Terry Bollea — better known as Hulk Hogan — carried an oversized presence during a career that spanned nearly a half-century and included countless ripped shirts, bandannas and leg drops. His biggest splash came in December 2023, though, as Hogan and his wife, Sky, were baptized at Indian Rocks Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in Largo, Fla.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For some Jewish college students, the Trump administration’s approach to campus antisemitism came as a relief after two years of what they perceived as weak action by universities and the federal government. Fewer are cheering after the White House signed a $221 million settlement with Columbia University.
Read MoreThis brings us to Scheffler’s remarkable press conference in which he offered a long, complex set of quotes about the centrality of his family and faith in his life and work. To many sports insiders he sounded like a heretic, as opposed to a prophet.
Read MoreOh no, not Theo. That was the first thought of millions of Generation Xers when the news broke this week of Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s accidental drowning death in Costa Rica at age 54. Here’s why “The Cosby Show” actor was so influential and beloved.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In reinventing himself, did Robert Allen Zimmerman — Dylan’s birth name and the grandson of Lithuanian and Ukrainian Jewish immigrants — also betray his Jewish heritage? What was that heritage and how did it shape his music, his worldview, his rise to fame and identity? Harry Freedman explores these questions in his probing book, “Bob Dylan: Jewish Roots, American Soil.”
Read MoreNigeria has allocated just 7% of its national budget this year to education, far below UNESCO's recommended 15 to 20%. Despite years of criticism over this consistent underfunding, there has been little to no change. As a result, one Christian woman has made it her mission to help the many men and women impacted by years of conflict.
Read More(OPINION) St. Francis of Assisi, like so many young people today, had experienced the ravages of war, spent time as a prisoner and came out of that trauma seeking something deeper in his life. He hungered for God and had the courage to step out boldly in his search. Heaping extraneous mumbo-jumbo on him really does a disservice.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The more people are inundated by joking memes about people being beaten and handcuffed by U.S. government forces, the less startling they are. And the easier it is to believe that, perhaps, this is the way things have been since the beginning — just as God made them.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On many Sundays, Corey Hatfield sent her family ahead into church while she lingered outside with her autistic son, Grayson — trying to decide if he would scream or run the second they entered the sanctuary. Approaching the chalice during Holy Communion was another challenge.
Read MoreThe King’s College, a private four-year Christian school based in New York City, will permanently close, the school said. “Despite a thorough search for such a partner, the Board has been unable to secure the support necessary to present a plan to resume operations by the July 15 … deadline granted to us by the New York State Education Department.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) As sociologists who research the social dynamics of religion in the United States, we conducted a nationally representative survey in 2021. Our survey posed dozens of questions to 2,000 Americans over the age of 18 on a wide range of beliefs in supernatural phenomena — everything from belief in the devil to belief in the magical power of crystals.
Read MoreRev. Johnnie Moore, who leads the beleaguered U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, said Palestinians in Gaza are starving, but the blame lies with Hamas, the United Nations and other aid organizations. “The desperation is real,” Moore said during a webinar on Tuesday with the American Jewish Congress. “The people need food.”
Read MoreA federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Monday partially granting Planned Parenthood’s request to prevent enforcement of the defund measure included in the recent budget reconciliation bill approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Every time that I turn on YouTube to check the channels that I follow, it’s impossible to miss the growing spectre of AI junk. Let’s say that you are interested in the controversies swirling around superstar Caitlin Clark and the WNBA leadership’s attempts to figure out (Welcome to red v. blue America) how to minimize the impact of her massive fanbase on their league. Clark v. Nike is another popular topic for gossip, mixed with tiny amounts of real news.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When Zohran Mamdani announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City, political observers noted his progressive platform and legislative record. But understanding the Democratic candidate’s background requires examining the rich cultural tapestry woven into his very surname: Mamdani.
Read MoreOn a summer night in 2023, Rajah Bose boarded the midnight train out of Spokane, Washington, with John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charlie” in his backpack and a burning question that he couldn’t articulate. The 45-year-old photojournalist and musician was embarking on a 9,000-mile journey across America by rail, from the Pacific Northwest to New York and, finally, back home.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Things are moving in another direction, no doubt. Some people embrace that change and look forward to a more diverse America, while others pine for a country that they think existed five or six decades ago. But what portion is in each camp?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Britain has named India among 10 countries it will closely monitor for violations of religious freedom as part of a new foreign policy strategy. The move links the United Kingdom’s international relations more directly with the defence of freedom of religion or belief.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Strolling through the streets of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, one easily gets the impression of walking through multiple cities at once.
Read More(EXCERPT) In “Queens of Islam: The Muslim World’s Historic Women Rulers,” journalist Tom Verde shares stories of 15 Muslim women rulers, dating back to the early Islamic era through the 17th century. The book, published by Olive Branch Press, pushes back on stereotypes about Muslim women as oppressed. Instead, it highlights prominent rulers who influenced Islamic civilization across the Arab world.
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