The underground “house church” movement in China is becoming more outspoken about their situation both with Chinese leaders and the West, reports the evangelical newsweekly, World (Oct. 3). The once largely silent evangelical house church movement is said to be the fastest growing segment of Christianity in China, as well as among the most restricted and persecuted […]

After a long period of  downplaying the religious identity of its schools, the Church of England is seeking to reassert the Christian and Anglican nature of these institutions. The British Catholic magazine The Tablet (Oct. 10) reports that since the late 60s, Church of England primary and secondary schools have emphasized serving the entire community and minimizing their […]

Despite setbacks and opposition from critics and ex-members, the Family (formerly the Children of God) appears to be passing on leadership to the second generation and keeping its distinctive identity, according to a report in Nova Religio, (October) a journal on new religious movements. The Family has courted controversy since its beginnings in the Jesus movement […]

The Nation of Islam is shedding much of its anti-white rhetoric and beliefs, according to the newspaper In These Times (Oct. 4). Last month RW noted the unusual alliance between Nation of Islam (NOI) leader Louis Farrakhan and New Age visionary Jose Arguelles. It appears that this development may be part of a broader change in the NOI toward […]

The new unity and strength among conservative Third World Anglican bishops is likely to have repercussions on churches in the U.S. and other Western countries, according to the Christian Challenge (September/October), a traditional Anglican magazine. The growth and influence of conservative Anglicanism in the Third World has been taking place for a number of years (with the […]

In the last five or so years, rapidly increasing numbers of Catholic teenagers are participating in  revitalized youth programs in all parts of the country. The Catholic World Report (October) find growing numbers of young people drawn to church-directed programs based on strongly orthodox Catholic teachings in the context of socially oriented outreach. Some five years ago, Catholic […]

Despite recent attempts at interracial unity, divisions based on race are still stirring in American Pentecostal churches, according to Charisma magazine (October). Pentecostals made headlines in 1994 when the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America, which represented mainly white denominations (such as the Assemblies of God), voted to dissolve itself and form a new multi-racial entity called the […]

Eight months after the pope’s visit to Cuba, there are new advances as well as setbacks in religious freedom in the nation, according to two reports. The New York Times (Sept. 13) reports that religious vitality and openness in Cuba has intensified since John Paul’s visit last January, with increases in baptisms, ordinations and the formation of […]

As talk of a “post-denominational” Christianity is increasingly common, the same phenomenon appears to be taking place in American Judaism. In an overview of  non-Orthodox Jewish groups in Commentary magazine (September), Clifford Librach finds a growing convergence between Conservative and Reform Judaism. Conservative Judaism is moving to the left to meet Reform’s position on matters such as gay […]

Catholics dissatisfied with the parochial school system are leading a rapidly growing movement of independent Catholic schools. In the last three years alone, the number of such schools have increased from under 30 to more than 100, according to the National Catholic Reporter (Sept. 11). Most of these schools are modest, do-it-yourself efforts started up by parents […]