(ANALYSIS) If she were still alive, Tuesday would mark Flannery O’Connor’s 100th birthday. This milestone invites us to explore the many ways in which her Catholic faith shaped her literary genius. O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia, where Protestantism was the norm. Her decision to follow Catholicism wasn’t just a personal faith choice, but a key part of her identity and a driving force in her writing.

(REVIEW) Encouraging women to feel disgust toward men’s sexuality also doesn’t seem like the best approach to restoring harmony between the sexes. Despite Perry’s focus on the harms of hookup culture, Gen Z is having less sex than previous generations. Culture critic Freya India points out that much of this is due to the constant fearmongering about sex and men from online influencers. The result of Perry’s book may not be healthier relationships, but fewer ones.

(REVIEW) Researcher and author Diana Darke argues that the connections between Islamic and Christian cultures during the medieval period were stronger than commonly believed. This cross-fertilization of cultures had an impact on society, religion and culture. Her extensive research, covering hundreds of buildings across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East led her to propose replacing the term “Romanesque” with “Islamesque.”

(REVIEW) Author of “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism,” author Katherine Stewart picks up where that 2020 book left off in her new work “Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy.” In it, she surveys a horizon that has only grown darker. It is a landscape overshadowed by a well-organized, well-funded consortium of oligarchs and billionaires and others.

(REVIEW) More progressive critics have said Hays doesn’t go far enough. Perhaps it’s not so much that God’s mind has changed on homosexuality or slavery, but God was always pro-LGBTQ and against slavery. The early Christians weren’t ready for the concept of individual human rights. Instead, one could say God was so merciful and patient, he allowed the human church to catch up with God’s gracious understanding of such issues.

(REVIEW) In “The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance,” Jamar Tisby provides a survey of leaders whose devotion to racial justice resulted from their belief in God and commitment to God’s work in the world. In time for Black History Month, the church has been given a resource that explores people of faith and their work in racial justice. Christians of all races and ethnicities can benefit from knowing those who made a connection between their faith and justice and acted accordingly.

Located in the heart of Rome, this architectural wonder has stood the test of time as both a testament to the grandeur of Roman architecture and also a site of religious transformation. Over 2,000 years later, the Pantheon stands as a bridge between two worlds: The pagan Romans and the Christianized West. Its architectural brilliance and religious significance make it one of the most fascinating landmarks and a must-visit for Catholics traveling for the Jubilee.

A tiny cross is perched atop the church. In front, a bright red bicycle repair station and a brown-and-white sign proclaims “Spoke’n Hostel” to greet visitors. Not only does this church-turned-hostel offer the cheapest accommodations — just $35 a night — in this remote part of the state, but its reputation for warm hospitality has earned two awards from Oregon’s governor’s office.

In an era of secularism, where discussions often center around the decline of religious belief, going on a pilgrimage may seem outdated. However, the reality is quite the opposite. The appeal of religious tourism attracts people of all ages. As many make plans for the coming summer, this type of tourism has become big business in a post-pandemic world.

Zimbabwe has many religious shrines which had been visited over the decades, but the emergence of prophets in Pentecostal churches has led to the surge of such pilgrimages. At the same time, the government has acknowledged that religious tourism plays a crucial role in the growth of the travel sector, contributing immensely to the national economy.

(ESSAY) Over the course of our hour together, Sokyu had walked me through the 16-year journey which had taken him from a mundane life n Budapest to a Hungarian witch who claimed to see angels and healed by waving her hands over him, then finally to an 18th-century Zen monastery in the mountains of rural Japan.

Churches across Zimbabwe of various denominations climb mountains to seek God and find spiritual uplifting. Most pilgrims frequently pray for the mountains all night long, or they climb early in the morning and remain until the evening. The Domboshava Mountains see a flurry of activity, mostly on weekends.

The Infant Jesus of Prague is a tourist symbol that attracts parishioners and the curious. The Catholic icon, located in the Church of Our Lady of Victorious, seems to defy statistics that rank the Czech capital as the most atheistic city in the world. The clay statue attracts believers and non-believers from across the world at Christmastime and during other times of the year.

(TRAVEL) Barring some extraordinary archeological findings (I'm not ruling that out), we will never know for sure. But the Bible and Judea provide some clues. Today's visitors to Israel have the chance to learn more about the Bible-wine connection through the new “Wines of the Bible Route.” The route journeys through Judea and traces the viticultural history of the area. Judea lies between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and includes two wine regions.

Caodaist beliefs and practices are a similar blend — although these seem to be skewed more towards traditionally Asian spiritualities. Reincarnation, karma, ancestor worship and divination are all central elements, while the most apparent contribution of the Abrahamic religions is monotheism.

It turns out what happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily stay there. In fact, sin is everywhere — from beer-loving Milwaukee to decadent New Orleans — meaning that the U.S. is filled with people behaving badly, a new study finds. The report compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 37 key indicators and seven sinful behaviors, including greed, lust, vanity and laziness.