Resources for Bible Maps and Bible Lands Photos

Holy Land Photos
A website with high-quality photos of the Holy Land

BiblePlaces.com
"BiblePlaces.com features photographs and descriptions of sites in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Greece with an emphasis on biblical archaeology, geography and history."

Holy Land Maps (1500-1920)
Collection of over 1,000 Maps of the Holy Land (1500-1920) from the Eran Laor Collection

Bible Maps
Online Bible Atlas that Uses Google Maps

Ancient Legal Code Uncovered

"Israeli archaeologists say they have found two 3,700-year-old clay tablets that appear to contain legal pronouncements similar to the Code of Hammurabi and the biblical 'tooth for a tooth' rule."

Saudi: OK to Uncover Face in Anti-Burqa Countries

"A popular Saudi cleric said Saturday it is permissible for Muslim women to reveal their faces in countries where the Islamic veil is banned to avoid harassment, while deploring the effort to outlaw the garment in France."

Church Blasts Gay Priests Leading 'Double Life'

"The Italian church says gay priests must not lead a 'double life,' expressing pain and anger over a magazine article and video purporting to show priests frequenting gay locales in Rome."

House Churches Article

"A study by the Barna Group, a firm specializing in data on religion and society, estimates that 6 million to 12 million Americans attend house churches. A survey last year by the Pew Forum found that 9% of American Protestants only attended home services."

Has the Religious Right Lost Its Children?

Jim Wallis has said that the "Religious Right has lost its children. Wallis said the children of ultra-conservative Christians are deserting their parents’ theology in droves. Wallis is the president of Sojourners, a network of progressive Christians."

Lost Bible-Era Languages to Be Resurrected by Computers?

"A new computer program has quickly deciphered a written language last used in Biblical times—possibly opening the door to 'resurrecting' ancient texts that are no longer understood, scientists announced last week."

Report: Accusations of Child Witchcraft on the Rise in Africa

"Child witchcraft allegations are increasing in parts of Africa, as thousands of children have been attacked, beaten or killed, according to a new report."

Churches Making Mainstream Films to Attract Souls

"Moviemaking churches are venturing into the cineplex to attract souls who might never set foot in a megachurch."

Decaying Old Churches Face 'Trouble in Paradise'

"Caring for old church facilities is an increasingly acute problem, particularly for mainline Protestant denominations. As membership declines and budgets shrink, the beautiful edifices of American Christianity can feel like weights dragging down churches that are forced to spend money on maintenance and repairs instead of ministry, charity and other Gospel-derived imperatives."

Indonesian Muslims 'Praying in Wrong Direction'

"Indonesian Muslims have been praying in the wrong direction, the country's highest Islamic authority has said."

Article on Born-Again Rebel Evangelist Don Miller

"Miller had inspired many with his words. His Christian memoir, "Blue like Jazz," sold a million copies. He was a sought-after speaker. He had been dubbed the voice of a new generation of evangelicals. . ."

Vatican Cracks Down on Female Ordination

"Ordaining women to the Catholic priesthood is 'an extremely grave' offense, the Vatican announced Thursday with a revision of a 2001 document."

2.5 Million Muslims Threatening to Leave Facebook

"The group, apparently fueled by Facebook-clone Madina.com, are outraged at the removal of several very popular Islamic pages from Facebook.com, purges the group reportedly claim took place after the outcry over Draw Mohammed Day."

United Nations: Vatican Child Rights Report 13 Years Overdue

"The Vatican has failed to send the United Nations a report on child rights that is now almost 13 years overdue, the head of a U.N. panel has told The Associated Press."

Church of England Paves the Way for Women Bishops

"The Church of England national assembly decided Monday that women should be allowed to become bishops, making only minor concessions to theological conservatives who have threatened to break away over the issue."

'Virtual Preaching' Transforms Sunday Sermons

". . .a new generation of pastors who can be in two places at one time. They are using technology -- high-def videos, and even holograms -- to beam their Sunday morning sermons to remote 'satellite' churches that belong to their congregation."

Rev. Schuller's Daughter Takes on Lead Pastor Role

Sheila Schuller Coleman was affirmed as lead pastor at the Crystal Cathedral megachurch, replacing her father Robert H. Schuller.

Churches Adopt Adoption

"From megachurches like Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, and Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee, to small congregations like First Baptist Church in Cambridge, Minnesota, U.S. churches are launching orphan care ministries, most of them lay-led."

Presbyterian Leaders Approves Gay Clergy Policy

"Presbyterian leaders voted Thursday to allow non-celibate gays in committed relationships to serve as clergy, approving the first of two policy changes that could make their church one of the most gay-friendly major Christian denominations in the U.S. But the vote isn't a final stamp of approval for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or its more than 2 million members."

Pope Revises, Toughens Sex-Abuse Rules

"Pope Benedict XVI has tightened the Vatican laws to streamline its handling of sexual-abuse cases world-wide and potentially hold more clerics accused of abuse accountable, people familiar with the matter said. The move marks the most concrete measures Pope Benedict has taken to address the crisis that rocked his papacy this year."

Money Can Buy One Type of Happiness

"Pulling in the big bucks makes people more likely to say they are happy with their lives overall -- whether they are young or old, male or female, or living in cities or remote villages, the survey of more than 136,000 people in 132 countries found."

"But the survey also showed that a key element of what many people consider happiness -- positive feelings -- is much more strongly affected by factors other than cold, hard cash. . ."

Think You're Operating on Free Will? Think Again

"In an intriguing review in the July 2 edition of the journal Science, published online Thursday, Ruud Custers and Henk Aarts of Utrecht University in the Netherlands lay out the mounting evidence of the power of what they term the 'unconscious will.'"

Dioceses Oust Abusers They Had Pledged to Monitor

"At the peak of the Roman Catholic clergy sex abuse crisis, the discipline plan American bishops adopted prompted dioceses to remove nearly all accused clergy from the priesthood."

Author Interview on Dietrich Bonhoeffer

In Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Thomas Nelson), author Eric Metaxas uncovers the person behind such Christian classics as The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together. CT editor at large Collin Hansen spoke with Metaxas about Bonhoeffer's life and legacy."

Muslims in USA Face Fears, Bias to Build, Expand Mosques

"Like many American mosques, the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro faces a dilemma. As the number of Muslims in the United States grows, mosques know they must expand as well. But those plans to expand often run into hostile resistance. Opponents, like some in Murfreesboro, try to use zoning laws to block mosque building or expansion. That has left some local Muslims wondering if they are second-class citizens when it comes to religion."

Amid Abuse Scandal, Focus of Church Drifted Away

"But church documents and interviews with canon lawyers and bishops cast that 2001 decision and the future pope’s track record in a new and less flattering light. The Vatican took action only after bishops from English-speaking nations became so concerned about resistance from top church officials that the Vatican convened a secret meeting to hear their complaints — an extraordinary example of prelates from across the globe collectively pressing their superiors for reform, and one that had not previously been revealed."

Summer Camp Caters to Kids of Atheists, Agnostics

"Camp Quest is a sleep-away camp for the children of atheists, agnostics, humanists and other nonbelievers, though kids from religious families are welcome, too."