Mark A. Kellner
Articles by Mark A. Kellner
Religious charities, schools in Virginia can require employees to align with their beliefs: ADF
The state of Virginia will allow religious organizations to hire only workers who adhere to the groups' beliefs as part of a settlement of a 2020 lawsuit, according to a Christian legal advocacy group. Published March 19, 2024
‘Holistic care’ for ministry leaders now a requirement for financial accrediting, evangelical group
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is aiming to require the 2,700 Christian groups it oversees to demonstrate "holistic care" for their top leader in order to remain in good standing. Published March 18, 2024
Higher Ground: Shared beliefs on premarital sex and abortion among evangelicals
A new survey finding politically conservative and liberal American evangelicals agree that homosexual activity, pornography, premarital sex, abortion and drunkenness are sinful. Published March 18, 2024
Religion’s role in U.S. life is shrinking, 80% of Americans tell Pew Research
An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults say the importance of religion is shrinking in public life, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Published March 15, 2024
Liberal, conservative evangelicals agree on sinfulness of abortion and gay sex, survey says
A new survey has found that politically conservative and liberal American evangelicals agree that premarital sex, homosexual activity, abortion and drunkenness are sinful. Published March 13, 2024
‘Ordinary Angels’ scores with critics and filmgoers, shows power of faith-focused cinema
A decades-old story of neighbors helping neighbors is a surprise hit with movie critics and theater-goers. Published March 12, 2024
U.S. religious freedom panel cuts Saudi visit short after chair ordered to remove yarmulke
A U.S. delegation cut short an official visit to Saudi Arabia last week after hosts demanded the Orthodox Jewish rabbi chairing the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom remove his religious head covering in public during the trip. Published March 11, 2024
Higher Ground: Will ‘Progressive Christianity’ hijack the church?
Welcome to Higher Ground, the newsletter and website dedicated to helping families of faith navigate a chaotic world with rigorous reporting, commentary and analysis on national, global and cultural issues, with reporting from the experienced journalists of The Washington Times. Published March 11, 2024
‘Ramadan America’ film offers look at observance, life during Muslim holy month
A teenager who connects with his heritage through cooking. Young cousins trying to steal their uncle's adult magazines. A woman considering divorce right after getting married. These are some of the stories told in "Ramadan America," a new film that presents five fictional vignettes showing how Muslims interact with their month-long holy observance, interspersed with interviews of real-life followers about how Ramadan affects them. Published March 8, 2024
Census: Seattle the least-religious big city, Atlanta the most observant
Residents in the Seattle area attend church the least among those living in big cities, according to new Census Bureau statistics. Published March 8, 2024
Judge rules Maryland law ending time limits for abuse survivors is constitutional
A Prince George's County judge ruled Wednesday a new Maryland law ending time limits on lawsuits filed by survivors of childhood abuse is constitutional, allowing a suit to go forward against the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington involving three men who say they were molested by predatory priests. Published March 6, 2024
Southern Baptist official says federal probe of church abuse allegations closed, no charges expected
The chief of the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention said Wednesday that federal officials say a probe of accusations that the panel suppressed child abuse reports is closed and that criminal charges against panel members are unlikely. Published March 6, 2024
Ukrainian Catholics ‘trying to protect human life’ and need humanitarian aid, patriarch says
The archbishop of 5 million Ukrainian Catholics said Wednesday that America needs to increase humanitarian aid to the war-torn nation on the front lines of an East-West conflict. Published March 6, 2024
Liberty University hit with record $14 million fine over campus safety violations
Liberty University will pay a record $14 million fine for violations of federal law covering the treatment of sexual assault victims and statutes that require schools to disclose crime statistics and campus threats, the Education Department said Tuesday. Published March 5, 2024
Holy Moses! Heston’s ‘Ten Commandments’ tablets could fetch $80,000 at auction March 12
The 1956 blockbuster "The Ten Commandments" depicted what was likely the first text download from a cloud -- and now its prop tablets are expected to fetch as much as $80,000 in an auction in Los Angeles next week. Published March 5, 2024
Digital Pentecost: AI to let Christian broadcasters ‘speak’ in different languages
Artificial intelligence aims to help evangelical preachers reach others in foreign languages. Published March 5, 2024
Higher Ground: Americans wary of the First Amendment
Welcome to Higher Ground, the newsletter and website dedicated to helping families of faith navigate a chaotic world with rigorous reporting, commentary and analysis on national, global and cultural issues, with reporting from the experienced journalists of The Washington Times. Published March 4, 2024
Atheist group demands IRS pull tax-exempt status of church over endorsement of Steve Garvey
An atheist group has asked the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of a California megachurch whose pastor said in a se Published March 1, 2024
Canadian measure would remove free speech protection for quoting Bible, sacred texts
Legislation introduced in Canada's Parliament would eliminate the use of "belief in a religious text" as a defense against hate crime charges. Published March 1, 2024
Southern Baptists nominate seminary leader Jeff Iorg as chief of executive committee
Southern Baptist trustees are expected to vote this month on the nomination of the Rev. Jeff Iorg, an educator and veteran pastor, as the denomination's next executive committee president and CEO, officials said Friday. Published March 1, 2024