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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>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:26:58 -0400</lastBuildDate>
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                <title><![CDATA[New York marks 25 years after 9/11 in spectacle of hope and grief]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/new-york-marks-25-years-after-9-11-in-spectacle-of-hope-and-grief</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/new-york-marks-25-years-after-9-11-in-spectacle-of-hope-and-grief</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Ever Present exhibit inside St. Pauls Chapel]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The Christian Post/Leonardo Blair ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ People examine the "Ever Present" exhibit inside St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan, New York, on Sept. 10, 2026. The exhibit features 2,977 paper cranes, honoring the 2,977 people who were killed on 9/11. ]]>
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                                                                                                <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5271.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Tourists observe multiple flags among the names of 9/11 victims]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Christian Post/Leonardo Blair ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Tourists observe multiple flags among the names of 9/11 victims on a section of the bronze parapet surrounding the south waterfall reflecting pool at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan, New York, on Sept. 10, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                                                <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5272.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Frenchman Colombier Yan and his wife inside St. Pauls Chapel]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Christian Post/Leonardo Blair ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Frenchman Colombier Yan and his wife inside St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan, New York, on Sept. 10, 2026. ]]>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[The entrance of St. Peters Church]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ The Christian Post/Leonardo Blair ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The entrance of St. Peter's Church, the oldest Catholic parish in New York in Lower Manhattan, New York, on Sept. 10, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:09:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, New Yorkers and people from around the world converged in a spectacle of hope and grief at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, New Yorkers and people from around the world converged in a spectacle of hope and grief at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
For Jim and JoAnn Trembath of Monte Sereno, California, the 8-acre National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which now occupies the site where the original Twin Towers once stood at the center of the new 16-acre World Trade Center complex, is a symbol of America’s resilience.
Standing west of the north reflecting pool on the plaza on Thursday, the couple, both in their 80s, recalled being at home getting ready for work when they saw the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center on TV at 8:46 a.m. Jim knew something was wrong after United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower 17 minutes later.
“I told JoAnn this is not an accident. This is terrorism,” he told The Christian Post.
When they traveled to New York two months later, the couple was devastated by what they saw.
“St. Paul’s Church was covered with ash. Not a growing thing. It was desolate,” Jim said, explaining how Manhattan’s oldest surviving church building became a staging point for emergency services in the aftermath of the attack.

He recalled waiting in a line of thousands of people looking for family members at ground zero that had been fenced in by then.
“You walked along the fencing; there were all these notes, ‘Have you seen my dad?’ trying to locate people. We could still see smoke coming from the site. It was very emotional,” he said.
Though they have returned to Lower Manhattan several times since the terrorist attacks, the couple agree that life has changed significantly over the last 25 years.
“We have been back to see the museum, and we wanted to be here for the 25th anniversary,” Jim said. “This is a beautiful memorial.”
Nearby at the historic St. Paul’s Chapel, multiple groups of tourists gathered on the grounds with guides to learn how it became a place of refuge in the aftermath of the attacks. Some later milled inside through security to view a large-scale origami exhibit called "Ever Present,” which features 2,977 paper cranes, honoring the 2,977 people who were killed on 9/11.
The cranes, in four shades of blue, hang from the church ceiling in the shape of an infinity symbol.

Brooklyn resident and content creator Walter Douglas, who was just 2 years old when the terrorist attacks happened, said he learned about the event from his parents and in school, but he understood the event differently after he volunteered to participate in bringing the “Ever Present” exhibit to life.
Douglas said when he first heard about the exhibit, he spoke to the artist behind it, Talo Kawasaki.
“I talked to the guy before we made it, and he said cranes basically show that we are setting people free,” Douglas said. The artist also explained that the blue chosen for the cranes was a reflection of the sky and peace.
“Loss hurts, but at the same time it feels different. The best way to explain it is that I’m grateful I was able to participate in doing the crane [exhibit], and I’m able to show my love and care that we are united. It’s a reminder that we stick together no matter what,” Douglas said. “Even though we lost a lot of people, I know they are in a better place.”
Douglas says he is now using his social media to educate younger generations of Americans about the terrorist attacks.
For Colombier Yan, of France, who was also inside St. Paul’s Chapel viewing the exhibit with his wife, the 9/11 terrorist attacks were a global event that shocked the world.
“It’s an international memory for all people,” he said, noting the strong relationship between the United States and France.

At St. Peter’s Church, New York's oldest Catholic parish, church staff and a team from the Port Authority that lost 84 employees in the 9/11 terrorist attacks prepared for a memorial mass and a special service honoring the dead.
“It’s 25 years. We’ve [been doing] this every year for 25 straight years. It will be a gathering of people who are retired, families, people who were affected. We all gather as an agency here,” a Port Authority representative who did not wish to be named told CP.
Asked for his thoughts on the recovery of the area, he said, “It’s certainly come a long way in 25 years.”
“It’s vibrant. It has a lot of people; it’s more alive. Now that a lot of construction has been happening over the years, coming back to the campus is a good thing,” he said. “It’s definitely apparent for our agency because that was our home base and we lost a lot of people.”
One St. Peter’s Church parishioner and Lower Manhattan resident since 1992 told CP that he wasn’t interested in symbolism without accountability.
“It’s just an outrageous situation that it [9/11] occurred,” he said, asking not to be identified.
“I’m not willing to forgive or to forget. I’m not going to do that. If government leaders today, [former President] George W. Bush wants forgiveness from me, he has to hope for dementia for me,” he continued. “I want people to be held accountable. Government has to be held accountable. That’s the most important thing.”
Originally published by The Christian Post]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Manny Pacquiao takes up anti-poverty role in Philippines, urged to lead with faith and integrity]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/boxing-icon-manny-pacquiao-takes-up-anti-poverty-role-in-philippines</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/boxing-icon-manny-pacquiao-takes-up-anti-poverty-role-in-philippines</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ellen Gabisay]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Pacquiao takes anti-poverty post, urged to lead with faith and integrity]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Presidential Communications Office ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Manny Pacquiao took an oath as a secretary and lead convenor of the Philippines’ National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:56:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Former senator and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has returned to public service as secretary and lead convenor of the Philippines’ National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), with Christian leaders urging him to serve vulnerable Filipinos with compassion, integrity and a commitment to God.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Former senator and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has returned to public service as secretary and lead convenor of the Philippines’ National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), with Christian leaders urging him to serve vulnerable Filipinos with compassion, integrity and a commitment to God.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. administered Pacquiao’s oath at Malacañang Palace on Sept. 8. He succeeds Lope B. Santos III, who served as NAPC secretary and lead convenor since 2023. The commission coordinates government poverty-reduction efforts, strengthens anti-poverty policies and promotes the participation of basic sectors in governance and development.
Malacañang cited Pacquiao’s experience with poverty and his history of helping marginalized Filipinos as among the reasons for his appointment. Pacquiao has previously recalled sleeping on cardboard, going without food and saving loose coins to help his family.
Bishop Noel Alba Pantoja, head of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, welcomed the appointment as an opportunity for Pacquiao to serve Filipinos who are “poor, vulnerable, and in need of hope and opportunity.” In a message following the appointment, Pantoja described Pacquiao as his “dear brother” and encouraged him to approach the new responsibility as an opportunity for Christian service.
Pantoja cited Colossians 3:23-24, which calls believers to work wholeheartedly “as working for the Lord,” and prayed that Pacquiao would receive “wisdom, strength, compassion, and integrity.” He also expressed hope that Pacquiao’s leadership would bring people together, strengthen communities, create opportunities and help develop lasting solutions to poverty.
Pantoja’s call to servant leadership echoes Pacquiao’s message at the Arise Asia 2026 Congress in Manila, where he challenged about 4,000 Christian leaders and young people from more than 50 countries to make their faith visible through service and the way they treat others.
Pacquiao, who spoke about turning from a past marked by drunkenness and gambling after surrendering his life to Jesus Christ, urged believers to read Scripture, pray and demonstrate their faith through their actions.
His new role puts that message of service in a practical setting, as the NAPC addresses poverty-related concerns including food, employment, education, housing and health under the Magna Carta of the Poor.
Pacquiao’s return to government follows his service in the House of Representatives and Senate, his 2022 presidential campaign and an unsuccessful bid for another Senate term in 2025.
As he begins his work at the NAPC, his personal experience of poverty and stated commitment to Christian service will be tested against the practical challenges facing millions of Filipinos. For Pantoja, the responsibility is ultimately an opportunity for Pacquiao to use public leadership to serve others and honor Christ.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Argentina’s rising suicide rate highlights need for youth support, experts say]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/argentinas-rising-suicide-rate-highlights-need-for-youth-support-experts-say</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/argentinas-rising-suicide-rate-highlights-need-for-youth-support-experts-say</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lizzie Sotola]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[youth]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Michael Walk / Unsplash ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[In 2025, Argentina recorded 5,209 suicides, according to the report “When Suicide Appears as an Option in Argentina” by the Criminal Policy Observatory. The figure represents a 22.6% increase over 2024 and a rate of 11.8 suicides per 100,000 people.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
In 2025, Argentina recorded 5,209 suicides, according to the report “When Suicide Appears as an Option in Argentina” by the Criminal Policy Observatory. The figure represents a 22.6% increase over 2024 and a rate of 11.8 suicides per 100,000 people.
The report also notes that 45.3% of the suicides recorded in 2024 involved people between the ages of 15 and 34. The Observatory said suicide became the leading cause of death in that age group.
The numbers describe an urgent situation, but they do not, by themselves, explain what young people are experiencing. Argentina’s Ministry of Health defines suicide as a multifaceted problem involving personal, family, social, cultural and community factors. Reducing each case to a single reason is not only inaccurate; it can also deepen stigma.
Guidelines from UNICEF Argentina call for an interdisciplinary and cross-sector response. The question, then, is not only which data to examine, but also what relationships and responses are being built around adolescents and young people experiencing distress.
Participation Means More Than Attendance
Gastón Bruno, a political scientist specializing in education, argues that activities involving adolescents cannot be designed without including them.
“If the perspective of the person we are working with — the adolescent — is not part of the planning, it is impossible to create a sense of closeness and belonging,” he says.
Bruno proposes learning about adolescents’ cultural habits, interests, forms of entertainment, engagement with gaming and ways of organizing their time. He says this should not be a superficial exercise, but rather a condition for creating spaces that feel relevant to them.
In schools, he warns, small, safe places where students can talk are often scarce. Creating opportunities for participation, where each adolescent’s opinion and experience are respected, is an urgent need, he said.
But this is not a quick response. Detecting sustained changes in mood, attendance or relationships requires consistent work throughout adolescence and young adulthood.
That continuity also reshapes the role of volunteers in churches and Christian organizations. Their presence can be valuable, but it does not replace training.
“Volunteers need professional training, even when they approach the work as a vocation,” Bruno says.
The role of a trusted adult is not to diagnose. It is to learn how to listen, recognize warning signs, avoid minimizing distress and know when to refer someone for professional help. Training in respectful language and care protocols is essential to avoid both romanticizing suicide and contributing to stigma.
The Cost of Appearing Perfect
María Paula Zuccherino, a psychologist, identifies a particular tension among some young people connected to evangelical churches. Belonging can be a protective factor, but a culture of guilt, high expectations or fear of judgment can make it more difficult to put painful experiences into words.
“Excessive guilt” and “the pressure to meet expectations” are factors that can isolate adolescents, she explains. Sometimes this is compounded by difficulty talking about emotions, sexuality, family conflicts or personal problems when they feel they are expected to project an image of perfection before leaders and peers.
For Zuccherino, faith communities have a concrete opportunity to become places of belonging. Meaningful relationships, adults who are available to listen, a sense of purpose and shared spiritual life can strengthen young people.
However, she emphasizes a crucial limitation.
“The church acts as a support network. It does not replace therapy or mental health professionals.”
A church can provide support, help someone access a qualified mental health professional and respect confidentiality. When appropriate, the family, adolescent, therapist and community can work together without confusing spiritual support with clinical intervention.
Zuccherino identifies several signs that deserve attention, including persistent isolation, irritability, behavioral changes, apathy, changes in sleep or eating, declining school performance and a persistent sense of emptiness. None of these signs constitutes a diagnosis on its own, but they can be reasons to draw closer, ask questions and listen.
When there is an immediate risk of suicide, a recent suicide attempt or suicidal thoughts, intervention should be immediate. Pastoral support does not replace an urgent professional evaluation.
Personalizing Relationships
Natalia Zukowski, an educator, encourages people not to measure an adolescent’s sense of belonging by attendance at a weekly meeting. Some young people cannot attend because of sports, artistic activities, work, family commitments or other church activities. That should not leave them outside the community.
Attending a game, an art exhibition or a competition — or simply sending a message — can show that the interest is genuine.
“Those things really make a difference, so that when they have a difficulty, they know you are there,” she says.
Zukowski says adults often underestimate the importance of digital experiences for younger generations. She also warns that recognizing changes is not easy because many adolescents have learned how to appear as though everything is fine.
“The key is to personalize,” she says.
This means moving away from talking about young people as a uniform group and getting to know their stories, absences, interests and needs.
The educator also suggests reconsidering how small groups function. The issue is not simply whether there is a place where someone can speak honestly. The central question is what happens after they do. An inattentive, moralizing or indiscreet response can close the door to future conversations.
She also says adults should ask questions before planning.
“What do you need? What is happening with you? What would you feel comfortable with?”
Listening to those answers can be more valuable than designing activities without the participation of the people they are intended to serve.
Caring Without Exposing
Support does not end when a crisis occurs. After a suicide attempt or death, Zuccherino recommends prioritizing support, confidentiality and respect for the family’s privacy. It is not the time to look for someone to blame, speculate or share details.
The community can provide a space for family members, friends and peers to express their emotions. It should also pay attention to those who are most affected and help them access professional support.
Official Argentine guidelines for responsible communication about suicide recommend avoiding sensationalism, not attributing a death to a single factor and not presenting suicide as an understandable response to problems.
The interviews point to a shared conclusion: Prevention does not depend on a perfect phrase or a single event. It requires available adults, young people who are heard, trained volunteers, communities that do not demand perfection and mental health networks that people can access without delay.
In an immediate crisis, people should contact emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department and should not leave the person alone.
Originally published by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA['Considerable concern' among Christians after AfD's election victory in Germany, evangelical body says]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/considerable-concern-among-christians-after-afd-s-election-victory-in-germany-evangelical-body-says</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/considerable-concern-among-christians-after-afd-s-election-victory-in-germany-evangelical-body-says</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Alice Weidel, Ulrich Siegmund]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (Photo by Omer Messinger/Getty Images) ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ (L-R) Co-Chairwoman of the Bundestag AFD faction Alice Weidel, Ulrich Siegmund, lead candidate of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Co-Chairman of the Bundestag AFD faction Tino Chrupalla celebrate a first exit poll win to AFD at the Messe trade fair halls following state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, 2026 in Magdeburg, Germany. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:13:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A German evangelical leader has called for a measured response among Christians after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a decisive victory in Sunday's state election in Saxony-Anhalt, falling just short of an outright majority.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A German evangelical leader has called for a measured response among Christians after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a decisive victory in Sunday's state election in Saxony-Anhalt, falling just short of an outright majority.
Preliminary results showed the AfD winning 43.8% of the vote, far ahead of the conservative CDU's 17.2%, the BBC reported. The party is on track for 39 of 83 seats in the state parliament — three short of a majority — leaving mainstream parties, all of which have refused to join an AfD-led coalition, to negotiate a way forward.
Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's leader in Saxony-Anhalt, called the result "sensational" and said the party had won a mandate to govern, according to the BBC.
In a statement issued Sept. 3, days before the vote, AfD federal spokespeople Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel had urged supporters to turn out, framing the election as decisive for the country's future.
"Look at Saxony-Anhalt! Because the future of Germany is at stake there. The AfD in Saxony-Anhalt has formulated a clear goal for winning the election: They want to enforce existing laws — for example, regarding illegal migration — and ensure that Germany remains a livable place. The other parties have failed to correct the mistakes of recent years, for example, concerning the energy transition and education policy, and show little interest in a genuine change of course."
By 2 p.m., 54.4% of votes had already been cast, compared with 27.1% at the same point in the June 2021 election, the Landtag reported. Final turnout reached 77.8%, according to the BBC. About 1.7 million people were called upon to vote.
Johann Matthies, political representative of the German Evangelical Alliance (Evangelische Allianz in Deutschland/EAD) in Berlin, told Christian Daily International that the evangelical group is concerned about the AfD's victory. He considered it important to reflect on the narrative shown by the election result.
First, Matthies said a "striking political reality" is apparent — namely that a party that has never held government responsibility in Saxony-Anhalt has received more than twice as many votes as the governing party, which has now fallen into second place.
"This represents an extraordinary loss of trust and cannot simply be dismissed as a protest vote," Matthies said.
"Politics is about seeking solutions to concrete problems. Evidently, a very large number of people no longer trust those who have governed until now to take these problems seriously enough or to solve them."
Matthies reported hearing of "considerable concern" from Christians in Saxony-Anhalt.
"They worry about social cohesion and about whether their state may fall further behind economically in the years ahead," he said. "At the same time, such an election result causes concern among Germany's international partners. Germany is being watched very closely from abroad."
Matthies called on evangelicals to neither demonize politicians and their voters nor "approve everything that gains political support out of protest, frustration or disappointment."
"No political party has a claim to our ultimate loyalty," he said. "Political positions must be measured against human dignity, freedom, truthfulness, responsibility and love of neighbor."
Matthies also cautioned against reducing the situation simply to the question of a "far-right surge."
"We need to examine concrete positions critically, including those of the AfD, while at the same time taking seriously the reasons why so many citizens have withdrawn their confidence from the established parties. Listening to voters is not the same as endorsing everything they voted for."
Matthies also called on evangelicals to pray for those in political leadership at this time.
"The New Testament calls Christians to pray for those who carry political responsibility. We should pray for wisdom and humility among those who govern and those who oppose them, for the protection of human dignity and democratic freedom, for social peace, and for the courage to address real problems truthfully rather than merely fighting political labels.
"For Christians, hope ultimately does not rest on an election result or on any political party. Our task is to remain truthful, to seek the good of our neighbors, to resist contempt and hatred, and to contribute to reconciliation in a society that is becoming increasingly polarized."]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[UK government research warns assisted suicide could disproportionately affect ethnic minorities]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/uk-government-research-warns-assisted-suicide-could-disproportionately-affect-ethnic-minorities</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/uk-government-research-warns-assisted-suicide-could-disproportionately-affect-ethnic-minorities</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[hospice]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Annabel Podevyn / Unsplash ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:45:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A “disproportionate” number of ethnic minority people could choose assisted death in England and Wales if Parliament approves legislation allowing assisted dying, according to a new government equality impact assessment.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
A “disproportionate” number of ethnic minority people could choose assisted death in England and Wales if Parliament approves legislation allowing assisted dying, according to a new government equality impact assessment.
Labour MP Lauren Edwards is scheduled to lead the second reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Sept. 11. The bill would allow adults who are terminally ill and reasonably expected to die within six months to request and be provided with assistance to end their own lives. The previous version of the bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, passed the House of Commons in June 2025 but did not complete its passage through the House of Lords before the 2024-26 parliamentary session ended. It therefore fell without becoming law.
Last month, palliative care expert Scott Murray told Christian Daily International that no reliable diagnostic resource exists to predict with certainty whether a patient is likely to die within six months.
The government’s equality impact assessment for the new bill identifies potential risks for ethnic minority groups. It says structural pressures involving poverty, poorer access to health care, lower-quality care and domestic abuse “could result in disproportionate numbers of ethnic minority people” choosing an assisted death to avoid financial hardship or escape abuse.
The government has also increased its central estimate of the number of assisted deaths in the bill’s 10th year by 60%, from 2,183 to 3,502 annually, according to the impact assessment. The high scenario has increased from 4,559 to 6,257 deaths a year.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned that “the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care” is needed before further parliamentary debates on the issue.
Burnham said it would be deeply challenging to hold that debate while people were not receiving the care they needed or the peace of mind that such care would be available.
Alisdair Hungerford-Morgan, CEO of Right to Life UK, said the government’s equality assessment supports concerns about the potential impact of the legislation.
“In the impact assessment, the Government has warned that structural pressures such as poverty, inadequate care, neglect and abuse could result in disproportionate numbers of people from ethnic-minority backgrounds opting to end their lives through assisted suicide,” Hungerford-Morgan said.
“Parliament should be focusing on introducing policies that provide care, protection and support for people facing these structural pressures who may feel pressure to end their lives, not assisted suicide.”
“Given the state of palliative and social care in this country, introducing assisted suicide would be a disaster.”
Hungerford-Morgan also pointed to the government’s revised estimate of assisted deaths in the bill’s 10th year, which increased by 60%, from 2,183 to 3,502 deaths annually.
“Its high scenario now exceeds 6,250 deaths annually, more than 17 every day, and even that is not a maximum,” he said.
“MPs should put care first and vote against this dangerous Bill at Second Reading on Sept. 11.”
A multilevel regression and post-stratification (MRP) poll of 10,000 people, cited by Right to Life UK, found concerns about the previous version of the bill. Legalizing assisted suicide was the least-favored priority among the issues surveyed, with 7% support.
Meanwhile, hospices in England ended the last financial year with a collective deficit of more than £70 million, more than double the previous year, according to Hospice UK. At least 33 hospices have already made significant cuts to services, while almost 60% of hospices have either made changes or are considering reductions.
Hospice UK has warned that “nearly one in three people who need palliative care miss out on the support they need.”
Official data cited in the government assessments show assisted deaths rose 48% in New Zealand between 2022 and 2026, while California recorded a nearly 150% increase from 2020 to 2025. The assessment also cites research from Oregon in which nearly 40% of patients expressed fear of being a burden on loved ones.
The government’s assessment highlights concerns about potential coercion and pressure, disparities in access to palliative care, the use of unlicensed medications and differing positions among health care organizations, including the British Geriatrics Society and the Association for Palliative Medicine. The government notes, however, that evidence on the effects of assisted-dying policies is limited and that evidence from other jurisdictions may not be directly transferable to the proposed service in England and Wales.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Majority of pastors worried about AI misinterpreting Scripture: Barna]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/majority-of-pastors-worried-about-ai-misinterpreting-scripture-barna</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/majority-of-pastors-worried-about-ai-misinterpreting-scripture-barna</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Majority of pastors worried about AI misinterpreting Scripture: Barna]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Unsplash/Solen Feyissa ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:15:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Nearly all pastors, along with a majority of practicing Christians and U.S. adults in general, say they are concerned about artificial intelligence misinterpreting Scripture, but they are divided on the best response to the problem, according to new research from Barna.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Nearly all pastors, along with a majority of practicing Christians and U.S. adults in general, say they are concerned about artificial intelligence misinterpreting Scripture, but they are divided on the best response to the problem, according to new research from Barna.
The research, conducted in partnership with Gloo for the State of the Church initiative, was based on data from two separate surveys. One survey of 1,514 U.S. adults was conducted online in November 2025. The second survey of 442 U.S. Protestant pastors was conducted online in December 2025.
Researchers found that more than nine in 10 pastors (94%) are concerned about AI misinterpreting Scripture, compared with 83% of practicing Christians and 74% of U.S. adults overall.
When asked what AI should do when interpretations of Scripture genuinely differ, 60% of pastors said all major interpretations should be presented, along with an explanation of how they differ, without indicating which one is correct. Only 26% of practicing Christians favor that approach. Another 26% of practicing Christians believes AI should indicate which interpretation is the “right” one, but only about one in 10 pastors agree.
Practicing Christians were also found to be four times as likely as pastors to want AI to settle scriptural disagreements by presenting only the most widely agreed-upon interpretation. Nearly 20% of practicing Christians — and about twice as many pastors — believe contested Scripture shouldn’t be interpreted at all.
Daniel Copeland, Barna’s vice president of research, said the approach of pastors to scriptural interpretation reflects their role in inspiring critical thinking.
“Their approach points to using AI as a tool to aid their learning, not to tell them what to think,” Copeland said. “Pastors seem to want people to use the tool but let it expand their understanding and push them to think for themselves.”
Previous findings from the research show that practicing Christians use AI in both their work and personal lives more than most Americans, and nearly half of them say they would trust the technology with their spiritual growth.
Research produced by Barna earlier this year suggests that about a third of practicing American Christians say the spiritual advice they get from artificial intelligence is just as good as that from a pastor, with practicing Christians more likely to agree with this notion than non-practicing Christians and non-Christians.
Most Christians currently use AI for learning, advice or improving their writing much more than for interpreting Scripture or spiritual guidance, the research shows.
“Ask people yes-or-no whether they use AI, and the average pastor and the average American look about the same,” Copeland said. “It’s frequency of use where the difference actually shows up.”
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Spaniards put more trust in news, latest study finds]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/spaniards-put-more-trust-in-news-latest-study-finds</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/spaniards-put-more-trust-in-news-latest-study-finds</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[reading news]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Minh Hằng / Unsplash ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:39:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Spaniards are showing greater interest in news and slightly higher levels of trust in journalism, according to the 2026 Digital News Report España, an annual study produced by researchers at the University of Navarra's School of Communication in collaboration with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Spaniards are showing greater interest in news and slightly higher levels of trust in journalism, according to the 2026 Digital News Report España, an annual study produced by researchers at the University of Navarra's School of Communication in collaboration with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.
The report is based on an online survey of 2,008 adults in Spain conducted by YouGov in late February 2026 for the international Reuters Institute Digital News Report. The University of Navarra researchers are responsible for analyzing and interpreting the data for the Spain report.
The University of Navarra described the findings as showing a general “resurgence of interest in the news,” with 54% of Spanish respondents saying they are very or extremely interested in current affairs. That is 3 percentage points higher than in 2025 and the highest level recorded in four years.
Overall trust in the news also increased by 2 percentage points, reaching 33%. When respondents were asked about the credibility of the news they personally consume, the figure rose to 42%. By comparison, 19% expressed trust in news obtained through social media or artificial intelligence chatbots, while 27% trusted search-engine results. The credibility rating for major Spanish news brands increased 3 percentage points to 45%.
“According to the researchers, although journalism is not currently enjoying a period of extraordinary trust, news organizations continue to enjoy, in comparative terms, the highest level of credibility among the public,” said the University of Navarra.
“Altogether the report offers a more positive assessment this year than in recent years,” according to the university.
“After a decade of declining interest, loss of trust, and increasing intermediation of consumption by digital platforms, 2026 shows some signs of stabilization and, in some core topic indicators, improvement.”
Interest in news increased across several age groups, particularly among people 65 and older and those ages 35-44, both of which recorded a 7-percentage-point increase. Interest also increased among people under 35. Spain rose from 16th to seventh among the 48 countries analyzed for interest in news. However, the report noted that the cumulative decline in interest since 2018 remains significant and that the age gap remains pronounced.
The report describes “a complex market marked by fragmentation and mistrust, but also by the persistence of professional journalism as reference” in the digital landscape. The report's findings indicate that professional news organizations continue to occupy a central position even as people increasingly encounter news through social media, search engines, aggregators and other digital platforms.
Young people, however, remain less engaged with traditional news media. The report found that 53% of those under 25 have low trust and low interest in news, compared with 35% of the general population. These young people also access news less frequently and rely on sources that differ significantly from those used by the general population, particularly audiovisual social media.
The report also found that influencers and content creators are playing an increasingly significant role in news consumption. Forty percent of Spaniards said they had obtained news through influencers or content creators during the previous week.
“The audience perceives creators as more approachable, understandable, and entertaining than professional media outlets,” noted the university.
“However, they clearly rank them behind journalistic media in the attributes most closely linked to news quality standards: authenticity, knowledge of the issues, reliability, and impartiality.”
Researchers interpreted the findings as showing that influencers are complementing rather than replacing professional journalism.
“Influencers attract, explain, and connect with their audiences, but rigor continues to be associated with professional journalism. In fact, when Spaniards pay for digital news, they do so almost exclusively to news organizations, not to content creators.”
The report also examined public media. Thirty-five percent of respondents said public media had a positive impact in Spain, compared with 28% who viewed the impact negatively.
“Spain thus ranks in the middle of the European standings, far from the countries most critical of their public broadcasting,” noted the university.
“Citizens acknowledge its contribution to universal access to relevant news, reliable information, and democratic pluralism, although they also express serious criticism of political interference.”
Meanwhile, 74% of respondents said they were concerned about distinguishing between true and false news online, 5 percentage points higher than in 2025 and the highest level recorded in the series. Researchers said the finding underscored the continuing importance of professional journalism.
“In an environment saturated with noise, where citizens fear they cannot distinguish truth from falsehood and where most access to information is determined by algorithms, news brands are the ones the public continues to identify as the most reliable, the most chosen when payment is required, and the ones that best embody the attributes associated with quality information.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab seek equal religious education opportunities for minority prisoners]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/lawmakers-in-pakistans-punjab-seek-equal-religious-education-opportunities-for-minority-prisoners</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/lawmakers-in-pakistans-punjab-seek-equal-religious-education-opportunities-for-minority-prisoners</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[File photo of the Punjab Assembly building in Lahore, where lawmakers are expected to table proposed legislation aimed at protecting minority communal properties.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ File photo of the Punjab Assembly building in Lahore, Pakistan. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 09:14:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Christian rights activists have welcomed a resolution adopted by the Punjab Provincial Assembly calling for equal opportunities for prisoners from religious minorities to receive religious education, take examinations and qualify for sentence remission.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Christian rights activists have welcomed a resolution adopted by the Punjab Provincial Assembly calling for equal opportunities for prisoners from religious minorities to receive religious education, take examinations and qualify for sentence remission.
The resolution, moved by treasury member Raheela Khadim Hussain and adopted by majority vote on Tuesday (Sept. 1), cited Rule 215 of the Punjab Prison Rules 1978, under which prisoners may receive remission in their sentences for acquiring religious education in accordance with the law.
Official data cited in the resolution showed that 2,558 Muslim prisoners benefited from sentence remission after completing religious education between 2020 and 2025. The resolution called for effective implementation of a similar system for prisoners belonging to minority faiths.
It said Christian, Hindu, Sikh and other minority prisoners should be given equal opportunities to study their respective religious curricula, sit examinations and receive sentence remission after successfully completing their studies.
Christian organizations and prison ministries have criticized Pakistan’s religious-education-based remission system, saying that although prison rules provide for minority prisoners to benefit, the provisions have not been implemented effectively.
The Lahore-based Center for Social Justice reported that Punjab granted sentence remission to 1,653 Muslim prisoners for Quranic study between 2022 and 2024, while no minority prisoner received comparable remission during the same period. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 284 Muslim prisoners received remission between 2023 and 2025, with no recorded beneficiaries from minority communities, according to the organization’s 2025 Human Rights Observer Report.
Safdar Choudhry of the Raah-e-Nijaat prison ministry welcomed the Punjab Assembly resolution, saying minority inclusion was already provided for under prison rules but remained weak in practice.
“A 2008 amendment to the Pakistan Prison Rules expanded the remission framework to include minority religious texts, recognizing that non-Muslim prisoners could qualify for sentence reductions through the study of their sacred scriptures,” Choudhry told Christian Daily International.
He said Punjab’s Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department approved a Bible-based syllabus in 2023 consisting of five units. Under the framework, prisoners can earn remission of between 15 and 60 days per unit over a five-year period, for a maximum of 180 days, he said.
Choudhry expressed hope that the resolution would prompt the prison authorities to address gaps in policy and implementation and ensure that existing provisions are applied equally.
He said the Pakistan Bible Correspondence School had submitted a prison curriculum developed in consultation with the Catholic Church, the Church of Pakistan, Presbyterian churches and the Salvation Army.
“The courses in Urdu language are in a simple format using objective questions and fill-in-the-blank exercises to make them accessible for Christian inmates,” he said. “We hope that the prison authorities will now appoint instructors to teach those courses.”
A significant challenge, however, is illiteracy among a majority of non-Muslim prisoners, Choudhry said.
“Several minority prisoners are illiterate and must first receive basic education before pursuing formal or religious studies,” he said.
A study published in the Journal of Asian Development Studies reported that 1,588 minority prisoners were held in 45 Punjab prisons as of March 2025. Of those, 1,315 were under trial, 232 had been convicted, 34 were unconfirmed condemned prisoners and seven were confirmed death-row inmates.
More recent data from the Punjab Inspectorate of Prisons, through April 2026, recorded 1,075 minority prisoners, including 1,034 Christians, 38 Hindus and three Sikhs.
The June 2025 study said that, with the exception of Punjab, federal and provincial authorities had failed to approve curricula for minority religious education for decades, limiting prisoners’ ability to benefit from provisions allowing sentence remission based on religious education and improved conduct.
“The provinces were sufficiently empowered to make their rules to implement all remedies that were available to the majority of prisoners. Hence, there is no excuse for continued discriminatory attitudes towards minority prisoners,” the study said.
The study also pointed to differences in the remission provisions available to Muslim and minority prisoners.
Punjab’s prison policies provide special remission for Muslim prisoners who regularly perform prayers and observe fasting during Ramadan, in addition to other forms of religious-study-related remission, according to the study.
It said Rule 215(vii) allows prisoners belonging to minority religions, including Hindus, Christians and Sikhs, to qualify for remission by reading and understanding their respective religious texts, including the Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Guru Granth Sahib. They can receive up to six months’ remission, it said.
However, the study noted that special remission for religious observance is available to Muslim prisoners but does not have an equivalent provision for minority prisoners, creating an unequal system of incentives.
In Sindh, the Sindh Prisons and Corrections Service Act 2019 provides various forms of remission related to religious study. The study said Muslim prisoners can receive remission for learning to read the Quran, understanding Islamic teachings and memorizing the Quran, with the potential remission varying according to the level of achievement.
It also noted that Hindu and Christian prisoners may receive three months’ remission for reading the Bhagavad Gita or Bible, respectively, but said there was no structured or approved curriculum for minority prisoners equivalent to that available for Muslim inmates.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Prison Rules 2018 provide remission to prisoners who pass examinations on the meanings of the Quran and Islamic fundamentals. The study said non-Muslim prisoners could also sit examinations on their respective holy books and religious fundamentals to qualify for remission.
The rules also provide additional remission for Muslim prisoners who memorize the Quran or learn its translation, as well as special remission linked to regular prayers and fasting during Ramadan, according to the study.
The researchers recommended that prison authorities provide basic literacy education to minority prisoners so they can take advantage of opportunities for formal and religious education.
They also urged prison departments across Pakistan to regularly collect and publish updated data on sentence remission by religious affiliation to monitor equality and identify disparities.
The study further recommended amending provincial prison rules to provide equivalent remission for non-Muslim prisoners who observe their religious practices, including fasting during periods such as Lent for Christians and Navratri for Hindus, and attending regular prayers.
It also called for religious-study-based remission to be made equivalent for prisoners of all faiths, including opportunities to read, memorize and demonstrate an understanding of their respective sacred texts.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[European Parliament to host conference on future of Christians in Syria]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/european-parliament-to-host-conference-on-future-of-christians-in-syria</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/european-parliament-to-host-conference-on-future-of-christians-in-syria</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[European Parliament]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Marius Oprea / Unsplash ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2026 06:54:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[The future of Christians in Syria will be the focus of a conference at the European Parliament on Tuesday (Sept. 8), bringing together church leaders, European Union policymakers and Syrian representatives.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
The future of Christians in Syria will be the focus of a conference at the European Parliament on Tuesday (Sept. 8), bringing together church leaders, European Union policymakers and Syrian representatives.
"The event comes at a critical moment in Syria's transition, with major political and diplomatic changes underway and continuing concerns over security, minority rights, sectarian tensions, property rights, displacement and the future constitutional order," said Thibault Van Den Bossche, an advocacy officer for religious freedom at the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ). "For Syria's Christians, years of war, persecution, displacement and emigration have weakened communities and raised urgent questions about their ability to remain in their historic homeland."
Titled "The Future of Christians in Syria: Religious Freedom, Political Representation, Common Future," the event runs from 10 a.m. to noon and will be moderated by Van Den Bossche. Participants will address the need for freedom of religion or belief, equal citizenship, constitutional protection and political participation in Syria.
"The conference will stress that Syria's Christians cannot be secured through sectarian quotas or special privileges, but through a democratic, non-religious and constitutionally neutral state in which all citizens enjoy equal rights and protection before the law," Van Den Bossche said.
Keynote addresses will be delivered by Mairead McGuinness, EU special envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief, and Nadine Maenza, co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable and former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Hosted by members of the European Parliament from the European Conservatives and Reformists and European People's Party groups, the event is co-organized by the European Syriac Union (ESU), the ECLJ, Syriac Cross Belgium, Sallux ECPP Foundation and Jubilee Campaign Netherlands.
The conference will feature two panels. The first, on religious freedom and the situation of Christians in Syria, will be moderated by Van Den Bossche. Speakers include Johannes de Jong, director of Sallux ECPP Foundation; Bishop Georges Assadourian, Armenian Catholic bishop of Damascus; the Rev. Vasilios Khamis, priest of the Antiochian Orthodox Church; and Archbishop Georges Masri, Melkite Greek Catholic metropolitan archbishop of Aleppo.
The second panel will focus on political representation and the future of Christians in Syria. Moderated by Metin Rhawi of ESU, it will feature Sanharib Barsom, president of the Syriac Union Party in Syria; Waddah Al Khoury, president of the Levantine National Council; Ninous Icho, president of the Assyrian Democratic Party; and Sarah Aphram, head of Syriac Cross Belgium.
Van Den Bossche said Syrian Christians are not seeking "special privileges or confessional power-sharing."
"Their future depends on a constitutional system that protects fundamental rights equally for all Syrians, regardless of religion, ethnicity, language, gender, political opinion or regional background," he said.
EU institutions and member states are urged to place two principles at the center of their engagement with Syria, Van Den Bossche said: fundamental rights and equal citizenship, and meaningful political participation.
"The survival of Syria's historic Christian communities will be an important test of whether the country can become a genuinely pluralistic and democratic state for all its citizens," he added.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christian mother challenges English High Court ruling to withdraw life-sustaining treatment from brain-injured son]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/uk-christian-mother-challenges-court-ruling-to-withdraw-life-support-from-brain-injured-son</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/uk-christian-mother-challenges-court-ruling-to-withdraw-life-support-from-brain-injured-son</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Eyte]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[The Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand in the City of Westminster]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo by Wikipedia ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ The Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand in the City of Westminster ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:40:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[A Christian mother and her family are challenging an English judge’s decision to withdraw clinically assisted nutrition and hydration from her 28-year-old son, who has a prolonged disorder of consciousness following a severe brain injury.]]></description>
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After a four-day trial, Justice John McKendrick ruled at the Court of Protection in London on Wednesday, Aug. 26, that providing clinically assisted nutrition and hydration to sustain the man’s life is contrary to his best interests and should cease, according to advocacy group Christian Concern.
Christian Concern said the judgment overrides the unanimous view of the young man’s family and his treating clinicians, who agreed at a March “best interests” meeting that life-sustaining treatment should continue.
The case is subject to strict reporting restrictions under a court-issued Transparency Order that remains in effect until the man’s death. Under the order, the patient is identified only as “FHR” and his mother, who is supported by the Christian Legal Centre, as “FN.”
“I do not want to prolong my son’s life artificially, but it is unacceptable to bring about his death in the way the system has done,” FN said in a statement provided by Christian Concern.
“Even murderers and rapists do not get death sentences from the court, but my son now has it – for no other crime than being severely disabled,” she added. “All I wanted was for my kid to be allowed to live naturally and to die naturally.”
FHR suffered a serious brain injury in 2020, and his mother cared for him at home for nearly five years. In April 2025, the Court of Protection ordered his temporary removal to a care facility for a neurological assessment, according to Christian Concern.
FHR never returned home, and Christian Concern said the care facility barred his mother from visiting him for 16 months over alleged “challenging behavior” after she disagreed with staff about his care.
After FHR was moved to the facility, his mother said she was forced to call an ambulance herself when staff dismissed a sharp drop in his oxygen levels. He was hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia. Following his return to the facility, Christian Concern said administrators barred the family from visiting, prompting the mother to post a video online detailing her son’s story. The video led the Court of Protection to issue the reporting restrictions.
FHR’s physical health deteriorated rapidly after the move, according to Christian Concern, leading to five emergency hospital admissions for infections and sepsis. The family argued that returning FHR home would improve his health and quality of life.
Last month, McKendrick denied the mother’s application to lift the Transparency Order, which she sought so the trial could be publicly reported while the family opposed an application by NHS North East London Integrated Care Board to withdraw life-sustaining treatment from her son.
The mother accused health care authorities and the court system of acting with “unbelievable cruelty.”
“My son was stable and happy at home, he was surrounded by love from his family, and I believe his condition was gradually improving,” she said. “The system then abducted him, locked him up, isolated him from his family, ruined his physical health, drugged him up with sedatives, and has now obtained a court order to starve him to death.
“I believe that ending his life was always their agenda and the only thing standing between death and my son was the love and protection of his family – so that was brutally removed by force. It is probably too late now to save my son, but if so, the system which has done this to him should be held to account.”
Dr. Judith Allanson, a neurorehabilitation expert specializing in consciousness disorders, examined FHR and testified that he experienced no pain or distress and that there remained a possibility he could regain some brain function.
Christian Concern said Allanson observed signs of conscious awareness despite FHR being drowsy from sedatives, including smiling when his father talked to him about soccer, the recent World Cup and his favorite team, Arsenal.
The organization said another court expert observed FHR showing an “emotional response” and shedding tears as his father spoke about God and prayed with him.
Allanson recommended reviewing FHR’s sedative medications and considering a tracheostomy before making a final assessment of his level of awareness.
Rehabilitation consultant Ajoy Nair, appointed by the court, agreed that a tracheostomy review should be attempted if possible but argued that “spending more time, effort and resources, and tinkering with his medications when he has a catastrophic brain injury are meaningless.”
Nair recommended withdrawing nutrition and hydration, saying FHR would likely die within one to three weeks.
“Patients in this category will develop dehydration and multiorgan failure,” Nair said, as quoted by Christian Concern. “Renal failure, acidosis, uremia, and other metabolic and electrolyte disturbances that will ultimately end in cardiorespiratory arrest.”
McKendrick agreed with Nair’s recommendation, concluding that keeping FHR alive “consigns FHR to an existence of distress with such limited consciousness and communication that his life is devoid of comfort or pleasure. There is little prospect of that ever changing.”
McKendrick rejected the family’s testimony about FHR’s awareness, saying that “love has the power to impair our objectivity.”]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Christians called to engage confidently amid growing curiosity in ‘dangerous’ New Age spirituality]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christians-called-to-engage-confidently-amid-growing-curiosity-in-dangerous-new-age-spirituality</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/christians-called-to-engage-confidently-amid-growing-curiosity-in-dangerous-new-age-spirituality</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Christian Today]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Christians called to engage confidently amid growing curiosity in ‘dangerous’ New Age spirituality]]></media:title>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:39:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Psychic nights at the local pub, celebrities ‘manifesting’, and “WitchTok” videos attracting millions of views: alternative spirituality has become an increasingly visible part of popular culture.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Psychic nights at the local pub, celebrities ‘manifesting’, and “WitchTok” videos attracting millions of views: alternative spirituality has become an increasingly visible part of popular culture.
Now the Evangelical Alliance is encouraging Christians to engage confidently with the world of tarot, crystals, astrology, manifesting and other spiritual practices, while warning that such practices should not be regarded as harmless.
Its new free guide argues that growing spiritual curiosity in Britain presents churches with both a challenge and an evangelistic opportunity, particularly as renewed interest in New Age practices appears to be developing alongside greater openness to Christianity.
Produced through the Evangelical Alliance’s Being Human initiative, the 'Spiritual Curiosity' booklet explores why alternative forms of spirituality are attracting interest and offers biblical, pastoral and practical guidance on responding alongside real-life accounts of spiritually curious people who went on to become Christians. 
Co-lead of Being Human, Katherine Brown, said manifestations of spiritual curiosity could increasingly be seen throughout popular culture.
“Whether it is the pub down the road offering a psychic night, Dua Lipa talking about manifesting her Glastonbury main stage or Ariana Grande describing herself as ‘a literal witch’, it’s clear we’re living in a time of real spiritual curiosity,” she said.
The booklet argues that the cultural landscape has shifted significantly from the time in which atheism appeared increasingly dominant.
“The cultural moment we’re living in is one of remarkable spiritual curiosity,” it says, adding that there is in turn greater openness towards the possibility of something more beyond the material world.
The Evangelical Alliance says churches are increasingly encountering people who are asking questions about faith, while some Christians, particularly younger believers, are being exposed online to alternative forms of spirituality.
According to the guide, congregations are seeing an increase in the number of people coming through their doors who have dabbled with New Age practices and this is changing the nature of faith conversations.
“The question for many people is no longer whether God exists; the question now is - which God?” the booklet says.
Among the practices and ideas explained in the guide are angel numbers, astrology, chakras, crystals, karma, manifesting, mediums, psychics, tarot cards, psychedelics and so-called “WitchTok” content.
People engaging with such practices may not officially define themselves as New Age practitioners but rather choose to describe themselves simply as “spiritual”.
From a Christian perspective, however, the resource warns against treating these practices as harmless additions to faith.
“Regardless of where someone falls on that spectrum, though, we see these practices as dangerous and opposed to the way of Jesus,” it says.
The guide traces the rise of alternative spirituality partly to three wider cultural developments: secularism, individualism and postmodernism.
It argues that the decline of traditional religious belief has not removed humanity’s desire for meaning or transcendence. At the same time, individualism has placed greater emphasis on personal autonomy, while postmodern thought has weakened confidence in objective truth.
“Secularism hasn’t produced a generation of contented atheists; it has produced an anxious, morally confused and lost generation with a deep longing that has not been fulfilled,” the booklet states.
It describes the result as a generation that is “spiritually curious” but often lacks a settled framework through which to interpret that search.
The resource also sets out a biblical framework for understanding such practices, beginning with the Christian belief that human beings were created for relationship with God and continue to carry a longing for Him even after humanity’s separation from God through sin.
It characterises New Age spirituality as an attempt to meet desires for meaning, connection, healing and transcendence apart from God.
The booklet notes that Christianity does not regard the spiritual realm as “neutral”, pointing to passages including Ephesians 6:12 and Old Testament prohibitions against practices such as divination and necromancy.
It argues that the early Church itself developed in societies where competing spiritual and religious practices were widespread, making the present cultural environment less unprecedented than it might appear.
At the same time, the guide cautions Christians against hostility.
“The people we are trying to reach are not our enemies,” it says. “They are fellow image bearers who are searching and longing for meaning, life, truth, healing and answers, but they have been handed down counterfeits that could never satisfy. We know the One who can, and so we have a real opportunity to make Jesus known in this time.”
Brown urged Christians not to respond with fear: “We should be confident that we have good news and a better story to offer a searching and spiritually open culture, and this resource is a great tool to help build that confidence.”
The practical section of the booklet encourages churches and Christians to prioritise relationships, a warm welcome, time for questions, sharing testimonies, regular prayer and conversations around how to approach healing and deliverance.
It also stresses that conversion should not be presented as simply adding Jesus to an existing collection of spiritual practices.
“You cannot hold Christ in one hand and New Age practices in the other,” the booklet says. “Jesus requires total allegiance and obedience to His will and way.”
The Evangelical Alliance says its aim is for Christians to approach the current moment with both theological clarity and compassion, rather than dismissing the spiritual questions being asked around them.
Head of mission at the Evangelical Alliance, Rachael Heffer, said: “Recognising that so many are open to conversations, spiritually curious, and that our conversations have impact, we hope that this resource will provide individuals and church communities with greater confidence to share Jesus with those who are searching for truth and meaning.”
Originally published by Christian Today.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Pakistan’s PM honors Christian nurse who risked her life to save infant]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/pakistans-pm-honors-christian-nurse-who-risked-her-life-to-save-infant</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/pakistans-pm-honors-christian-nurse-who-risked-her-life-to-save-infant</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[CDI Staff]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5241.png">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hands a check of 10 million Pakistani rupees ($36,000) to Christian Staff Nurse Razia Noreen during a meeting at PMs House on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026.]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Prime Minister's Office ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hands a check of 10 million Pakistani rupees ($36,000) to Christian Staff Nurse Razia Noreen during a meeting at PM's House on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                                                                                                                                        <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5240.jpg">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Christian Staff Nurse Razia Noreen to the PMs House in Islamabad on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026.]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Prime Minister's Office ]]>
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                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Christian Staff Nurse Razia Noreen to the PM's House in Islamabad on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. ]]>
                                </media:description>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:16:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, Sept. 2, praised a Christian nurse who risked her life to rescue an infant from a hospital fire that killed 14 newborns last week.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, Sept. 2, praised a Christian nurse who risked her life to rescue an infant from a hospital fire that killed 14 newborns last week.
Sharif met Staff Nurse Razia Noreen at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad and commended her courage during the Aug. 26 fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), a major government hospital in the federal capital.
The fire broke out at about 7 a.m. in the mother-and-child health ward, where 15 newborns were being cared for. Noreen managed to rescue one infant, while the other 14 died, according to officials.
The tragedy sparked widespread public outrage and prompted lawmakers in both houses of Parliament to demand accountability. A government inquiry has since found serious failures in fire safety and emergency response at the hospital, leading to the suspension of eight officials and disciplinary action against those responsible.
Noreen became widely known after CCTV footage showed her running into the smoke-filled nursery and emerging seconds later with an infant in her arms. She attempted to return to the nursery to rescue more children but was unable to re-enter because of the rapidly spreading flames and thick smoke.

Noreen told Sharif on Thursday that she was preparing medication when she suddenly saw the fire.
“I threw the cabinet door shut and rushed inside,” she said. “I didn’t even think about it.” She said she also told another nurse to “save the kids” and entered the nursery as the fire intensified.
Noreen managed to rescue one of the smaller babies and carried him outside, where she handed him to a doctor before rushing back toward the nursery. “When Dr Abdul Rehman came out, I handed [the baby] over and rushed back inside,” she said.
As she attempted to rescue another baby, however, a sudden blast caused a blackout, she said. Noreen said she wished she could have saved the other children.
Sharif told Noreen that the entire nation was proud of her courage and described her as “a daughter of the nation.”
“The mother of the child you saved will bless you,” he said, adding that her actions would be remembered in history.

The prime minister said Noreen would receive the Sitara-i-Khidmat (Star of Service), one of Pakistan’s civilian honors, at the Pakistan Day award investiture ceremony on March 23. He also presented her with a check for 10 million Pakistani rupees (approximately $36,000).
Sharif had previously approved the award, saying Noreen had “saved a child without regard for her own life.”
“Razia Noreen has demonstrated an exceptional sense of responsibility and humanity,” he said. “The entire nation, including myself, is proud of Nurse Razia Noreen for risking her own life to save the child.”
Noreen thanked the prime minister but said she had not acted for recognition or reward. “Saving the babies was my responsibility as a nurse,” she told Sharif.
In an earlier interview, Noreen said that she had been deeply affected by the deaths of the other infants and had struggled to sleep since the tragedy.
The hospital fire remains the subject of an investigation, while the deaths of the 14 newborns have intensified concerns over fire-safety standards and emergency preparedness at government hospitals across Pakistan.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Nicaragua advances constitutional reform that would bar ‘traitors to the homeland’ from elections]]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/nicaragua-advances-constitutional-reform-that-would-bar-traitors-to-the-homeland-from-elections</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/nicaragua-advances-constitutional-reform-that-would-bar-traitors-to-the-homeland-from-elections</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lizzie Sotola]]></dc:creator>
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                            <media:title><![CDATA[Nicaragua’s National Assembly]]></media:title>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Photo: UNAN-León, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua ]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[ Nicaragua’s National Assembly approved the constitutional reform in its first legislative session during a special session held in León on Sept. 1, 2026. ]]>
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                                                                            <pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 08:05:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Nicaragua’s National Assembly, dominated by the ruling party, approved a partial constitutional reform Sept. 1 in its first legislative session that would bar people deemed “traitors to the homeland” from running for office, holding public positions or serving in party leadership.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Nicaragua’s National Assembly, dominated by the ruling party, approved a partial constitutional reform Sept. 1 in its first legislative session that would bar people deemed “traitors to the homeland” from running for office, holding public positions or serving in party leadership.
The measure was approved unanimously by a show of hands during a special session in León, marking the first formal approval of an initiative promoted by co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.
The constitutional changes are not yet in effect. The reform requires a second approval during the next legislative session in 2027 before it can take effect, according to EFE.
The reform would extend the terms of elected officials from six to seven years, including those of the co-presidents, lawmakers and mayors. It would also apply to other officials, including judicial and electoral magistrates, the attorney general and the heads of the Army and National Police.
The proposed changes would impose restrictions on people who have participated in or are linked to attempted coups, received foreign funding, called for military intervention, promoted sanctions or blockades against Nicaragua, or been accused of acts considered contrary to national sovereignty.
The move follows an announcement Ortega made in July, when he said that “there will be no more elections” in Nicaragua and indicated that he would promote constitutional reforms to prevent the opposition from coming to power through elections. Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition, reported at the time that Ortega had not specified the legal mechanism for implementing the proposal.
The constitutional reform also follows public support from some evangelical pastors, who said the measure would contribute to peace, stability and the well-being of the country. 
With its first approval, the reform now moves to the next stage of the constitutional process.
Originally published by by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.]]></content:encoded>
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                <title><![CDATA[Darlene Zschech reflects on struggles that inspired popular worship song 'Shout to the Lord']]></title>
                <link>https://www.christiandaily.com/news/darlene-zschech-on-struggles-that-inspired-shout-to-the-lord</link>
                <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.christiandaily.com/news/darlene-zschech-on-struggles-that-inspired-shout-to-the-lord</guid>
                                                            <dc:creator><![CDATA[The Christian Post]]></dc:creator>
                                                                                                                            <media:content  url="https://www.christiandaily.com/media/original/img/0/52/5234.webp">
                            <media:title><![CDATA[Darlene Zschech reflects on struggles that inspired popular worship song Shout to the Lord]]></media:title>
                                                            <media:credit role="author" scheme="urn:ebu">
                                    <![CDATA[ Hoganson Media Relations ]]>
                                </media:credit>
                                                                                        <media:description type="plain">
                                    <![CDATA[ Darlene Zschech ]]>
                                </media:description>
                                                    </media:content>
                                                                            <pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 23:35:00 -0400</pubDate>
                <description><![CDATA[Veteran worship leader Darlene Zschech believes the Church is once again entering a season in which God is moving powerfully and new expressions of worship are emerging.]]></description>
                <content:encoded><![CDATA[
Veteran worship leader Darlene Zschech believes the Church is once again entering a season in which God is moving powerfully and new expressions of worship are emerging.
The Australian singer and songwriter, formerly of Hillsong, reflected on the relationship between worship and revival during an interview with Michael Foust on his "Crosswalk Talk" podcast. 
Looking back at earlier periods of revival and comparing them with what she sees happening today, Zschech said she believes the Church is living in “revival days again.”
“The new song has always coexisted with a fresh revival on the Earth, wherever it was,” she said. “It was always a new song that accompanied historical revivals, and we’re there again.”
She is encouraged by a new generation of Christian songwriters emerging within the Church and urges them to build upon the foundations laid by those who came before them.
“Seriously, I’m in awe of some of these songwriters now that are picking up these new frequencies, but their job is still the same,” she said.
“When we’re creating worship for the church, we’re not trying to be clever; we’re trying to release something out of people.”
Zschech said she wanted younger worship leaders and songwriters to “get on our shoulders and go as high and as wide as you can,” adding that she found this season “so exciting.”
Her reflections came as she discussed "The House of Worship,"    a new film bringing together influential worship artists and looking back over 25 years of songs that have shaped contemporary Christian worship.
Zschech recalled experiencing what she now recognizes as revival during the formative years of the modern worship movement in Australia, when worship services would frequently lead directly into calls for people to respond to the Gospel.
“We were living in revival days,” she said. “We’d lead worship, and rather than, you know, polite clap and someone walks up and preaches, [we’d] lead worship and someone would do an altar call, and just heaps of people would come and get saved.”
Although acknowledging there was “some messiness later,” Zschech said those years had a profound impact on her own faith and the community around her and that she “wouldn’t be sitting here today … without those days, where God really shaped us as a community of faith.” 
“He shaped us as a community of worship, leaders of worship, musicians, production, writers. We were being formed and forged together.”
She said one of the blessings of that period was that those involved were largely unknown outside their own circles, allowing their spiritual foundations to develop away from wider attention.
“It was like God hid us for a season while the roots went down deep,” she said. “And I’m so thankful for those days.”
During the interview, Zschech also reflected on the unlikely beginnings of “Shout to the Lord,” one of the most popular contemporary worship songs in the world.
She wrote the song during a difficult period in her family’s life, when she and her husband were raising two young children and struggling financially. Their business wasn't doing well, and Zschech was singing advertising jingles to help bring in money.
Against that backdrop, she sat down at her piano one day and began pouring out her heart to God. The song came together in around 20 minutes.
“I just sang it, and I sang it, and I sang it, and it was just a prayer to the Lord,” she said.
At the time, Zschech lacked confidence in her songwriting and initially didn't show it to her church’s worship pastor.
When she eventually played it for him, she was so embarrassed that she asked him to turn his back while she sang and kept offering to change parts, fearing they were not good enough. By the time she finished, the worship pastor had tears in his eyes and told her the church would sing it that weekend.
A visiting minister told her that day that the song would quickly travel around the world, a prediction she initially struggled to comprehend.
What followed was particularly meaningful to Zschech because it happened before social media and today’s opportunities for musicians to promote their work internationally.
“It was a miracle of God,” she said. “There was no kind of master plan, and I really liked that, because none of us can take credit for it.”
She recalled beginning to receive letters from people around the world and wondering how they had even encountered the song.
“God took this song and just breathed on it,” she said. “When God wants something out there, He can do it.”
More than three decades later, Zschech said she remains humbled when she hears congregations singing songs she has written, often becoming so absorbed in worship that she forgets she wrote them.
Looking ahead, Zschech said she believes worship will continue to have an important place in what she sees as an emerging spiritual awakening.
“I think we’re on the brink of something so magnificent,” she said.
Originally published by The Christian Post.]]></content:encoded>
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