JourneyOnline
The Journey team selects stories that got us talking this week. Check back in every Friday to see the latest wrap up of religious news that made us think and reflect.
Slovakia dumps church of spag in the bog
The Christian Post examines latest legislative developments in Slovakia that seek to block the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, as well as Islam, from gaining official status as religions that can qualify for government subsidies. The Islamic Foundation has criticised the news as a “serious blow for religious freedom” in the nation but official spokespeople (pasta pastors?) from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster have yet to go on the record about the legislation that puts the church in hot water.
Slovakia has over five million people and 62 per cent identify as Roman Catholics.
Don’t shirk faith at work
My Christian Daily reports on a study conducted by HR think-tank Reventure which found Christian workers have a higher sense of purpose and meaning at work, are more likely to feel satisfied with their job and have more positive mental health ratings than their colleagues.
Sunday wake-up to avoid the break-up?
Relevant reports on a study from a Harvard School of Public Health professor who found that married couples who regularly attend religious services together are 47 per cent more likely to not get divorced. Do you think regular church attendance has a strong bearing on a marital union’s likelihood to last? Let us know in the comments below.
Christianity on the rise after Nepal monarchy falls
Since Nepal’s move to a secular democracy in 2008, Christianity has been on the rise according to My Christian Daily. Christian missionaries were banned from entering Nepal until 2008 when the monarchy ended and now the nation boasts over 8000 churches and more than a million followers.
Survey result poses further questions on spirituality
The Guardian Australia examines the results of an Essential Poll asking spiritual, agnostic and atheist respondents about the afterlife, climate change and euthanasia. After a brief rundown on the two major political parties’ religious affiliations, author Peter Lewis uses the findings to think about Australia’s separation of church and state and whether our leaders should be publicly grappling with deeper existential issues.
Church sale goes large scale
The Sydney Morning Herald reports on the Uniting Church’s planned sale of 65 properties worth around $80 million with plenty of details about the church’s property development proposals in NSW. The article is a good reminder it’s not all about church buildings: a UCA spokesman goes on the record by stating, “From time to time the Church identifies … property assets considered surplus to current needs … vacant land, halls, manses and tennis courts.”
