Egypt approved on July 1, 2019 the legalization of 127 churches and church-affiliated service buildings in the country, making the total number of registered places of worship to 1,021 since the implementation of a new law in 2016.
A Pakistani official dismissed reports of Christian persecution, comparing them to knife crimes in the UK. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said accusations of Christians being treated harshly in Pakistan are nothing more but exaggerations.
An Abraham Lincoln Bible, which experts didn't know about, resurfaced, 150 years after the president's assassination. Lincoln was vague on the subject of religion and this Bible gives new clues about his faith.
One in five church buildings in The Netherlands are no longer used for worship. Dutch newspaper Trouw found that several churches are now converted for secular use.
Half of practicing Christians in the US believe that the history of slavery still has lingering effects in the country. According to the recent Barna survey, 50% of respondents said they "mostly or totally" see the negative impact of slavery during the 18th and 19th centuries on black Americans today.
A UN independent rights expert called on the government of Eritrea to respect citizens' right to religious freedom and to "release those who have been imprisoned for their religious beliefs."
Christians in Africa fear for their lives as violent attacks against them intensify. Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga warned that, "Africa is a continent where violence against Christians is exploding."
Chinese Christians revealed that they have memorized the whole Bible while in prison, saying that prison guards "can't take what's hidden in your heart."