(ANALYSIS) The math is bright red: The “Snow White” reboot was a box-office bomb in week one and things went straight downhill in week two. It’s possible that, if Disney gets honest about the production and promotion costs, this movie could be the biggest and most painful elite Hollywood bust of all time.
Read MoreMost immigrants at risk of deportation are Christian, researchers deduced, with 61 percent of them Catholics. But 13 percent are evangelicals, seven percent are from other Christian groups, seven percent are from other religious groups and 12 percent have no religious affiliation.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As a medievalist, I appreciate Francis’ contrasting approach: A religious leader who embraces history and scholarship, and encourages others to do the same — even as book bans and threats to academic freedom mount.
Read MoreMany stopped attending churches in January when the sensitive locations limitations were lifted on ICE arrests — impacting churches and schools. But the end of the humanitarian parole program, and the Temporary Protected Status program in August, will together inflict a multilayered wound upon churches, families and Gospel witness,
Read MoreUnder the direction of Trevor Nunn, “The Score” serves up a fascinating dynamic between the king, who harbors his own musical ambitions, and Bach, a musical genius. Over time, despite their contrasting personalities and roles, a mutual respect does develop — despite their religious differences, lifestyles, ambitions and motivations — between the men, culminating in Bach composing a musical offering inspired by Frederick.
Read MoreAs more religious scholars and practitioners engage with AI-powered tools, the conversation will likely continue — blending the old with the new in a way that mirrors the very essence of religious progress. Whether as a study aid, a scholarly resource or a spiritual guide, creations like JainGPT represents both the promise and the challenge of faith in the digital age.
Read MoreHoping to persuade Missouri lawmakers to end nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) and the statute of limitations for child sex abuse victims, multiple survivors of abuse at two evangelical ministries testified powerfully in a hearing last week.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When the National Urban Ministry Conference began in the 1990s, the focus was on starting churches and ministries that would reach the urban poor in the downtown areas of large cities. Yet, the city — speaking in a general sense — is constantly changing.
Read MoreThe number of deaths is likely to rise further, as many parts of the country have been cut off. Getting help to those in need — and even assessing the extent of the destruction — has proved difficult in a country where key infrastructure was badly damaged and where a civil war had already been raging before the 7.7 magnitude quake struck last Friday.
Read More(OPINION) Where does sacrificing end and enabling the irresponsible begin? Isn’t it possible that by endlessly serving we’ll just burn ourselves out? These are legitimate questions. But living that Jesus kind of life is hard. It’s risky. It can be deeply frustrating. It requires more faith than I possess.
Read More(REVIEW) Janis Ian’s songs are known for their sharp social commentary, but what director Varda Bar-Kar uncovers in her new documentary “Janis Ian: Breaking Silence,” is how central Ian’s Judaism was to her activism. Ian, who was born in New Jersey, legally changed her name from Janis Fink to Janis Ian in 1964, adopting her brother Eric’s middle name as her last name.
Read MoreWorship centers in Kenya are increasingly facing scrutiny for conducting activities at noise levels that exceed acceptable limits. Concerns have been raised in various parts of the country about religious services blatantly violating existing regulations, disturbing the peace and quiet of neighborhoods.
Read MoreRome has been all gussied up for the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year. An extra 10 million pilgrims are forecast, adding to last year's record of 22 million. More than $8 billion has been spent to refurbish the city’s historic sites with their ancient ruins, spectacular churches and Renaissance fountains. Nothing of the like has taken place in Israel as it also awaits pilgrims.
Read MoreGrief can take many forms — the echo of a loved one’s laugh, a favorite saying or even a silly joke. It’s a belonging on a living room table, clothes you can’t quite bring yourself to donate or a domestic animal who wanders the house aimlessly after a loved one’s death.
Read MoreMinistry leaders point to several challenges that have limited the success of these efforts. Around two in five (42%) say parents don’t have time to prepare. Three in 10 (31%) believe the activities have been things parents did not want to do, while 27% say the students haven’t wanted to participate.
Read MoreTwo gospel singing groups, the Hardeman Boys and Cornerstone Quartet, crossed paths at a youth rally in Bremen, Georgia, in 1989. Three decades later, they shared a stage again. This time they performed — to a more gray-haired audience — a medley of gospel, country and oldies music to raise money for Project Rescue, an addiction recovery ministry in Priceville, Alabama, associated with Churches of Christ.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I wanted to try and do some more data work on what drives religious attendance. So, that’s the point of this post — it’s just a journey through me trying to figure out what demographic factors make someone more or less likely to show up for church this Sunday.
Read MoreWhile we were recording the podcast this week, I told Lutheran Public Radio listeners that I was well aware that much of the information I was sharing was rather complex, if not downright confusing. That was kind of the point. When it comes to statistical trends in religion, we live in a very, very confusing age.
Read MoreAs I take stock this year, I feel a foreboding of apocalypse. Maybe my own apocalypse, or maybe this country’s, or maybe the world’s. Things are falling apart. The center cannot hold. You can choose to think of all this bad news as great news, in a counterintuitive way.
Read More(REVIEW) The fifth season premiere is great, and the best opener to a “The Chosen” season yet. Everything good about the series is here, and most of the weaknesses I’ve critiqued over the past four seasons are all but absent. This latest installment of “The Chosen” is a testament to how the faith-based industry can evolve in quality and how both Christians and non-Christians will embrace it when it does.
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