A database for comparative study
With the Corona virus spreading rapidly and new restrictions announced daily on public gathering, a question I have discussed a while ago is resurfacing:
When ten participants are in the same room only virtually and not physically, is it considered a Minyan?… Read the rest
A word to the Church regarding Holy Week and Easter Day from the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church:
Dear People of God,
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
These affirmations are at the very heart of our faith as followers of Jesus Christ.… Read the rest
Originally published in First Things
Cancelling church services is the wrong response to the coronavirus pandemic.
When we worship, we join the Christian rebellion against the false lordship of the principalities and powers that claim to rule our lives, including sickness and death.… Read the rest
A statement regarding the latest developments of COVID-19 outbreak and their impact on the congregational services
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
In light of the new developments of the COVID-19 outbreak (may Allah keep us and all people safe), and in light of the various recommendations of the different authorities, AMJA issued the following statement:
First: AMJA affirms its commitment to the rights of Allah and establishing the symbols of devotion to Him, and its commitment to the sacredness of human life and wellbeing.… Read the rest
[Arabic original; translated by Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi]
My opinion on closing the mosques on Fridays and the congregations in the Islamic lands because of corona!
I think that is decision is a clear mistake and one should not have to submit to it in the lands of the Muslims.… Read the rest
On March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic, affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population over a wide geographic area. This declaration signaled that the original goal of containment to affected areas has now shifted to slowing down the spread of the disease in order to ease the burden on overstretched healthcare institutions.
The Majlis: Taha Karaan and MJC — The Greatest Kuffaar of This Era (March 17)… Read the rest
COVID-19 is changing the way the world interacts and the church is not immune to those changes. Amid social distancing and shelter in place orders, many churches have either canceled worship or moved to a virtual form of worship. Pastors and sessions are looking for creative ways to be the church in a quickly changing landscape.… Read the rest
The following material is an extract from a message posted to the Utah Diné Bikeyah (Navajo) mailing list, circulated prior to March 17.
Dear Friends,
Whenever faced with a personal or national crisis, it is my custom to go “back to the sources” for comfort and inspiration. Allow me to share with you a number of biblical and rabbinic insights about the current crisis.… Read the rest
