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The Russian hackers indicted by the US special prosecutor last month have spent years trying to steal the private correspondence of some of the world's most senior Orthodox Christian figures, The Associated Press has found, illustrating the high stakes as Kiev and Moscow wrestle over the religious future of Ukraine. The targets included top aides to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who often is described as the first among equals of the world's Eastern Orthodox Christian leaders.
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On Sunday, July 1, Mayor Jimmy Davis and Bayonne's five city council members took their oaths of office for new terms. The event featured remarks by NJ Gov. Phil Murphy, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, Hudson County Freeholder Kenneth Kopacz, and former City Council President Joseph Makowski.
"It is remarkable to hear religious leaders defend profanity, ridicule and cruelty as hallmarks of authenticity, and dismiss decency as dead language," writes Michael Gerson in the cover story of the April edition of The Atlantic. He is referring specifically to evangelical Christians who defend President Donald Trump despite his very un-Christian behavior.
Thousands of protesters marched on Greece's parliament Sunday in outrage over new school books they say threaten faith in the Greek Orthodox church. The protesters, which included several Orthodox clergymen, objected to the new textbooks because they acknowledge and devote more space to other non-Orthodox Christian denominations and non-Christian religions than has been traditionally permitted in school religious instruction, according to The Associated Press .
The survey, conducted annually, is based on telephone interviews carried out during the month of August with a national sample of 1,000 Jews over age 18. Questions included topics such as respondents' political stances, their level of satisfaction with the new US administration, antisemitism, US-Israel relations, Jewish identity, and religious pluralism in Israel. Of the respondents, 9% were Orthodox Jews, 16% Conservatives, 2% Reconstructionists, 31% Reform Jews and 39% considered themselves "just Jewish."
British officials are investigating a cyberattack on the country's Parliament after discovering "unauthorized attempts to access parliamentary user accounts." . A Northern Ireland-based party has struck a deal with British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives to support the prime minister in a crucial vote on the government's legislative package later this week.
Numerous "American friends of" organizations exist in the Jewish communal firmament to help direct funds to worthy causes in Israel. That's what most people thought was the case with an organization known as Aish International - it was generally assumed to be the American fundraising arm of Jerusalem-based Aish HaTorah, the haredi Orthodox outreach group with programs throughout the world.
Greek Orthodox Bishop, Metropolit Seraphim of Piraeus caused a controversy this week when he wrote Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and urged him to convert to Christianity. Greek Orthodox Bishop, Metropolit Seraphim of Piraeus has caused controversy by urging Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to convert to Orthodoxy with Russian President Vladimir Putin as his godfather.
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence attend the National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral on Saturday. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images hide caption President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence attend the National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral on Saturday.
The Russian government's shutdown of the country's top LGBT website, BlueSystem, is just the latest entry in its gruesome record with respect to LGBT rights. While the time for passive concern by all parties has long past, it is a matter of utter amazement that American Orthodox Christians-even the most conservative-are not more vocally horrified about events in Russia.