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

Religion Communicators Council names Rainn Wilson inaugural Struchen Award recipient


Recognizes his work to elevate religious communication and understanding

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) will honor actor, author, and producer Rainn Wilson as the inaugural recipient of the Struchen Award during its 2026 annual convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 16–18.

The Struchen Award recognizes an individual, organization, or project that elevates religious communication and spiritual consciousness beyond traditional boundaries of faith. Wilson, best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Dwight Schrute on the hit television series “The Office,” has become an influential public voice for spiritual exploration, interfaith understanding, and moral imagination through his books, public speaking, and digital media projects.

Beyond his work in film and television, Wilson—who is a member of the Baha’i Faith—has written and spoken extensively about the role of spirituality in addressing social fragmentation, advocating for a vision of society grounded in justice, equity, love, and reducing unnecessary suffering. His recent work, including his book “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution,” invites audiences from many backgrounds to consider how faith, ethics, and community can contribute to healing a polarized world.

“Rainn Wilson’s creative and spiritual work exemplifies what the Struchen Award is all about: communicating across lines of belief in ways that invite deeper reflection, compassion, and hope,” said Ryan Koch, chair of the RCC Board of Governors and director of the New York Office of Public and International Affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Koch continues, “His commitment to thoughtful dialogue about faith and meaning has reached millions of people who may never walk into a house of worship but are still searching for spiritual meaning.”

“I feel that my role as an actor and artist is synonymous with my role as a spiritual being searching for truth, beauty and meaning in life,” explains Wilson. “The reason that I speak about faith with such passion and forthrightness is it’s an integral part of my life and I would not have integrity and integration if I didn’t speak about it.”

Noting that his faith path was incredibly important to helping him as a young person deal with struggles such as anxiety and depression, Wilson adds, “I felt it is kind of a mission to engage in these deep, heady but heart-based conversations, not just for me but also for young people.”

In addition to his books and the Soul Boom podcast, Wilson is co-founder of Lide Haiti, an arts and education non-profit in rural Haiti. He is the co-founder of Climate Basecamp and has worked to increase communication around the dangers of climate change to young audiences by speaking “science to culture”.

The Struchen Award, named in honor of former RCC executive director Shirley Whipple Struchen, celebrates communicators whose work embodies her legacy of excellence, inclusivity, and collaboration in religion communication.

The inaugural Struchen Award will be celebrated at a special ceremony during the RCC’s 2026 annual convention, “Coming Together, Charting Our Course,” to be held April 16–18 in Cincinnati.

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About the Religion Communicators Council
The Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, marketing and development.

About the RCC’s Annual Convention
The 2026 annual convention, “Coming Together, Charting Our Course,” will be held April 16-18, 2026, in Cincinnati. Keynote presentations and workshops will include topics such as interfaith dialogue, website and social media analytics, how to keep up with new technologies, crisis management, photography, fundraising, and polarization and conflict, and more. For more information,  Convention 2026 | Religion Communicators Council.

Contact:
Ginny Hizer
Religion Communicators Council (RCC)
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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/2026/04/09/religion-communicators-council-names-rainn-wilson-inaugural-struchen-award-recipient/