• Arkansas Public School Board May Approve Bible Course For High School Students

  Westside Consolidated School District school board members in Jonesboro, Ark., are considering adding an academic study of the Bible into their curriculum. Arkansas legislators made academic study of the Bible possible in 2013 with the passage of Act 1440. Since that time, five schools in the state have such courses.

• Pastor Saeed Abedini Expected To Finally Reach U.S. Soil, Wife Naghmeh Asks for Healing Prayers

  Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini, who was released from imprisonment by Iran Saturday, is expected to physically reach the United States Thursday evening (Jan. 21). While in prison during the last three years with charges of undermining Iranian government security, he was questioned about his Christian faith and tortured.

  

• Pride Sermon Served by Restaurant Manager When Tips Substituted With Religious Pamphlet

  A North Carolina restaurant general manager backed an employee who was upset on Saturday after receiving a religious pamphlet regarding a local Baptist church from a guest in lieu of a tip.

  

• Religious Test for Immigrants Becomes Divisive Political Tool for U.S. Legislators

  U.S. Senate Democrats are pushing Republicans Wednesday about legislation that would bar religious testing for immigrants, because the vote presumably would force Republicans to take sides for or against presidential candidate Donald Trump, who called for barring Muslims from entering the United States.

  

• Religious Film Makes Oscars' List: 'Ave Maria' Shows Comedic Struggle of Nuns, Israelis

  A Palestinian short film, "Ave Maria" is one of the 2016 Oscar nominees for Best Live Action Short Film, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced. The film explores a comedic look at an encounter between Palestinian nuns and a Jewish settler family in the West Bank, whose unexpected and challenging situation is wholly shaped by religious commitments and differences.