Religions Around The World

In the early morning hours, monks can be seen walking on their alms round in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Showing humility and detachment from worldly goods, the monk walks slowly and only stops if he is called. Standing quietly, with his bowl open, the local Buddhists give him rice, or flowers, or an envelope containing money.  In return, the monks bless the local Buddhists and wish them a long and fruitful life.
Christians Celebrate Good Friday
Enacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in St. Mary's Church in Secunderabad, India. Only 2.3% of India's population is Christian. 
Ancient interior mosaic in the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora
The Church of the Holy Saviour in Istanbul, Turkey is a medieval Byzantine Greek Orthodox church.
Dome of the Rock located in the Old City of Jerusalem
The site's great significance for Muslims derives from traditions connecting it to the creation of the world and to the belief that the Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey to heaven started from the rock at the center of the structure.
Holi Festival in Mathura, India
Holi is a Hindu festival that marks the end of winter. Also known as the “festival of colors”,  Holi is primarily observed in South Asia but has spread across the world in celebration of love and the changing of the seasons.
Jewish father and daughter pray at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel.
Known in Hebrew as the Western Wall, it is one of the holiest sites in the world. The description, "place of weeping", originated from the Jewish practice of mourning the destruction of the Temple and praying for its rebuilding at the site of the Western Wall.
People praying in Mengjia Longshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan
The temple is dedicated to both Taoism and Buddhism.
People praying in the Grand Mosque in Ulu Cami
This is the most important mosque in Bursa, Turkey and a landmark of early Ottoman architecture built in 1399.
Savior Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior Monastery of St. Euthymius
Located in Suzdal, Russia, this is a church rite of sanctification of apples and grapes in honor of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Fushimi Inari Shrine is located in Kyoto, Japan
It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. Fushimi Inari is the most important Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice.
Ladles at the purification fountain in the Hakone Shrine
Located in Hakone, Japan, this shrine is a Japanese Shinto shrine.  At the purification fountain, ritual washings are performed by individuals when they visit a shrine. This ritual symbolizes the inner purity necessary for a truly human and spiritual life.
Hanging Gardens of Haifa are garden terraces around the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel
They are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Israel. The Shrine of the Báb is where the remains of the Báb, founder of the Bábí Faith and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh in the Bahá'í Faith, have been buried; it is considered to be the second holiest place on Earth for Bahá'ís.
Pilgrims praying at the Pool of the Nectar of Immortality and Golden Temple
Located in Amritsar, India, the Golden Temple is one of the most revered spiritual sites of Sikhism. It is a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to worship God equally. Over 100,000 people visit the shrine daily.
Entrance gateway of Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple Kowloon
Located in Hong Kong, China, the temple is dedicated to Wong Tai Sin, or the Great Immortal Wong. The Taoist temple is famed for the many prayers answered: "What you request is what you get" via a practice called kau cim.
Christian women worship at a church in Bois Neus, Haiti.
Haiti's population is 94.8 percent Christian, primarily Catholic. This makes them one of the most heavily Christian countries in the world.

World Religions News

InterVarsity and Gloo announce strategic technology partnership


Partnership strengthens ministry effectiveness while preserving campus-first mission focus

MADISON, Wis. — InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA today announced a strategic technology partnership with Gloo, a leading technology company serving the faith and flourishing ecosystem. The collaboration is designed to strengthen InterVarsity’s technology foundation, enabling the organization to scale its ministry across college campuses nationwide, while staying focused on its core mission. 

“Meeting the growing technology demands of ministries has become increasingly challenging, especially given nonprofit budget constraints,” said Kim Porter, Chief Operations Officer at InterVarsity. “Gloo provides a way for ministries to combine our technology capabilities, giving each of us access to expertise and resources we couldn’t sustain independently.”

InterVarsity has collaborated with Gloo for more than eight years on key initiatives including the EveryCampus website. Since its official launch in 2018, the EveryCampus platform has been instrumental in decreasing the number of campuses without a gospel movement from more than 1,300 campuses to fewer than 500 campuses. This new strategic partnership significantly deepens that relationship.  Through Gloo360, Gloo’s subscription-based enterprise technology, data and consulting platform, InterVarsity will receive end-to-end technology management services spanning IT infrastructure, cybersecurity and enterprise systems, providing a resilient, scalable technology backbone that supports long-term ministry growth. 

“This partnership benefits our current technology staff while simultaneously advancing InterVarsity’s broader ministry goals. Our technology team will transition to Gloo360, where they will continue serving InterVarsity’s needs while contributing to a shared platform that benefits the broader community of faith-based organizations,” added Paul Kulp, who has served as InterVarsity’s Vice President of Technology for the past seven years. “We’re excited about the possibilities this collaboration creates for serving students and faculty across the U.S.”

“We are honored to expand our partnership with InterVarsity,” said Paul Alexander, Senior Vice President, Gloo360. “Having served with Cru in the campus ministry space for 30 years, I understand both the mission and distinct needs of these ministries. By strengthening InterVarsity’s technology capabilities, we can help their teams spend less time managing systems and more time engaging students and faculty in meaningful ways across campuses nationwide.”  

InterVarsity joins a growing number of large ministries partnering with Gloo to modernize their technology operations through Gloo’s shared services offerings, reflecting a broader shift towards collaboration and efficiency across the faith and nonprofit ecosystem. 

About InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an interdenominational ministry reaching students and faculty on over 700 U.S. college and university campuses nationwide. Founded in 1941, InterVarsity is a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, advancing Christian student work in 180 countries.

About Gloo

Gloo is a leading technology platform for the faith and flourishing ecosystem, providing values-aligned AI, resources, insights, and funding so people and communities flourish and organizations thrive. Gloo serves over 140,000 faith, ministry, and nonprofit leaders and is based in Boulder, Colorado. For more information, visit www.gloo.com.

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Contact:
Sarah Bunyea
Gloo
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RNS or Religion News Foundation.

Original Source:

https://religionnews.com/2026/01/23/intervarsity-and-gloo-announce-strategic-technology-partnership/