NEW YORK (AP) — The Lord's Prayer ended with the bang of dozens of fists that landed on open palms after a circular motion and a thumbs up in a joint "Amen!" Not a voice could be heard inside the cavernous sanctuary of Holyrood Episcopal Church-Iglesia Santa Cruz in Manhattan. There was no need for words: From the altar, the deaf congregants led the hearing ones, who from the wooden pews repeated the silent movement of their hands. Music, sermons, prayers, even confessions make up much of the experience of a typical religious service. So, for the deaf, how does faith flourish in an environment that so revolves around sound? The deaf worshippers at Holyrood in the northern edge of Manhattan, say that what might be considered a limitation has strengthened their sense of community, and expanded their understanding of God, and the sacred gift of silence in a noisy world. During a recent Sunday service, deaf and hearing worshippers sung and signed hymns, offered the sign … [Read more...]

(THE CONVERSATION) — For years, my husband would say after we returned from the church, "I thought the sermon was good." To that, I would reply, "I didn't hear the sermon, as usual." As a person with a severe to profound hearing loss, I nearly left the church out of frustration and anger. In addition to hymns, spoken readings and testimonies, Christian worship focuses on the spoken word. As scripture says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." I am not alone in feeling discouraged by so much focus on the word of God and spoken words in Christian tradition. Many people with hearing loss leave or disengage from their Christian faith. But that doesn't have to happen. As a theologian, I study how adults with hearing loss worldwide engage with their Christian faith through unique forms of worship and contemplative prayer, and I have found examples of holy people who experienced hearing loss. Alienated in churches One popular deaf … [Read more...]

(RNS) — Mark Galli, the editor-in-chief of the influential evangelical magazine Christianity Today, says that President Donald Trump should be removed from office. In an editorial on Trump's impeachment published Thursday (Dec. 19), Galli argued that even though Democrats have "had it out" for Trump since his election, the case for the president's impeachment — which the House of Representatives voted to approve to Wednesday — was convincing. Trump, he said, was morally unable to lead. "The facts in this instance are unambiguous: The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president’s political opponents," he wrote. "That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral." He noted that Christianity Today also spoke out when Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were facing impeachment. And Galli made it clear that he believes Trump lacks the morality to lead the … [Read more...]

WHEATON, Ill. (RNS) — The day pastor and mental health advocate Jarrid Wilson died was the day organizers began planning a one-day evangelical Christian summit about pastors and mental health. Wilson, a pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, spent his life advocating for mental health through his nonprofit, Anthem of Hope. He shared openly about his depression, offering words of hope on social media and calling on the church to better understand mental health. He died by suicide in September. Organizers of Friday's gathering of pastors and other Christian leaders said they were continuing Wilson's work. “Today, we join a conversation already in progress, often in the mental health community, but less so — and sometimes tragically so — the conversation has not yet made it into many of our churches,” said Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Billy Graham Center. About 400 ministry leaders filled a sold-out auditorium at the Billy Graham Center for GC2: … [Read more...]

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — For decades, the people of Bethlehem have watched tour buses drive up to the Church of the Nativity, disgorge their passengers for a few hours at the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and then return to Israel. But in recent years a new form of tourism has taken root, focused on the West Bank town's Palestinian residents, their culture and history and their struggles under Israeli occupation. As pilgrims descend on Bethlehem this Christmas, they have the option of staying in restored centuries-old guesthouses, taking food tours of local markets, and perusing the dystopian art in and around a hotel designed by the British graffiti artist Banksy. The centerpiece of tourism, and the focus of Christmas celebrations in the coming weeks, is the 6th-century Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Jesus is believed to have been born in a manger. Extensive renovations in recent years have saved the roof from collapse and revealed colorful wall … [Read more...]

CHICAGO (RNS) — President Donald Trump and independent presidential candidate Mark Charles agree on at least one thing. When Trump declared November for the first time to be National American History and Founders Month, Charles said the president’s call to remember history is a great idea. Charles, a Navajo speaker and author, thinks the president should start by reading Charles’ new book, co-written with North Park University professor Soong-Chan Rah, “Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery.” “We are trying to create this common memory that President Trump is advocating for. The challenge is he believes in the mythology of American history, not what the actual history is. This is where we’ll diverge immediately,” Charles said. “But to call for November to be a month to remember our founders and remember our history, my response is: That’s a great idea, Mr. President. Here is a book that I would like you to begin the process with. I … [Read more...]