at Kenya's ongoing fight against corruption.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Majority of Italians support euthanasia and assisted suicide, report says]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/majority-of-italians-support-euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-report-says</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/majority-of-italians-support-euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide-report-says</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[euthanasia]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Freepik ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:35:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[About 70% of Italians support euthanasia, according to a new national survey, while the Italian Evangelical Alliance is urging society to focus on preserving life and preventing death.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
About 70% of Italians support euthanasia, according to a new national survey, while the Italian Evangelical Alliance is urging society to focus on preserving life and preventing death.
Eurispes' 38th Italy Report, released May 26, found support for assisted suicide rose from close to 40% in 2019 to more than half of respondents in 2026. Support for euthanasia and assisted suicide was strongest among younger adults, particularly those under 45. The report also noted that one in four Italians is a senior citizen, compared with the European average of one in five, representing about 14.5 million elderly people.
The findings were published in a section of the report examining Italians' views on ethical issues, including end-of-life decisions, assisted reproduction, surrogacy, adoption, same-sex unions, soft drugs and prostitution.
The report found that 70.2% of Italians support euthanasia, up from 66.7% in 2024. Support for euthanasia in cases of advanced dementia reached 67.1%, while 80.2% backed living wills. Support for assisted suicide rose to 54.3%, compared with 39.4% in 2019.
Lucia Stelluti, vice president of the Italian Evangelical Alliance (Alleanza Evangelica Italiana, or AEI), told Christian Daily International that several factors have contributed to these trends.
“Like most Southern European countries, Italy has been going through a process of secularization over the last few decades, increasingly making individual autonomy a defining feature of contemporary culture,” Stelluti said. “This process has affected the way people deal with ethical issues.”
Another contributing factor, she argued, is the continuing influence of Roman Catholicism, particularly as a matter of cultural identity rather than adherence to traditional teachings.
“The majority of Italians still claim to be Catholic, but not in the sense of being consistent with traditional Roman Catholic teachings on moral issues.”
During the papacy of Pope Francis, she added, the Roman Catholic Church has somewhat sidelined bioethical issues in public debate. “This has given the impression that you can be a Roman Catholic while holding liberal views on ethics.”
Stelluti said evangelicals advocate a different approach, which should avoid both “biolatry,” the elevation of biological life to an absolute, and “egolatry,” the elevation of the individual self to an absolute.
“Both are forms of idolatry. Life is a finite gift that must be lived responsibly.”
On end-of-life issues, she outlined several priorities evangelicals seek to promote: “Evangelicals have tried to make this approach known in churches and society at large.”
One priority is opposing efforts to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide. “Preserving life and preventing death must be the moral threshold,” she said.
Another priority is promoting living wills so that people can take responsibility for decisions affecting their care rather than leaving them solely to medical professionals.
Stelluti also called for greater support for palliative care and pain management, which she said remain underused in Italy. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that dying people are surrounded by support from family, churches and local communities.
“Most requests for euthanasia are motivated by the fear of being left alone.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Evangelical Alliance leader calls for calm in Northern Ireland after brutal Belfast attack triggers riots]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/evangelical-alliance-leader-calls-for-calm-in-northern-ireland-after-brutal-belfast-attack-triggers-riots</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/evangelical-alliance-leader-calls-for-calm-in-northern-ireland-after-brutal-belfast-attack-triggers-riots</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Violence erupts in Belfast]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ BBC News / YouTube Video screenshot ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Violence erupts in Belfast as man charged over knife attack ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 08:10:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland has called for peace and calm after widespread protests followed the alleged attempted murder of a man in Belfast.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland has called for peace and calm after widespread protests followed the alleged attempted murder of a man in Belfast.
Steven Ogilvy, a National Health Service (NHS) radiographer in his 40s, remains in hospital following the attack in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast on Monday night. According to court reports, Ogilvy lost his left eye, suffered damage to his right eye and sustained severe injuries to his neck and back.
The BBC identified the defendant as Hadi Alodid, 30. Alodid appeared by video link from Musgrave Police Station in Belfast on June 10, where prosecutors charged him with attempted murder, possession of an offensive weapon and threatening to kill an NHS worker. District Judge Steven Keown denied bail and remanded Alodid in custody until his next court appearance on July 8.
Meanwhile, protests, some of them violent and involving arson, have erupted in towns and cities across Northern Ireland.
“The attack a few nights ago was barbaric and horrific,” said David Smyth, head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland. “Understandably many people felt anger and repulsion, and some people wanted to demonstrate this by protesting.”
Smyth said there are significant public policy challenges related to immigration and the integration of different cultures and religions within local communities, particularly in areas facing social and economic deprivation.
“There are also challenges around preventing violent crime, policing protests and political representation,” he said.
“But none of this provides any justification whatsoever for mobs of people burning their neighbours out of their homes because of their skin colour or religion.”
Smyth emphasized the importance of churches supporting communities during the unrest.
“We know that local churches are present in these communities and we encourage them as they listen to concerns, challenge behaviours and attitudes which are not Christ-like and provide pastoral care and support to those who have been displaced.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Nearly 20% of millennial, Gen Z parents spank their kids; ministry urges caution]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/nearly-20-of-millennial-gen-z-parents-spank-their-kids-ministry-urges-caution</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/nearly-20-of-millennial-gen-z-parents-spank-their-kids-ministry-urges-caution</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Nearly 20% of millennial, Gen Z parents spank their kids; ministry urges caution]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ iStock/aldomurillo ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Nearly 20% of millennial, Gen Z parents spank their kids; ministry urges caution ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 04:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Despite a decline in support for using spanking as a punishment in Canada, around 20% of millennial and Gen Z parents report that they spank their children, according to a study that explored beliefs about whether spanking a child is ever necessary.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Despite a decline in support for using spanking as a punishment in Canada, around 20% of millennial and Gen Z parents report that they spank their children, according to a study that explored beliefs about whether spanking a child is ever necessary.
The study, published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health in April, found that 18.7% of Gen Z parents and 22.1% of millennial parents admitted to spanking their children. Gen X parents were more likely to report spanking their children than the other two generations, at 45%.
Researchers also asked over 3,700 adults about their beliefs on spanking. Fifteen percent of respondents said they believed “it is necessary to use spanking to properly raise a child.” By contrast, 72.6% did not support that belief, while 10.6% said they did not know and 1.8% said they preferred not to answer.
Millennials and Gen X respondents were more likely to have experienced spanking during childhood than Gen Z respondents, the study found. Researchers also noted that “having a history of being spanked as a child was associated with increasing odds of spanking one’s own child.”
The study also reported that “the prevalence of spanking history among Canadian adults is high,” with 55.6% of Canadian adults reporting that they had been spanked three or more times as children.'
“40.2% indicated no (never, one or two times only) to spanking, 3.6% reported not knowing about spanking history, and 0.6% preferred not to answer,” the study reported. “Those who spanked were mostly mothers (74.5%) and fathers (73.4%) followed by grandmothers (12.0%).”
"A small proportion of the sample indicated estimating the onset of spanking at between 0 and 1 years (0.7%) with 14.0% indicating age of last occurrence between 13 and 17 years," the report continued.
Among those who were spanked, 22.6% “reported it leaving a mark or a bruise or causing lasting physical pain.”
“Ongoing policies and prevention strategies are needed in Canada to further reduce both the attitudinal belief that spanking is necessary to properly raise a child and the use of spanking in a disciplinary context,” the researchers concluded. “An important step in advancing child protection in Canada is to repeal the law permitting spanking and to enhance prevention efforts with a focus on gender and sexual identity.”
Weighing in on the debate over appropriate punishments for children, Dr. Danny Huerta, vice president of parenting and youth at the Evangelical parachurch ministry Focus on the Family, told The Christian Post that spanking “should be used as a last resort in the parenting toolbox.”
“If a parent is disciplining out of anger and pure emotion, spanking is never the right option,” Huerta said.
He also stressed that parents should only use spanking on children younger than 7, adding that it must be done with a “clear purpose, followed up with repair and reconnection.”
The psychologist emphasized that parents who spank their children should only deliver “a firm swat on a child’s back end — not one that causes bruising.”
“A parent must be in a place of clarity and self-control to provide discipline well. Discipline is about clear and loving guidance,” Huerta added. “Spanking needs to offer a distinct reminder of correction.”
For example, Huerta said that if a child blatantly disobeys by running into the street, a spanking can provide “a clear boundary and attention-getting reminder for that child,” which he said “could save that child’s life.”
He added that there are many other options in the “parenting toolbox,” including verbal reminders, timeouts, redirection and firm correction.
“Spanking needs to be extremely infrequent, self-controlled, and followed up with love and warmth,” Huerta said, pointing to his book, 7 Traits of Effective Parenting.
“7 Traits of Effective Parenting begins with adaptability and respect because situational parenting needs to adjust to who the child is, what the child needs, what the situation requires, and what is happening inside the parent,” the author and psychologist said.
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Most pastors, practicing Christians worry about AI replacing God but use it anyway: Barna]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/most-pastors-practicing-christians-worry-about-ai-replacing-god-but-use-it-anyway-barna</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/most-pastors-practicing-christians-worry-about-ai-replacing-god-but-use-it-anyway-barna</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Most pastors, practicing Christians worry about AI replacing God but use it anyway: Barna]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash/Solen Feyissa ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:32:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Most pastors and practicing Christians are worried about artificial intelligence replacing God, yet they continue to use the technology anyway, according to new data released by Barna Group.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Most pastors and practicing Christians are worried about artificial intelligence replacing God, yet they continue to use the technology anyway, according to new data released by Barna Group.
The data released last month by the Christian research firm was based on two surveys conducted in partnership with Gloo, as part of the State of the Church initiative. One survey conducted in November 2025 collected responses from 1,514 U.S. adults. Another study conducted in December 2025 collected responses from 442 Protestant pastors in the U.S.
Researchers found that Christians expressed strong openness to using AI across multiple domains of life, with 48% saying they trust the technology to help them grow spiritually.
Almost three in five respondents (61%) said they would also completely or somewhat trust AI to help them achieve financial stability, while 56% said they trust AI to help with their mental and physical well-being.
More than half also said they would trust the technology to help them feel happy and content with life, understand and express their true selves, find a sense of meaning or purpose, and build meaningful relationships with others. Practicing Christians also expressed higher trust in AI than their pastors and non-practicing Christians, the research found.
“What we’re seeing is that Christians are genuinely open to AI as a support for the domains that matter most to them — wellbeing, purpose, even spiritual growth,” Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research, said in a statement. “That level of openness is higher than we might have expected, and it holds across multiple areas of flourishing.”
Still, Christians and their pastors are concerned about AI’s growing influence in areas of faith and spirituality, particularly regarding “Scripture, divine authority, and the integrity of faith itself.”
Some 83% of practicing Christians and 94% of pastors worry about AI misinterpreting Scripture. About three-fourths of U.S. adults (74%) share that concern.
Nearly two-thirds of pastors (63%) expressed concern about AI replacing them, compared with 72% of practicing Christians. Nearly three-quarters of practicing Christians (73%) are also worried that AI might make people lose their faith.
“This is where the data gets genuinely confounding,” Copeland stated. “Christians say they trust AI with spiritual growth, and a meaningful share say its spiritual guidance is as trustworthy as a pastor’s — yet large majorities are simultaneously concerned about AI misinterpreting scripture, replacing God, or undermining the role of spiritual leaders. The use case and the underlying fear are both present, and they’re pointing in different directions.”
While recent studies show that most pastors use AI, there has been a persistent concern that use of the technology could displace their spiritual guidance.
In "Technology for Missional Impact: State of Church Tech 2026," produced by Barna in partnership with Pushpay, around 60% of church leaders report using AI for personal use at least a few times a month, while only 24% say they never use the technology.
Researchers also highlighted in "The 2025 State of AI in the Church Survey Report" last December that a majority of pastors use AI to prepare their sermons, with ChatGPT and Grammarly as the top two AI tools.
While only a few pastors expressed concern that AI would replace them outright, about two-thirds (65%) worry that AI could displace their spiritual guidance. About 70% worried that the technology could diminish congregants’ trust in them.
“Clear guidance could help address these tensions. Most church leaders believe it is important for churches to establish policies governing AI use (24% extremely, 40% somewhat),” the researchers for the 2025 report noted.
“Yet few churches have taken this step. Only 5% of church leaders say their church currently has an established AI policy — revealing a significant gap between leaders’ sense of responsibility and their organizational readiness.”
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[A judge called them cockroaches. India’s Gen Z took it as a compliment.]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/a-judge-called-them-cockroaches-indias-gen-z-took-it-as-a-compliment</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/a-judge-called-them-cockroaches-indias-gen-z-took-it-as-a-compliment</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Surinder Kaur]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[A supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) holds placards featuring the groups logo and calling for the resignation of the Education Minister during a protest against alleged examination paper leaks on June 06, 2026 in New Delhi, India]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ NEW DELHI, INDIA - JUNE 06: A supporter of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) holds placards featuring the group's logo and calling for the resignation of the Education Minister during a protest against alleged examination paper leaks on June 06, 2026 in New Delhi, India. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is a viral, Gen Z-led parody movement founded by political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke, which uses a cockroach as its mascot to mock political dysfunction. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party gather at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 6, 2026]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Surinder Kaur for Christian Daily International ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party gather at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on June 6, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 07 Jun 2026 11:06:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[They arrived waving Indian flags and clutching schoolbooks. Many wore cockroach masks. The placards were satirical; the anger was not. On June 6, crowds gathered at Jantar Mantar as what many commentators are calling India’s first Gen Z political uprising moved from smartphone screens onto a street. Jantan Mantar is New Delhi’s designated public protest zone, historically the gathering point for the country’s largest anti-corruption and farmers’ demonstrations.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
They arrived waving Indian flags and clutching schoolbooks. Many wore cockroach masks. The placards were satirical; the anger was not. On June 6, crowds gathered at Jantar Mantar as what many commentators are calling India’s first Gen Z political uprising moved from smartphone screens onto a street. Jantan Mantar is New Delhi’s designated public protest zone, historically the gathering point for the country’s largest anti-corruption and farmers’ demonstrations.
The protest had been organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, a social media movement that did not exist three weeks ago. Delhi Police deployed more than 1,000 personnel across the capital and granted permission for the demonstration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Six protesters were detained during the day. A police contingent stood outside the home of the movement’s founder in the western state of Maharashtra.
None of that dampened the crowd, which chanted “Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do,” Hindi for “step down,” directed at India’s Union Education Minister, a senior BJP leader under whose watch a medical entrance exam paper was leaked and a new school-leaving exam system collapsed in full public view. Another chant expressed a generation’s frustration: “We asked for ‘Make in India,’ you gave us ‘Leak in India.’“
In under three weeks, the Cockroach Janta Party had grown into the largest political movement by Instagram following in India. June 6 was its first test of whether that following would show up in person.

How it started 
The story begins at the Supreme Court on May 15. Remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who was presiding over a contempt petition related to fraudulent professional credentials in the legal profession, spread rapidly through Indian social media within hours of the hearing. According to court proceedings cited by The Wire, Al Jazeera, and multiple other outlets, he said: “There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches, they don’t get any employment, they don’t have any place in profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, some of them become RTI activists [RTI refers to India’s Right to Information law, a citizen’s tool for demanding government records], some of them become other activists, and they start attacking everyone.”
Kant issued a clarification the very next day. He said sections of the media had misquoted him, and that his remarks were aimed solely at individuals entering professions like law using fake or fraudulent degrees, not at unemployed youth generally. “It is totally baseless to suggest that I criticised the youth of our nation,” he said. Young Indians had, by then, already heard enough.
The remarks followed Kant to Britain. On June 4, a student at Birkbeck, University of London, tried to raise them during a lecture the chief justice was delivering. The moderator shut the question off as off topic. Another attendee pressed the point, raising what she called widespread concern among legal observers about the suppression of dissent in India. Videos circulated online. India’s High Commission in London issued a statement condemning the disruption.
A party named after an insult
The day after Kant’s court appearance, Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old political communications strategist from Maharashtra and a recent public relations graduate of Boston University in the United States, posted a question online: What if all the cockroaches come together? Before leaving for Boston, he had worked as a volunteer with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a Delhi-based anti-corruption opposition party, reportedly running meme-based digital campaigns during the 2020 state elections.
Thousands responded within hours. Dipke set up a Google form. Within days, more than 350,000 people had signed up. He launched the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, on May 16.
The name is a direct satirical echo of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJP. In Hindi, “Bharatiya” means Indian and “Janta” means people, making the BJP the “Indian People’s Party,” the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. The CJP swaps “Indian” for “Cockroach,” producing the “Cockroach People’s Party.” It is not a subtle joke.
Dipke used artificial intelligence to generate a cartoon insect mascot and built a website under the tagline “Voice of the Lazy and Unemployed.” The membership criteria were designed to be absurd: to join the CJP, one needed to be unemployed, lazy, chronically online, and able to “rant professionally.”
Dipke is Dalit, a member of communities historically placed at the lowest rung of India’s caste hierarchy and subjected to centuries of discrimination. When he revealed his identity on social media during the controversy, he faced an immediate wave of casteist abuse online.
A social media following bigger than the party it mocks
The CJP’s Instagram account crossed 10 million followers in under five days, overtaking the BJP’s 9 million on that platform. It has since grown to more than 22 million, surpassing both the BJP and the main opposition Indian National Congress, which has 13 million Instagram followers. The BJP has existed for over 40 years.
Those numbers have a context. India produces more than eight million graduates a year, yet the unemployment rate among them stands at 29 percent, nine times higher than for those who never attended school. More than a quarter of India’s population belongs to Gen Z. Many young Indians felt they had been dismissed as “cockroaches” by the country’s top judge.
The CJP’s original X account was withheld inside India. According to a senior government official quoted by The Indian Express, the move was attributed to the Intelligence Bureau raising national security concerns. The party launched a replacement account called @Cockroachisback. Dipke claimed the government had also taken down the CJP’s website, on which 600,000 people had signed a petition demanding Pradhan’s resignation. Dipke said his Instagram account had been hacked and that Meta had removed the CJP’s backup account.
“Why is the government so scared of cockroaches?” Dipke posted. “You can’t get rid of us that easily.”
The personal cost became visible quickly. Dipke shared screenshots of WhatsApp messages threatening to have him killed in the United States if he did not close the CJP down. One video message showed an unidentified man claiming to know the locations of his family members and demanding he join the BJP instead. Media also reported him receiving a separate message offering money to shut the account, or face death. His parents told reporters they feared for their son’s safety.
For every account disabled, new ones emerged across states. As The Print observed, the party behaved like the ‘mythical Hydra’: cut one head, two appeared. BJP leaders then shifted approach, describing the movement as anti-national activity, according to The Week, with some attempting to link its followers to Pakistan. Dipke released account analytics showing 94.7 percent of followers were from India, most aged 17 to 28. The data, he acknowledged, was the party’s own and could not be independently verified.
The exam system that broke a generation’s trust
Behind the cockroach humor is a specific, documented crisis.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, known as NEET, is the single nationwide gateway to medical colleges. This year’s exam, held on May 3 for 2.27 million students, was cancelled on May 12 after investigators found the physics paper had been leaked beforehand. The Central Bureau of Investigation arrested the headmistress of a Pune school who had recalled the physics questions from memory, shared them with a student, and then burned her handwritten notes. The exam has been rescheduled to June 21. Reports of student suicides followed news of the leak.
India’s Central Board of Secondary Education added a second crisis. It introduced a new digital evaluation system this year, called On-Screen Marking (OSM), for its school-leaving examinations, and simultaneously abolished post-result verification of marks. What unraveled afterward was documented not by regulators or journalists, but by three teenagers.
Vedant Shrivastava, 17, applied for a re-evaluated copy of his physics answer sheet and received a stranger’s paper. He posted the evidence on X and faced a coordinated smear campaign of accounts calling him a “Pakistani”. The board eventually provided his correct sheet.
Nisarga Adhikary, 19, an ethical hacker who had sat the same board exams, found a hardcoded master password sitting in the OSM portal’s publicly accessible code in February, reported it to India’s Computer Emergency Response Team without satisfactory response, and published his findings in May.
Sarthak Sidhant, 18, audited the CBSE tender and found 15 alleged discrepancies suggesting the contract favored a specific vendor. He published his analysis, then testified before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education. Two senior CBSE officials were subsequently transferred. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi met Sidhant publicly and posted the photograph on social media.
The national pass rate this year fell to 85.20 percent, the lowest in seven years. Dharmendra Pradhan presided over all of it.
The CJP’s stated demand for June 6 was Pradhan’s resignation. The party’s wider manifesto goes further. It demands 50 percent women’s representation in Parliament and Cabinet, greater independence for India’s media, and a ban on a practice that draws particular attention given the events that started this movement: the custom of rewarding retiring Supreme Court judges with appointed seats in India’s upper house of Parliament, a patronage arrangement critics say compromises judicial independence.
Building toward the street
As Dipke prepared to return from Boston, the CJP announced three spokespersons on June 3: investigative journalist Saurav Das as chief spokesperson, political researcher and filmmaker Vijeta Dahiya, and Ashutosh Ranka, a former McKinsey consultant and graduate of IIT Kanpur and the London School of Economics.
“There has to be accountability in the system,” Das told a press conference in New Delhi. “The system has collected so much rot. The people have been very vocal.”
Sonam Wangchuk, the Ladakh activist and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner who spent six months in detention in 2025 after protests demanding regional autonomy turned deadly, had already declared himself an “honorary cockroach” and pledged to join the June 6 demonstration. At Jantar Mantar, crowds chanted that he should replace Pradhan. Wangchuk called the minister’s resignation “only the beginning.”
Before flying home, Dipke posted: “My friends and family are scared that I could get arrested at the airport. But how long can I fear jail? This country belongs not just to one party, but to all of us.” He walked through New Delhi arrivals carrying a copy of the autobiography of B.R. Ambedkar, himself Dalit and the jurist who drafted India’s Constitution. He was not arrested. Delhi Police handed him a written permission order for the protest.
At Jantar Mantar he addressed the crowd directly: “Let us tell them we will no longer be afraid of their politics of fear. Stop the politics of religion! Stop the politics of ‘Hindu-Muslim’!” He also spoke of his mother: “In this country, every mother feels this fear when their child raises their voice against this government.”
When the demonstration ended, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told reporters the government had seven days: Pradhan resigns, or protests spread across India. Rohit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), a regional opposition grouping, and Sagarika Ghose of the Trinamool Congress, which governs West Bengal and sits in the national opposition, have both backed the campaign.
A generation tired of watching
South Asia has recent precedent. Gen Z uprisings overturned governments in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh in recent years. India, home to more young people than any country on earth, has watched those from a distance.
“We have to understand that five years ago nobody was ready to speak up against Modi or the government. The times are changing,” Dipke told the Associated Press.
What June 6 demonstrated is that a generation that formed around memes and satirical posts can also organize enough to occupy a street.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Os Guinness receives William Wilberforce Award for work in post-Christian age: 'It can turn around']]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/os-guinness-receives-william-wilberforce-award-for-work-in-post-christian-age-it-can-turn-around</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/os-guinness-receives-william-wilberforce-award-for-work-in-post-christian-age-it-can-turn-around</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Os Guinness receives William Wilberforce Award for work in post-Christian age: It can turn around]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Screenshot/YouTube/The Colson Center ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ English author and social critic Os Guinness received the 2026 William Wilberforce Award during the Colson Center National Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 30, 2026. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Os Guinness receives William Wilberforce Award for work in post-Christian age: It can turn around]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Screenshot/YouTube/Colson Center ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Os Guinness presents John Stonestreet with a copy of William Wilberforce's "Practical Christianity" during a scene in the 2025 documentary "Truth Rising." ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2026 23:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[English writer and theologian Os Guinness recently received the 38th annual William Wilberforce Award from The Colson Center for Christian Worldview to honor his decades of helping Christians make sense of their calling in a post-Christian cultural moment.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
English writer and theologian Os Guinness recently received the 38th annual William Wilberforce Award from The Colson Center for Christian Worldview to honor his decades of helping Christians make sense of their calling in a post-Christian cultural moment.
"I think Guinness is in the tradition of Wilberforce, also of Francis Schaeffer and Chuck Colson, basically helping the Church think clearly about the moment by thinking about the past, and looking ahead toward the culmination of all things: the Kingdom," John Stonestreet, who serves as president of The Colson Center, told The Christian Post.
Stonestreet, The Colson Center and Focus on the Family worked with the 84-year-old Guinness last year on Truth Rising, a documentary about his worldview and life's work, which has included authoring more than 30 books, co-founding the Trinity Forum Society and serving as a guest scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Studies, as well as a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution.
'How should we then live?'
The award Guinness formally received last Saturday at the 2026 Colson Center National Conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, was named for William Wilberforce, the British politician whose work was born from his Christian faith and ultimately led to the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the 19th century.
Noting Guinness has been "a prophetic voice for decades," Stonestreet told CP that The Colson Center determined him to be a worthy recipient of the prize because of "his ability to have really clear insight on the moment that we're in." He said Guinness shares with Wilberforce an ability "to understand what really mattered at the time and place he was in."
Born in 1941 in a Chinese village where his parents were serving as medical missionaries, Guinness saw firsthand during his childhood the ruinous consequences of communism, war and utopian attempts to establish the Kingdom of Heaven without God.
His family was swept up in the 1943 Henan famine that killed millions in three months, including two of his older brothers. From roughly ages 5 to 10, they lived in Nanjing, where he witnessed the climax of the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949 and the beginning of Mao Zedong's reign of terror. By 1951, they were among the many Westerners who were expelled from China amid communist pressure.
They returned to England, where Guinness would go on to be educated in London and Oxford. During the cultural upheaval of the 1960s, he studied at L'Abri in Switzerland under the late Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer, whose mentorship Guinness described as "revolutionary" as he was attempting to make sense of his generation's place in history.
In his seminal 1968 book, The God Who Is There, Schaeffer emphasized that Western civilization was entering a post-Christian era, having drifted from belief in biblical absolutes to the embrace of subjective morality. Pursuit of "personal peace and affluence" had become the animating force amid existential despair, Schaeffer said, and his famous question to Christians living in such a cultural moment was: "How should we then live?"
'There are no little people'
In The Dust of Death: The Sixties Counterculture and How It Changed America Forever, his first book published in 1973, Guinness built upon Schaeffer's observations by arguing that both the secular humanism of the Western establishment and the 1960s counterculture had failed to give humanity true meaning, leaving historic biblical Christianity as the only viable "Third Way."
In his 1997 bestselling book The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, Guinness wrote that God calls Christians to find meaning in their primary calling as followers of Jesus Christ, which infuses purpose into whatever other roles and stations they may have in life.
During a scene in Truth Rising, Guinness and Stonestreet discussed how the West's civilizational crisis of meaning has noticeably worsened over the past generation, leading to consequences that Stonestreet said are "now being felt on an individual and personal level."
"You're seeing all the chickens coming home to roost, and so people really feel now that things are degenerating rapidly, and they are," Guinness said.

Presenting Stonestreet with a historic signed copy of Wilberforce's classic 1797 book Practical Christianity, Guinness noted that it also contained a handwritten letter Wilberforce wrote to share his faith with a young couple, just months before he died in 1833.
Guinness observed that by spending his final days ministering to others, Wilberforce had offered an example of how Christians ought to live amid evil days.
"So the great man is still fighting slavery, and it was abolished three days before he died. But he's still reaching out in terms of his faith," he said. "And that is the best of the Christian faith, the best of evangelicalism: people who are actively engaged in life through their callings, but also prepared to share their faith in a wonderful way."
Guinness remembered Schaeffer's line that "there are no little people."
"In other words, every single one of us counts. We all matter, everyone made in the image of God; everyone, everywhere, in everything. It can turn around," he said.
"We all think, 'Well, I'm no Wilberforce. There's not a real difference that I can make,' but that's just not true," Stonestreet said. "We can make a difference in the world, and we're in this time and place in history because God wanted us there."
Faithfulness in little things
In a video shown at the award dinner last Saturday, Guinness stressed the importance of personal faithfulness in daily life, especially during a time of civilizational crisis. He dismissed the utopian notion that Christians are called to single-handedly change the world by pursuing worldly fame and power.
"I was brought up as a missionary kid in the China Inland Mission — Overseas Missionary Fellowship, as it is now — and the founder was Hudson Taylor, a great missionary," he said. "And he had a wonderful saying: a little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in a little thing is a big thing. And I think we need to remember that."
"There's far too much heroism, the greatest of all time, and hall of famers, and all that sort of nonsense in this country. Who cares about celebrities and monuments and any of that? We're just called to be faithful in terms of who we are."
Guinness noted the Bible shows God mightily uses the quiet faithfulness of ordinary Christians to accomplish His Kingdom purposes.
"Am I being as faithful and enterprising and creative and sharing my faith as much as I can be? That's all that's up to us. You think of the boy with the loaves and the fish. Five thousand were fed. Who knows what the Lord will do with our lives if we just live faithfully to Him and give it back to Him?"
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Alton calls on UK government to show 'strength on world stage', stop depending on dictatorships committing genocide]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/alton-calls-on-uk-government-to-show-strength-on-world-stage-stop-depending-on-dictatorships-committing-genocide</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/alton-calls-on-uk-government-to-show-strength-on-world-stage-stop-depending-on-dictatorships-committing-genocide</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 20: Lord Alton of Liverpool speaks during a protest against the new Chinese embassy in Victoria Tower Gardens on January 20, 2026 in London, England.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 20: Lord Alton of Liverpool speaks during a protest against the new Chinese embassy in Victoria Tower Gardens on January 20, 2026 in London, England. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:02:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Lord David Alton of Liverpool has called upon the U.K. government to “mean what it says” and take measures to show “strength on the world stage.” He urged the government to stop facets of the country’s international trade from depending on dictatorships that use slave labor, and to support survivors of mass atrocities—including Christians—by legally classifying those experiences as genocide in international courts.]]></description>
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Lord David Alton of Liverpool has called upon the U.K. government to “mean what it says” and take measures to show “strength on the world stage.” He urged the government to stop facets of the country’s international trade from depending on dictatorships that use slave labor, and to support survivors of mass atrocities—including Christians—by legally classifying those experiences as genocide in international courts.
Alton, chair of the U.K. Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights, is widely known for championing the rights of persecuted Christians and other human rights causes. He has even been sanctioned by the “deadly quartet” of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea after publicly vocalizing his concerns over freedom issues.
The Genocide Determination Bill is a private member’s bill brought by Alton, with a debate tabled in the upper House of Lords in London on June 4. A complementary bill, called the Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill, is tabled for the same day.
Alton told Christian Daily International that his bill aims to provide an avenue for victims and survivors to petition the court to have a judicial consideration of potential risk, actual evidence, and formal determinations of genocide.
“Once such a court determination is made, the Secretary of State will then have to take decisive steps, including by engaging the International Court of Justice and the UN Security Council, among others,” Alton said.
“The avenue will be open to all potential victims and survivors of genocide, including Christians in countries where they may be subject to genocide or at risk thereof.”
Alton acknowledged that the chances of his private member’s bill becoming law are “low.” However, he pointed out that the bill is eighth in line for debate that day, meaning it should make definitive progress through the parliamentary process.
“Along the way, we will also learn whether it has enough support in both Houses,” Alton said.
Alton noted that details from the bill had been “overwhelmingly supported” in the House of Lords when previously included as an amendment to the Trade Bill 2021.
“However, the Tory government at the time would oppose it in the Commons,” Alton added. “As such, it is key to ensure greater engagement, including understanding what the Bill can and cannot do, and how it can support victims/survivors in their pursuit of justice.”
The bill puts victims and survivors at the center of the process, according to Alton who has previously tried to get legislative measures regarding genocide legalized via the House of Lords. 
He first introduced an iteration of the Genocide Determination Bill during the 2016–2017 parliamentary session, launching it on June 13, 2016. He later reintroduced the bill on Feb. 5, 2020, again on June 8, 2022, and most recently on Dec. 4, 2023.
Alton has also closely supported the complementary Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill, championed alongside Baroness Helena Kennedy. 
That bill advanced through the House of Lords in the spring of 2024, leading up to the renewed legislative push for both bills ahead of the debates scheduled for June 4, 2026.
Speaking in the Lords at the King’s Speech Debate on May 21, Alton urged the U.K. government to strengthen financial resilience away from supply chains dependent on slave labor in countries like China, pointing to a stark trade deficit of £43.5 billion (~$55 billion).
Alton also highlighted a recent parliamentary meeting with Thae Yong-ho, the former deputy North Korean ambassador to the UK, who defected in 2016 after “choosing democracy over dictatorship.” They discussed a United Nations commission of inquiry report documenting North Korea as a state with atrocities that do “not have any parallel in the contemporary world.”
“The report called for its crimes against humanity to be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court,” Alton said. “It never has been. In its political prison camps, hundreds of thousands continue to perish.”
Open Doors, a charity supporting persecuted Christians, states that North Korea is arguably the most dangerous place on earth to follow Jesus.
“If someone is discovered to be a Christian, the consequences are unimaginably stark: either imprisonment in one of its notorious labor camps, with little hope of release, or immediate execution,” an Open Doors country profile states. “The same fate is likely to await other family members.”
Alton mentioned he has personally visited persecuted Christians in China, witnessed Buddhists being suppressed in Tibet, and “met Uyghur Muslims enduring genocide.” He called for wider support from policymakers for his forthcoming bill.
“A resilient democracy must bolster its citizens and its international alliances, acting confidently in promoting the rule of law and democratic values,” Alton said during the debate.
“To that end, the Government should accept, for instance, the JCHR [Joint Committee on Human Rights] recommendation to extend universal jurisdiction against perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes—an issue to which I will return in the balloted debate which I have secured for June 4 and through my Private Member's Bill on genocide determination."
“I hope that, when those measures come forward, the Government will demonstrate that they mean what they say when, in the words of the gracious Address, they will take measures which contribute to the UK's 'strength on the world stage’,” he said.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Philippine evangelical leaders sign covenant of  unity amid political divisions]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/philippine-evangelical-leaders-sign-covenant-of-unity-amid-political-divisions</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/philippine-evangelical-leaders-sign-covenant-of-unity-amid-political-divisions</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ellen Gabisay]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Philippine evangelical leaders sign covenant of  unity amid political divisions]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ PCEC Facebook Post ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) Board of Trustees. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:49:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Evangelical leaders in the Philippines have signed a “Covenant of Unity,” pledging to prioritize Christ-centered discipleship, avoid partisan divisions and maintain unity despite differing political views.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Evangelical leaders in the Philippines have signed a “Covenant of Unity,” pledging to prioritize Christ-centered discipleship, avoid partisan divisions and maintain unity despite differing political views.
The covenant, released by the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), commits pastors, church leaders and affiliated organizations to keep discipleship at the center of ministry decisions, partnerships and public communications rather than partisan political engagement.
In a statement accompanying the covenant, church leaders said political disagreements can become sources of division and distraction if not approached with wisdom, humility and a commitment to biblical unity.
Signatories also affirmed that Christian unity does not require uniformity of opinion. The document states that believers should continue to honor one another despite political disagreements and maintain Christian fellowship. 
The covenant calls on church leaders to avoid slander, divisive speech, misrepresentation and assumptions about the motives of others. Instead, it encourages humility, grace, respectful dialogue and charitable engagement rooted in biblical principles.
Another provision states that sermons, official church statements and institutional communications should remain focused on Scripture, discipleship and the Gospel rather than partisan endorsements, attacks or political campaigning.
While acknowledging that church leaders may hold personal political views, the covenant clarifies that such opinions should be identified as personal and not presented as official positions of the PCEC or the churches and organizations they represent.
The agreement also encourages churches to create respectful and pastoral spaces for political discussions, pursue collaborative ministry efforts across congregations and regions, and strengthen accountability through honesty, transparency, reconciliation and restoration.
According to the PCEC, the covenant reflects a broader effort to preserve unity within the evangelical community while advancing its mission of discipling the nation and bearing witness to the Gospel amid political differences.
The covenant emphasizes that the church’s primary calling is to make disciples of the Filipino nation in obedience to the Great Commission and cites Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21 that believers “may all be one” so that the world may believe.
The document was shared publicly through the PCEC’s official Facebook page as a declaration of the organization’s commitment to Christ-centered unity and cooperative ministry among evangelical churches in the Philippines.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Jordan marks 100 years of evangelical ministry; WEA head urges Arab leaders to engage global Church]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/jordan-marks-100-years-of-evangelical-ministry-wea-head-urges-arab-leaders-to-engage-global-church</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/jordan-marks-100-years-of-evangelical-ministry-wea-head-urges-arab-leaders-to-engage-global-church</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Daoud Kuttab]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Rev. Botrus Mansour, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, addresses the centennial celebration of evangelical ministry in Jordan at the Amman Baptist School on May 29.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Daoud Kuttab for Christian Daily International ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Rev. Botrus Mansour, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, addresses the centennial celebration of evangelical ministry in Jordan at the Amman Baptist School on May 29. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Church and faith community leaders gather at the Amman Baptist School in Amman, Jordan, on May 29 to mark a century of organized evangelical ministry in the country.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Daoud Kuttab for Christian Daily International ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Church and faith community leaders gather at the Amman Baptist School in Amman, Jordan, on May 29 to mark a century of organized evangelical ministry in the country. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Rev. Faeq Haddad leads a prayer for World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour at a ceremony hosted by the Jordan Evangelical Council on May 30, the day after the centennial celebration.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Jordanian Evangelical Council ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Rev. Faeq Haddad leads a prayer for World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour at a ceremony hosted by the Jordan Evangelical Council on May 30, the day after the centennial celebration. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[The president of the Jordan Evangelical Council presents a commemorative plaque to World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour at a ceremony hosted by the council on May 30, the day after Jordans centennial celebration of organized e]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Jordanian Evangelical Council ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The president of the Jordan Evangelical Council presents a commemorative plaque to World Evangelical Alliance Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour at a ceremony hosted by the council on May 30, the day after Jordan's centennial celebration of organized evangelical ministry. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:50:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Churches and faith communities gathered at the Amman Baptist School on May 29 to mark a century of organized evangelical ministry in Jordan, with the World Evangelical Alliance's secretary general using the occasion to call on Arab leaders to build ties with the global evangelical movement.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Churches and faith communities gathered at the Amman Baptist School on May 29 to mark a century of organized evangelical ministry in Jordan, with the World Evangelical Alliance's secretary general using the occasion to call on Arab leaders to build ties with the global evangelical movement.
The centennial celebration, organized by the Jordan Baptist Convention, featured the launch of a second edition of a book documenting the period, along with a documentary, speeches and testimonies from national church leaders.
WEA Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour attended the event and later paid a courtesy visit to Jordanian Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad, religious affairs advisor to King Abdullah II, and the head of the Baptismal Committee. Joining Mansour for the meeting was Rev. Dr. Jack Sara, head of the WEA's MENA alliance.
The centennial marked 100 years of evangelical work in education, healthcare, humanitarian relief and community outreach carried out by Jordanian evangelical communities with local churches and international partners.

A documentary titled "A Glimpse" traced the history of the evangelical movement in Jordan. Leaders said evangelical work in Jordan has grown through cooperation with the state and civil society, preserving religious liberty even amid regional challenges.
Rev. Nabeeh Abbasi, head of the Jordanian Baptist Church, said: "We celebrate this 100-year milestone as a testament to seeds sown through faith, prayer, and sacrifice, bearing fruit across generations."
Emad Mayyah, a leader within the Evangelical complex, spoke about the movement's inclusive approach and its role in fostering peace, education, healthcare and charity. Pastor Bashar Nimat of the Evangelical Alliance cited the church's humanitarian work, including medical care, refugee relief and psychological support, highlighting the church’s role as a “beacon of love and giving.”
Mansour praised King Abdullah's leadership and noted the approaching celebrations marking the bimillennial of the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan River baptismal site. He said the WEA stands ready "to contribute to encouraging Evangelical Christian pilgrimage to Jordan."
He also used the occasion to press Arab leaders for greater engagement with evangelicals worldwide.
"I call on Arab leaders in general — and the Hashemite leadership in particular — to seize the opportunity presented by the presence of a Palestinian Evangelical figure in this position to build bridges with the vast, global Evangelical Church, whose influence is growing day by day," Mansour said.
Noting that the WEA marks its 180th anniversary this year, Mansour described the structural character of the evangelical movement, explaining that it operates through voluntary cooperation among churches with shared faith rather than through a centralized hierarchy. He added that openness and equality in matters of faith confession are fundamental to the health of evangelical life and its witness in the public square.
Mansour reiterated to the Jordanian audience that the evangelical movement's impact grows when churches act as partners rather than competitors, reinforcing a spirit of unity through practical service to society.
"This centennial should renew commitment to education, healthcare, relief, and social programs that reflect gospel values in action, within a framework of religious liberty and civic harmony," he said. He also urged ongoing dialogue with civil society and the state to safeguard freedom of conscience and the right to worship freely across Jordan.
The centennial also reaffirmed the WEA's role in connecting Jordan's evangelical communities to a global network of partners in education, health, relief and development. Organizers announced plans to sustain momentum through regional initiatives, leadership development and expanded social outreach across the kingdom.
Mansour was honored separately the following day at an event held by the Jordan Evangelical Council.

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                <title><![CDATA[Kenya's national prayer breakfast calls for reconciliation as election rhetoric intensifies]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/kenya-s-national-prayer-breakfast-calls-for-reconciliation-as-election-rhetoric-intensifies</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/kenya-s-national-prayer-breakfast-calls-for-reconciliation-as-election-rhetoric-intensifies</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Kenya National Prayer Breakfast]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Facebook/WilliamRuto ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Held at Nairobi's Safari Park Hotel, the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast centered on the theme of forgiveness and reconciliation. Organizers presented the prayer breakfast as more than a ceremonial event. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the need for moral leadership, accountability and peaceful political engagement. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:20:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Kenya's annual National Prayer Breakfast brought together political leaders, clergy, diplomats and business leaders on May 27 amid growing concern over rising political tensions and increasingly heated debate surrounding the country's 2027 general election.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Kenya's annual National Prayer Breakfast brought together political leaders, clergy, diplomats and business leaders on May 28 amid growing concern over rising political tensions and increasingly heated debate surrounding the country's 2027 general election.
Held at Nairobi's Safari Park Hotel, the event centered on the theme of forgiveness and reconciliation. Speakers repeatedly urged leaders to lower political rhetoric and place national unity above partisan interests as early campaigning and accusations of election manipulation continue to dominate public discourse.
 President William Ruto used the gathering to appeal for calm while addressing growing speculation about his re-election prospects.
“We are going to have elections and they will be peaceful, there will be no violence. And they will be free and fair,” Ruto said during the event. “Because what God has decided, no man can change. If God decides that Ruto gets a second term, he will. And if God decided otherwise, that is what will happen, and we will move on as a country,” the president said. 
His remarks came as political allies and opponents continue to exchange accusations over the integrity of future elections, despite the next presidential vote being more than a year away.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, who hosted this year's breakfast, warned that Kenya risked repeating cycles of political hostility that have historically accompanied election seasons.
Kingi said the nation needed to embrace reconciliation before divisions become entrenched. He urged leaders to demonstrate humility and restraint in public statements, arguing that inflammatory remarks could undermine national cohesion.
The concerns reflect a broader national conversation. In recent months, several politicians from both government and opposition camps have raised questions about electoral preparedness, while some have publicly suggested that future elections could be manipulated. Such statements have fueled anxiety in a country whose democratic history includes periods of election-related violence and political unrest.
Against that backdrop, organizers presented the prayer breakfast as more than a ceremonial event. Speakers repeatedly emphasized the need for moral leadership, accountability and peaceful political engagement.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, through remarks delivered on his behalf, highlighted the growing role of young Kenyans in demanding transparency and accountability from public officials.
Counting the cost of the prayer breakfast
Meanwhile, the High Court of Kenya has ordered parliament to disclose details of its annual National Prayer Breakfast expenditure. 
The case stemmed from a request by lawyer Lempaa Soyianka, who wrote to the clerks of the National Assembly and Senate on March 13, 2025, seeking detailed information about the cost, funding and expenditure of the annual National Prayer Breakfast.
The court, however, declined to declare the National Prayer Breakfast unconstitutional noting that the issue had not been properly pleaded before the court.
Even so the event has not been without criticism. Some civil society groups and political commentators have questioned whether public displays of unity during the prayer breakfast always translate into ethical governance. Critics have argued that leaders who appear together in prayer often return to deeply polarized political battles once the event concludes.
The annual gathering traces its origins to 2003, shortly after the end of President Daniel Arap Moi's 24-year rule and the peaceful transition to the administration of President Mwai Kibaki. 
Inspired in part by similar prayer breakfasts held in the United States, the Kenyan event was envisioned as a forum where leaders from different political and religious backgrounds could meet, pray and discuss national challenges.
Over the years, presidents, opposition leaders, judges, military officials and church leaders have shared the same platform, often during periods of significant national tension.
Following the disputed 2007 election and the violence that claimed more than 1,000 lives, messages of peace and national healing became a recurring theme of subsequent prayer breakfasts. Similar appeals were heard during election cycles in 2013, 2017 and 2022 as political competition intensified.
Several church leaders attending the event nevertheless defended the gathering's relevance, arguing that prayer remains essential during periods of uncertainty.
Women legislators who addressed the breakfast also called for moral renewal within public life. They argued that constitutional reforms and political agreements alone cannot solve Kenya's governance challenges without personal integrity and accountability among leaders.
The presence of foreign dignitaries and regional representatives further underscored the breakfast's role as an influential national platform. Delegations from neighboring countries joined Kenyan leaders in prayer and discussion, highlighting the event's growing diplomatic significance within East Africa.
As Kenya gradually moves closer to the 2027 election season, many analysts believe political competition will continue to intensify. The prayer breakfast's central message appeared aimed at countering that trend before divisions deepen further.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Director shares how heavenly encounter inspired 'Messianic outreach' film ‘Mendel’s Messiah’]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/director-shares-how-heavenly-encounter-inspired-messianic-outreach-film-mendels-messiah</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/director-shares-how-heavenly-encounter-inspired-messianic-outreach-film-mendels-messiah</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Director shares how heavenly encounter inspired Messianic outreach film ‘Mendel’s Messiah’]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Mendel's Messiah ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Mendel's Messiah ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Director shares how heavenly encounter inspired Messianic outreach film ‘Mendel’s Messiah’]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Courtesy of Jeremiah and Wendy Ginsberg ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Jeremiah and Wendy Ginsber ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 00:50:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The Bronze Halo Award-winning musical “Mendel’s Messiah” is headed to streaming platforms worldwide, bringing gospel music, Jewish storytelling and spiritual themes to audiences through a new cinematic adaptation directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Bradford May.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The Bronze Halo Award-winning musical “Mendel’s Messiah” is headed to streaming platforms worldwide, bringing gospel music, Jewish storytelling and spiritual themes to audiences through a new cinematic adaptation directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Bradford May.
Executive produced, written and composed by husband and wife duo Jeremiah and Wendy Ginsberg, the film follows Mendel Moskowitz, a Jewish candy store owner in Brooklyn whose life is shattered after an antisemitic mob destroys his shop. After crying out to God in despair, Mendel embarks on a supernatural journey guided by the Angel Gabriel that leads him to discover Yeshua, or Jesus, as the promised Messiah.
A former Broadway attorney who once represented major theatrical figures and institutions, Jeremiah Ginsberg told The Christian Post earlier this year that the roots of “Mendel’s Messiah” trace back decades to a spiritual encounter that changed the course of his life.
“I met first the Father, and then He introduced me to the Son,” Ginsberg told CP of a spiritual experience he said occurred decades ago while he was still practicing law and had not yet become a Christian. “The Father had told me, ‘You will build for me a new house of worship.’”
For Ginsberg, who identifies as a Messianic Jew, conversion to Christianity came at a significant personal cost: “When I became a believer, my wife and my children left me,” he said. “My only friend was the Lord Yeshua.”
That encounter, he said, eventually inspired the creation of what was originally titled “Rabboni,” a stage musical centered on the Jewishness of Jesus and the belief that Christ is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
Over the next four decades, the production evolved through church performances, Off-Broadway runs and international presentations, including performances in Jerusalem. The musical later earned a Bronze Halo Award and ultimately became the feature film now preparing for release.
“We’re pioneers in this,” Ginsberg said. “Nobody came before us.”
The film arrives at a moment when concerns over rising antisemitism and anti-Christian hostility continue to escalate — and May said the themes explored in “Mendel’s Messiah” feel especially timely as a result.
“There is persecution against Christians that’s going on all over the world, and Jewish people as well,” May said. “It’s a feel-good story, but it also deals with real issues.”
May, whose career spans more than five decades and approximately 180 films, said he first connected with the Ginsburgs in 2024 before helping bring the long-running stage production to life on screen.
“We shot it at Robot Studios in Fort Lauderdale against an LED wall,” May said, explaining that the technology allowed the filmmakers to recreate ancient Israel without expensive overseas filming locations. Production lasted roughly 25 days, with filming completed in 2025.
“I really just kind of took their lead on what they wanted to do and actually put it on film,” May said. “But also create my own brand as well, which is the visuals and the style.”

The veteran filmmaker described the project as one of the highlights of his career, adding: “It’s this late in my career, it’s been extremely special,” he said.
The movie features fantasy, comedy, spiritual warfare and biblical storytelling, something May said emerged naturally from the source material’s Jewish humor and theatrical roots.
“It opens with a candy store shopkeeper who is in the middle of these riots with antisemitism,” May explained. “He goes home, and he prays to God … and asks if there was ever a time for the Messiah to come, wouldn’t this be a great time?”
Wendy Ginsberg, who co-wrote and executive-produced the film alongside her husband, said the project will hopefully entertain audiences while also encouraging them to go deeper into their faith.
“The movie is basically a Messianic outreach,” she said. “Believers will be thrilled, and people that don’t know or haven’t made the decision to accept Jesus as the Messiah, they will see that He really is the promised Jewish Messiah.”
She noted that while the film includes comedic demons representing hate, fear, lust and pride, the story ultimately is uplifting, centering on hope, redemption and the triumph of Christ over evil.
“You can see where the roots of antisemitism go way, way back,” Wendy Ginsberg said. “It’s satanic. … But it’s not a horror movie. They’re funny bad guys.”
“We want people to come away feeling hopeful and joyous,” she added. “And say, ‘Yes, I believe.’”
The project also marks another major milestone for the couple, who say they nearly brought the musical to Broadway in the 1980s before financial setbacks derailed the production. Now, decades later, the Ginsburgs say they believe the timing is providential.
Ginsberg revealed the film is expected to premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a development he called especially meaningful amid today’s cultural climate.
“We are independently financed,” May added. “They put their money where their mouth was, and we completed what we call a big, beautiful movie.”
According to the filmmakers, “Mendel’s Messiah” is intended to be the first installment in a planned series of five films. According to Jeremiah, it’s all part of his mission to further the Gospel through art. 
“This is the beginning,” Jeremiah Ginsberg said. “The Davidic dynasty is being born.”
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[African churches push for just mining as critical minerals reshape continent]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/african-churches-push-for-just-mining-as-critical-minerals-reshape-continent</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/african-churches-push-for-just-mining-as-critical-minerals-reshape-continent</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Vincent Matinde]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Mining in Africa]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa hold significant reserves of cobalt, lithium, copper and platinum group metals that are increasingly sought after by governments and multinational companies. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2026 13:25:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Church leaders and activists from across Africa are calling for stronger protections for communities affected by mining, arguing that the continent’s growing role in the global energy transition is deepening long-standing concerns over land rights, environmental damage and unequal distribution of mineral wealth.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Church leaders and activists from across Africa are calling for stronger protections for communities affected by mining, arguing that the continent’s growing role in the global energy transition is deepening long-standing concerns over land rights, environmental damage and unequal distribution of mineral wealth.
The call came during an Africa consultation on land, mining and justice organized in Botswana by the Council for World Mission and the World Council of Churches, where church leaders, theologians and community representatives discussed the social impact of extractive industries across the continent.
In a statement issued after the meeting last month, participants urged governments, mining companies and faith communities to strengthen environmental accountability, protect customary land rights and ensure communities give informed consent before mining projects begin.
The consultation comes as African countries increasingly occupy a central position in the global race for rare earth metals needed for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems and digital technologies.
Countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa hold significant reserves of cobalt, lithium, copper and platinum group metals that are increasingly sought after by governments and multinational companies.
But church leaders at the Botswana meeting said mining communities often continue to bear the costs of extraction while receiving limited economic benefit.
“The exploitation of land and natural resources has left many communities displaced, impoverished and environmentally devastated,” the consultation said in its concluding declaration, according to the Council for World Mission report.
Participants also described land as more than an economic asset, saying many African communities understand it as sacred and tied to culture, ancestry and identity.
The concerns raised during the consultation mirror wider debates unfolding across Africa’s mining regions.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is one of the largest producers of cobalt, human rights organizations have repeatedly documented hazardous working conditions and child labor linked to artisanal mining operations.
A 2024 report by Humanium said thousands of children continue to work in dangerous mining conditions in southern Congo despite international scrutiny and corporate pledges to improve supply chains.
Cobalt from Congo is widely used in lithium-ion batteries found in smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles.
In Zambia, environmental concerns surrounding copper mining have continued to generate public debate, particularly over water pollution and the management of mining waste.
In Zimbabwe, rapid growth in lithium mining has triggered questions about whether local communities will meaningfully benefit from rising global demand for battery minerals.
Governments across Africa have increasingly promoted mining as a pathway to industrial growth, export earnings and job creation. Several countries have also introduced policies aimed at increasing local processing and limiting the export of raw minerals.
But civil society organizations and church groups argue that resource extraction has historically produced uneven outcomes across the continent.
The Botswana consultation included visits to communities affected by mining activities, where residents shared concerns about land access, environmental degradation and livelihoods disrupted by extractive projects.
Transparency and Justice
Church leaders said faith communities should play a stronger role in advocating for transparency and justice in the mining sector.
CWM Mission Secretary for Ecology and Economy Rev. Daimon Mkandawire facilitated the consultation.
“What we are confronting is not only an environmental crisis, but a theological one,” he said. He explained that extractive practices often treat land as a commodity, while many African communities understand land as the source of life and identity lived under a bond founded on sacred trust.
A 2025 report by the International Energy Agency warned that global competition for critical minerals is intensifying as countries seek supplies needed for electric vehicles, battery storage and renewable energy technologies.
The United States, China and European countries have all increased efforts to secure access to critical minerals viewed as essential for future energy and technology industries.
That demand has elevated Africa’s strategic importance while also reviving concerns about whether the continent risks repeating patterns established during earlier eras of resource extraction.
The Botswana consultation urged African churches to strengthen cooperation with Indigenous communities, civil society organizations and affected residents to advocate for what organizers described as “life-affirming alternatives” to destructive forms of extraction.
Participants also called for mining revenues to be shared more equitably and for stronger legal protections for communities displaced by large-scale projects.
The consultation did not reject mining outright. Instead, participants argued that extraction should prioritize human dignity, environmental protection and long-term community welfare.
For many of the church leaders gathered in Botswana, the issue extends beyond economics or environmental policy.
It is also a moral question about who benefits from Africa’s natural wealth and who bears the consequences of extracting it.]]></content:encoded>
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