Some of the nation’s top religion writers offer insights on what they found surprising — and not surprising — in the Pew Research Center’s massive Religious Landscape Study.
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(ANALYSIS) This fertility issue has both political and religious (#DUH) implications.
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As the U.S. continues to evolve religiously, the Pew study underscores the complex and shifting nature of religious belief and practice in America. While Christianity remains the dominant faith, trends suggest that the future may hold further diversification — something fueled by immigration, secularization and the beliefs of Gen Z.
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Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church began its effort to disaffiliate from the EPC in 2023 with a congregational meeting. It held its final vote on Jan. 26, with 88% of members voting in favor of disaffiliation. However, the church had to wait until the February presbytery meeting to see if the EPC would acknowledge its removal.
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The beheaded bodies of 70 Christians were found in a Protestant church in North Kivu Province in the Congo around Feb. 15, several religious freedom advocates said, blaming the extremist Allied Democratic Forces. The ADF is accused of approaching homes in Mayba, in the Lumbero territory, beginning Feb. 12 and capturing as many as 100 Christians through Feb. 15.
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(ANALYSIS) Conservatives, Christian conservatives in particular, have always had a troubled and inconsistent relationship with the idea of government funding flowing to nonprofits. Now, Donald Trump has reengaged the fight to reduce the size of government with DOGE, though he is going about it in strange ways.
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(ANALYSIS) With the transgender policies among President Trump’s blizzard of new executive orders, further explanation is needed on the cultural reality of deep-seated religious concepts. In particular, the resolutely “binary” Bible depicts humans as either male or female and underlies 2,000 years of Jewish and Christian teaching. Similarly with the Quran and Muslims. How should that heritage affect secular society and policy?
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Evangelicals want both secure borders and laws that provide avenues for certain illegal immigrants to obtain legal status, according to a Lifeway Research study. They want to deport dangerous illegal immigrants but aren’t as concerned about those who arrived as children and have lived peacefully in the U.S. Additionally, evangelicals recognize personal and national responsibilities to care for refugees and others fleeing their nation of origin.
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(REVIEW) In “Immigration and Apocalypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration,” Yii Jan Lin narrates how some Americans have used the apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation to idealize the United States as a new holy land, while simultaneously marginalizing immigrants. The U.S. is portrayed as the New Jerusalem, with immigrants viewed as outsiders exhibiting unethical behaviors.
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Judging by the television audience, Americans certainly care about the Super Bowl. Few, however, think God shares their concern. Last year’s Super Bowl drew more than 123.7 million U.S. viewers, the largest TV viewership in history. Yet, most U.S. adults don’t believe God cares who wins the big game or determines the the winner, according to a new study.
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(REVIEW) Pastor Tyler Staton’s new book makes a compelling case for placing the Holy Spirit at the center of Christian life. Unfortunately, much of what it says also validates the fears of those skeptical about Spirit-filled theology. In times of perceived decline, people search for answers on how to reverse it. Many in the church and the Western world view Christianity and Western civilization as being in cultural retreat. One of the proposed solutions is "re-enchantment.”
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(OPINION) I have one bit of advice for all those people fuming over Elon Musk’s hand gestures: Stop. I know it’s tough to resist the temptation to go into full outrage mode over the apparent Nazi gesture Musk made during an Inauguration Day speech at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena. A lot of energy has gone into parsing Musk’s gesture, and attacking those who don’t see it your way.
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The King’s College — the four-year evangelical school in New York City forced to shut its doors to students in 2023 under a mountain of debt — is seeking to resume operations in an effort to “create a significant center for Christian higher learning.” The school temporarily closed in 2023 following a budget shortfall. The search for a partner has been a fruitless one for King’s in the past.
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In a day punctuated by prayer and references to God, Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday as the 47th president of the United States. “I was saved by God to make America great again,” Trump said in his inaugural speech, alluding to the failed assassination attempt against him last July during a Pennsylvania rally.
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Christians in Iran were sentenced to a combined total of over 250 years in prison last year — a sixfold increase compared to 2023, according to a new report. In all, 96 Christians were sentenced to a combined 263 years behind bars in 2024. That’s compared to 22 Christians sentenced to 43½ years in 2023.
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Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, avowed that he is a Christian who “robustly supports” Israel and its war against Hamas in Gaza. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, provided favorable coverage of Israel on the network and said that his time in the U.S. Army turned him into a supporter of the Jewish state.
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(ANALYSIS) Truth is, the former president was part of two endangered groups — populist Southern Democrats and progressive Southern Baptists. In 1976, he fared well with evangelical voters, for a Democrat, but exit polls basically showed a toss-up. In 1980, many evangelicals rejected him and helped create Ronald Reagan's landslide win.
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Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal, endured a humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. The Sunday School teacher — the first American president to call himself “born again” — was 100 years old.
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(ANALYSIS) Today, I am especially interested in what is happening with the Republican party in a post-Trump America. I have some data that offer a little bit of a window into who evangelicals might vote for when Trump’s name is not on the primary ballot.
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(ANALYSIS) Whatever their partisan preferences, Americans can agree that the coming four years under President Donald Trump will bring major disruptions and contentions in politics. How might that affect religion?
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