ArcaMax

The 250th anniversary of American independence seems to me a good enough occasion to correct the Declaration of Independence.

The recent Netflix documentary of Thomas Jefferson has finally provided me with the proof I need to show you, my dear readers, how we have all gotten profoundly wrong the most profoundly important sentence in the most ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I’m in a book review club and discussing human temptation. The leader says that human nature doesn’t have the power to resist temptation. This is discouraging and why I’m reluctant to become a Christian, because I know I will fail. I don’t have the power to overcome temptation, though I want...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: In my sincere pleas to God in prayer, what can I do when He doesn’t respond or even seem to hear me? The silence doesn’t bring comfort, it brings despair. – S.G.

A: When we wrestle with the silence of God, be reminded first of all that God has spoken in days gone by, and has continued to ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: A Bible study leader asked each in attendance who they most identified with from Scripture. Some said Mary, others Ruth or Esther. One lady in tears said Hannah, who longed for a child and nearly gave up. When it came to me, I was ashamed to say that I most identified with the woman caught in ...Read more

MIAMI — Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered the ax to a portion of the state budget dedicated to funding security measures in Miami-Dade County Catholic schools — and local Catholic leaders aren’t happy about it.

On Monday, DeSantis vetoed $15 million allocated for security grants for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Miami, the total amount...Read more

The San Francisco Archdiocese will pay out nearly $400 million to survivors of clergy sexual abuse, encompassing 70 years of children falling prey to priests, lawyers announced Monday.

The settlement sets up a trust to compensate 530 survivors of childhood sexual abuse — all of whom are now adults — and establishes extensive child ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: It’s hard to compete in the workplace because some people just naturally have an attractive way about them. I don’t understand, though, why God values others by making things easy for them while others have to struggle for every little thing we get. – P.V.

A: Many people think that a person�...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: Public prayer seems to be more widely accepted than in past generations, but the results don’t seem too reassuring. Are there steps to praying effectively? – P.P.

A: The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. We must ask God to help us pray with our hearts and minds centered on Him. This ...Read more

On July 4, we will celebrate American independence from kings who ruled over both church and state. Two hundred and fifty years ago, the founders of this country put forward a bold and radical idea: that religious freedom is safest when the government neither controls religion nor is controlled by it.

The founders were not perfect; at the ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: A friend of mine described me as a carnal Christian. I’m not sure if she was putting me down or giving me a compliment. When I asked her, she told me to look it up, and when I did, I wasn’t very encouraged. The Bible is too complicated for me to ...Read more

MIAMI — Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, local leaders and Haitian immigrants condemned a Supreme Court decision on Thursday allowing the Trump administration to end deportation protections under Temporary Protected Status for over 350,000 Haitians and Syrians.

“These are people that are very nervous. They’re nervous about having to go ...Read more

This month in Orlando, the Southern Baptist Convention — the largest Protestant denomination in America — took its first formal step toward barring women from preaching. Almost three-quarters of the voting delegates backed it. The millions of women who fill the pews every Sunday watched their own denomination move, by supermajority, to ...Read more

I receive many emails like this about this particular column, so here is my gift for all of you who are grieving the death of a beloved pet…

Q: I am hoping to find a copy of the article ”The Death of Miles” by Rabbi Marc Gellman and would appreciate it if you could direct me to the site where I could print a copy. Thank you for your ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I’m stunned at the actors, sports stars and social media influencers speaking the name of Jesus, while at other times these same people speak from other platforms and take the name of the Lord in vain, use vulgar language, and dress in darkness. How can people be so outspoken about their religion,...Read more

MIAMI — Florida’s record-setting pace of executions has drawn renewed opposition from the Catholic Church, which is urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to halt the scheduled execution Thursday of a 74-year-old veteran.

The appeal comes as Florida continues an unprecedented run of executions under DeSantis, who oversaw a record 19 executions last year ...Read more

The rise of artificial intelligence has Minnesota faith leaders wrestling with questions that feel both ancient and newly urgent: How should they respond to a force rapidly reshaping daily life?

And where is the line between using technology to, say, streamline church work and allowing it into relationships and spiritual practices long defined ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: There’s always someone hovering over me to turn my life over to God so that when I die, I will go to Heaven. I’m a pretty good person, but at 20, I don’t want to be thinking about death when I’ve just started to live. Why would God want us to spoil our youth being weighed down with morbid ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Prison inmates whose religious rights are clearly violated by guards and wardens may not sue them for damages, a divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

In a 6-3 decision, the justices said federal law protecting religious liberty allows for suits against state prison systems, but not employees of the prison.

The decision came in ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: Can people sin so consistently that they curse themselves, and if so, does God give up on them? – G.U.

A: Guilt complexes and bad consciences are fashioned in the fires of lustful passion and greed. Out of unbalanced practices of impurity and dishonesty grow phobias which alarm even our most ...Read more

Now that the Archdiocese of Detroit has targeted as many as 90 parishes for the possible stoppage of weekend Masses, church officials are seeking to get feedback from parishioners before making final decisions on where the Masses will be halted.

The Rev. Mario Amore, executive director of parish renewal for the Archdiocese of Detroit, has ...Read more