Your source for all the latest Bible-related and Bible-adjacent news from the month of November 2024 — from archaeological discoveries and academic research to cultural events and conversations, developments in the global church, and more.
Week of November 24
- November 30 — Back in 2022, medieval frescoes were discovered hiding under plaster during routine maintenance in the Slovakian Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. After extensive restoration, led by conservation expert Rudolf Boroš, the frescoes have revealed intricate scenes such as the crucifixion and symbols of the four evangelists. The efforts also uncovered architectural features like a Gothic window arch. (Aleteia)
- November 29 — Eight of India’s 28 states have passed laws banning religious conversion. Allegedly intended to protect lower-caste Hindus from forced conversion, in practice these laws are used by Hindu nationalists to restrict religious freedom and generate violence against Christians and other minority faiths, who are seen as a threat to the social order. Even when acquitted, the accused face financial and social ruin. (RNS)
- November 28 — Archaeologists have discovered evidence of an ancient Israelite palace at a site in Jordan, believed to be Mahanaim, a significant biblical site mentioned 14 times in the Old Testament. Located near the Zarka River, the dig revealed massive sandstone blocks decorated with carvings of lions and banquets and dating to the eighth century BC, aligning with the Kingdom of Israel’s peak. (Israel 365 News)
- November 26 — A study by Barna and Gloo found that Americans are least interested in hearing ministers discuss politics, a topic pastors also feel ill-equipped to handle. The study, part of the “State of the Church 2025” initiative, highlights six post-COVID church leadership trends. These also include high trust in church leadership, but also high pastor burnout (especially among younger pastors), and a “cracking leadership pipeline.” (Baptist Press)
- November 26 — American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is an often overlooked ministry in churches. Despite an estimated 11 million Deaf or hard of hearing Americans, or about 3.6% of the population, few churches provide ASL interpretation. (For example, only 30 are included in the Deaf Bible Society’s Maryland database of over 5,000 churches.) Ministries like Holy Hands are aiming to change that with trainings and support. (RNS)
- November 26 — Scholar and writer Karen Swallow Prior responded to a concerning trend: elite college students struggling to read entire books. The issue goes beyond education, she says, also affecting religious practices such as Bible engagement. The church played a key role in promoting literacy in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Today, it can again lead by encouraging deep reading through book and Bible Studies. (RNS)
- November 25 — Bishop T.D. Jakes experienced a “slight health incident” while preaching at his Dallas megachurch this weekend. The Potter’s House of Dallas attributed the incident to overheating and stated that Jakes is stable and under medical care. His daughter, Sarah Jakes Roberts, and her husband, Touré Roberts, later reassured the congregation that Jakes is recovering well and thanked everyone for their prayers. (RNS)
- November 25 — Christmas is right around the corner, but looking ahead to Easter, there are two new releases to add to your viewing calendar. The Chosen Season 5: The Last Supper will premiere in theaters March 27, 2025 and make its way to streaming later in the year. For the younger crowd, The King of Kings, a star-studded animated film based on Charles Dickens’ short story “The Life of Our Lord,” premieres April 11. (RELEVANT)
- November 25 — As Christmas approaches, Christian charities are urging believers to remember the Holy Land and its residents during the holiday season by drawing parallels between the story of Mary and Joseph and the struggles faced by Bethlehem residents today. As children around the world celebrate with presents and feasts, they say, families in the Holy Land worry where they will sleep safely and find their next meal. (Christian Today)
- November 25 — Archaeologists at Tel Shimron in Israel’s Jezreel Valley uncovered a unique Bronze Age megastructure. Dating to ca. 3800 BC, the structure — probably a monument once visible from afar — includes a large room, or favissa, containing 40,000 animal bones (likely from sacrificial rituals), 57,000 pottery fragments, and two bronze bull figurines. Other finds nearby suggest a vast, interconnected religious complex. (Biblical Archaeology Society)
- November 24 — Faith is sometimes overlooked as a resource for the homeless, but the Lamb Center in Virginia has made a name for itself hosting a Bible Study for 33 years alongside services like meals, showers, and job assistance. The center promotes community and resilience for participants, including those struggling with addiction and mental illness, who express increased faith and gratitude for being treated as a “whole person.” (New York Times [paywalled])
Week of November 17
- November 22 — Wrestling with your faith? You’re not alone: A church in England is hoping to boost attendance by hosting monthly wrestling matches combining WWE-style moves with sermons — the latest in a strange yet unmistakable trend that also includes a recent film about Jesus training a Viking explorer in mixed martial arts to a heavy metal soundtrack, and last summer’s obsession with images of “hot AI Jesus.” (RELEVANT and Christianity Today)
- November 21 — Pay no attention to the man behind the temple curtain: In a move sure to generate controversy, one of the oldest chapels in Lucerne, Switzerland replaced its confessional with an AI-powered Jesus capable of real-time dialogue in 100 languages. “We’re probably pioneers in this,” consulting theologian Marco Schmid said mildly. Feedback on the “experiment” has been mixed, with full results to be released next week (stay tuned). (The Guardian)
- November 20 — Former billionaire and Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang was sentenced to 18 years in prison for Wall Street fraud resulting in $10 billion in losses. On balance, the court found the severity of Hwang’s crimes ultimately outweighed his philanthropic efforts through the Grace & Mercy Foundation. Citing Psalm 82, the judge emphasized the need for accountability in rendering judgment. Hwang plans to appeal. (Christianity Today)
- November 20 — Biblical scholar Elizabeth Schrader Polczer identified places in the earliest manuscripts of John’s gospel where it appears Lazarus only had one sister, Mary: “There was a certain sick man, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and of Mary his sister.” These texts were later corrected to add in Martha by changing a single letter in the second Mary’s name (Mar[i]a to Mar[th]a), and changing verbs from singular to plural. (Biblical Archaeology Review)
- November 20 — Churches around the world are being lit up for Red Wednesday, an annual event organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in commemoration of persecuted Christians, especially children. The initiative includes over 300 global events, with significant participation in Europe. The event coincides with ACN’s report “Persecuted and Forgotten?” highlighting worsening persecution, such as in Nicaragua. (Christian Today and Aleteia)
- November 19 — Tony Campolo, a leader of the “red letter Christian” movement that emphasized Jesus’s spoken teachings in the Bible, died at the age of 89. Over the course of his 50+ year career, Campolo published dozens of books, often courting controversy for speaking out against hypocrisy in the church. Yet he stridently urged Christians to remain in church, even if they were disappointed in its evangelical witness. (Christianity Today)
- November 19 — Survivors of clergy sexual abuse are urging the Vatican to extend the U.S. Catholic Church’s “one strike and you’re out” policy, adopted in 2002, to the global church, arguing it would better protect children worldwide. The policy mandates permanent removal from ministry for priests guilty of a single act of sexual abuse. Despite Pope Francis’s calls for zero tolerance, survivors claim little action has been taken. (AP)
- November 18 — Texas education officials are set to vote on a new curriculum, “Bluebonnet learning,” which incorporates Bible readings into K-5 English and language arts classes. Proponents argue it provides context for works like da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” while critics object that it violates First Amendment separation of church and state. If approved, it could be implemented by August 2025. (The Guardian)
Week of November 10
- November 16 — Physicists and archaeologists are teaming up to dig into Jerusalem’s underground history using a non-invasive new technology. Muography uses muons (subatomic particles) to create images of subterranean spaces by passing through solid rock, allowing researchers to map areas like the Temple Mount without disruptive, destructive digging. Despite challenges such as high costs, it could lead to significant discoveries. (Christianity Today)
- November 15 — The American Bible Society’s latest report shows that engaging with the Bible, practicing forgiveness, and attending church can reduce loneliness, which is known to have a severe health impact, by over 50%. While 75% of Americans report moderate to high loneliness, only 11% of Scripture-engaged individuals do. Older adults and higher earners are also less likely to experience loneliness. (Baptist Press, from State of the Bible)
- November 15 — Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese premiered his new faith-based docudrama series, The Saints, streaming on Fox Nation. The series — which will run for four episodes leading up to Christmas and another four ahead of Easter — will explore the lives of eight historical Christian saints, including Joan of Arc, Maximilian Kolbe, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, and more. Reviews so far have been mostly positive. (RELEVANT and Christianity Today)
- November 13 — A roughly 1,500-year-old stone tablet with the oldest known inscription of the Ten Commandments is set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s New York for an expected $1–2 million. Discovered in 1913 in Israel, it was used as a paving stone until its significance was recognized in 1943. The tablet contains nine of the Ten Commandments, with a unique Samaritan inscription replacing the other one. (New York Post)
- November 13 — A survey of over 1,000 U.S. Christians conducted by ACS Technologies, a ministry solutions partner, suggests that “warm and friendly encounters” are one of the best ways to retain faithful churchgoers. These include being greeted at the door, offered a seat, and heard all visitors welcomed by a leader. They report also highlighted the Christmas season as an ideal opportunity to begin or reinforce these practices. (Aleteia)
- November 13 — Nearly 10% of Christian ministry leaders reported a revenue decline of over 10% in the past year, the highest since MinistryWatch began its survey in October 2022. Despite this, over 60% saw revenue growth, and 74% expect growth in the next year. Close behind fundraising, staffing remains the second major challenge, with succession planning also a concern due to aging leadership. (Religion Unplugged, from MinistryWatch)
- November 12 — Netflix released a trailer for their new Biblically based film Mary, based on the life of (you guessed it) Mary, the mother of Jesus. Coming to streaming December 6, the film covers the Nativity and its aftermath, as Mary, Joseph, and their baby flee from Herod (played by Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins). The producers consulted scholars and religious leaders to capture the details accurately. (RELEVANT)
- November 12 — A U.S. Federal judge blocked the enforcement of a new law in Louisiana requiring all public school classrooms to feature a poster of the Ten Commandments. Calling the law “unconstitutional on its face,” the judge said the law violates First Amendment religious freedom. (Proponents argue for the historical importance of the commandments to the American justice system.) The state is expected to appeal the ruling. (AP)
- November 12 — Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Whelby announced that he will resign from his appointment as leader of the Church of England. Whelby has received calls to resign from both liberals and conservatives for his failure to report and pursue John Smyth, a heinous serial abuser of young boys for five decades. Church of England officials will now gather to identify, vote on, and approve a replacement. (The Guardian)
- November 11 — More developments from St. Peter’s: the Vatican and Microsoft partnered to develop a detailed “digital twin” of the basilica using AI technology. AI-powered drones took over 400,000 pictures in and outside the structure for three weeks, which AI processors then used to faithfully reconstruct every inch. The online exhibition will allow students to discover the incredible, unique architecture from their classrooms. (RNS)
Week of November 3
- November 9 — In Dublin, Ireland, 12,000 Christians participated in the inaugural “March for Jesus,” with support from both Irish and Northern Irish churches. The event celebrated Ireland’s Christian heritage, dating back to St. Patrick. Participants sang, prayed, and proclaimed Jesus’ significance. Leaders prayed for Ireland’s spiritual renewal and social alignment with biblical values. (Christian Today)
- November 8 — The Vatican has opened a new visitors’ center near St. Peter’s Basilica to accommodate the anticipated influx of pilgrims during the 2025 Year of Jubilee. This center will assist and engage visitors — especially students — with multilingual staff, ticket sales, planning assistance, learning programs, and disability accommodations. Proceeds from the gift shop will support projects with the Be Human Foundation. (Aleteia)
- November 7 — Is Christianity struggling or flourishing? According to Lausanne’s massive State of the Great Commission report, “your answer probably depends on where you live.” Highlights from the report include looking at the average representative Christian today; the fact that the Christian percentage of the world’s population hasn’t grown since 1900; the primacy of discipleship in evangelism; and more. (Christianity Today, from the Lausanne Movement)
- November 6 — Archaeologists uncovered a 1,600-year-old church in Egypt, revealing surprising human remains. Dating to the mid-300s AD, the church features the oldest known funerary crypts in Egypt. It contains 17 burials, including women and children — unusual for the patriarchal Roman society. Despite severe erosion, parts of the decorated ceiling were also preserved, offering insights into early church décor. (Newsweek)
- November 5 — Mounting evidence suggests Gen Z may be reversing the past few generations’ trend away from religion. Though many continue to identify as “nones,” it may be that they are engaging with faith in less measurable ways — online, just as they tend to do with shopping, relationships, and other habits. To engage them, “we need to offer them a compelling alternative: a loving, embodied, imperfect community.” (Christianity Today)
- November 5 — Did the Exodus really happen? A look at Papyrus Brooklyn 35.1446, a scrap of parchment from ca. 1600s BC Egypt, reveals 30 Semite slaves with names like Jacob, Eve, and Hebrew. There are also two ca. 1400 BC inscriptions referring to “nomads of Yahweh” at an Egyptian temple, among other evidence that together offers strong archaeological support for the veracity of the Biblical account. (The Gospel Coalition)
- November 4 — Shadrach Lukwago, founder of Kiwoko Bible Institute in Uganda and son of one of the Christians killed by dictator Idi Amin, highlighted the need for books and Bibles at African schools. Over the past 15 years, Kiwoko has trained over 500 leaders, and now hopes to expand its reach across Uganda and to refugees from South Sudan. He asks for prayers and support to accomplish that mission. (Christian Today)
- November 3 — The history of Halloween and remembering the Reformation; recovering ancient homes, reconstituting beautiful churches, transforming churches into homes; cute anime mascots and elephants invited to the feast of the Assumption. The Catholic church is growing, the Anglican church is shrinking, and religious “nones” have plateaued. Read the biggest, strangest, and most inspiring Bible and church news stories of October.
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