The Sanctuary Foundation, a charity that provides support for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, is partnering with churches and community groups in an effort to make this festive season a little more festive for those who are far from home.
In a very personal reflection, Dr Brian Stiller, Global Ambassador of the World Evangelical Alliance, recounts a memorable meeting with Pope Francis, highlighting his humility, love for Jesus, and commitment to serving others, especially the marginalized.
A well known Swahili proverbs observes, "when elephants fight, the grass suffers". It is a direct analogy to the human condition when our leaders enter into geopolitical conflict and the ordinary people suffer the most. It can seem overwhelming but here are some basic things followers of Jesus can do to help minimize the damage.
The political positioning of new regimes is matching an ideology that has been forming for some time—Dark Enlightenment. We are watching a new world order emerge that will cause great suffering. As the performance of Bach's St Matthew's Passion unfolded, it resonated deeply with the times we find ourselves in.
Thomas Schirrmacher has worked with Pope Francis in a variety of official roles, both for the World Evangelical Alliance and the International Society for Human Rights. He accompanied the pope on three state visits and also visited him privately at Santa Marta on numerous occasions, often around the pontiff’s birthday. These are his reflections.
