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Opinion
Comment – Ban on Quran burning should not be necessary but it might just be
Setting fire to a Quran is not a nice thing to do. It hurts people unnecessarily. Yet people keep doing it. Time for intervention.I have always been taught: don't play with fire. It is dangerous, and it can have devastating effects that you may not have foreseen. And the Swedish…
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European Union
Overview: Where do European countries stand with gender transition?
If it comes to gender affirmation, it seems that European countries are in the same process. Most governments have introduced self-determination laws or considering doing that. What happens where? At least one country seems to hit the brakes. And in another country, a transgender man remains legally ‘mother’. ***Denmark*** Denmark…
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Eastern Europe
Five questions about Easter in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Worldwide, Christians will celebrate and commemorate the resurrection of Christ in the coming weeks. Especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church, this is a big happening. Five questions and answers. **What does an Easter Celebration look like in the Eastern Orthodox Church?** This feast is celebrated massively. All believers come together…
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Opinion
Comment – Head covering a female oppression?
Shawls, scarves, hats; head covering for women is coming back in European Christian circles. In the Netherlands, the hat has never been out of style in conservative Reformed churches.I was two when I went to church for the first time – wearing a hat. I don't quite remember the service,…
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Eastern Europe
Belarussian pastor preaches in prison
Once a thief, always a thief, Belarussian pastor Vitaly Chichmarev thought about prisoners. Until he was detained himself. “I talked to detainees, saw their tears and heard their stories. Then I realised more than ever that they need God too.”Now, pastor Vitaly Chichmarev has to show up at the police…
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European Union
Church struggles to include people with disability
To enter the sanctuary with her wheelchair is a struggle for Martina Köninger (54). But the uncomfortable looks of fellow Christians are even more difficult to swallow.To attend a church service, Köninger, who comes from Hamburg, Germany, has to be lifted with her wheelchair and carried down the stairs. There…
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Eastern Europe
Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of satanism
Not Ukraine needs to be emptied of Satanism, but Russia itself is possessed by the devil. That is the opinion of the members of the All-Ukrainian Council, a Christian association of religious and public organisations. The accusation shows that Russia and Ukraine speak the same language. Recently, Russia asserted that…
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Christian Life
What Christians should know about Halloween
Anyone who looks on the streets late October should not be surprised to see witches, zombies and skeletons walking on the roads. Sometimes, they even ring the doorbell, asking for candy. The traditions of Halloween have received more and more attention during the last few years. How should Christians deal…
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European Union
Nine European countries that consider conversion therapy
Should people be allowed to attempt to change the sexual orientation of others? And if not, should homosexuals still be able to choose so-called conversion therapy voluntarily? These questions are currently debated in at least nine European countries. The nine states that consider conversion therapy can be divided into three…
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Central Europe
How Krakow's Jews overcame Communism
She has lived in the same second-floor apartment for her whole life. But that is one of the few constants in the life of Malgorzata Zajda from Krakow. Through her 74 years, the soft-spoken Jewish woman has seen two regime changes. “You must always keep in mind that history repeats…
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