Posts in News
Why Is The Department Of Homeland Security Quoting The Bible On Instagram?

(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
On Religion: A Mother’s Journey With Autism And Faith

(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 More
‘No Easy Thing’: Rebuilding Hope In Conflict-Stricken Nigeria

Nigeria 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
The King’s College Permanently Shuts Down Following Financial Woes

The 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
Angels And Witches: How Supernatural Beliefs Vary In The US

(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 More
Head Of Aid Group Says Gaza Starvation Is ‘Real’ — But Blames UN And Hamas

Rev. 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 More
Judge Partially Blocks Enforcement Of Planned Parenthood Defunding

A 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
Fake Pope Leo XIV: Coming Soon To YouTube?

(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
Mamdani’s Last Name Reflects Centuries Of Cultural Exchange

(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 More
Rails To Redemption: A 9,000-Mile Spiritual Journey Across America

On 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
UK To Monitor Religious Freedom In India Under New Policy Focus

(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
Sacred Boundaries: Navigating Faith and Control in Kyrgyzstan

(ANALYSIS) Strolling through the streets of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, one easily gets the impression of walking through multiple cities at once. 

Read More
Solar-Powered Audio Bibles Bring Hope To Mozambique

In the heart of Mozambique, a quiet transformation is taking place — powered not by electricity, but by sunlight and faith. Missionaries Rolland and Heidi Baker, for nearly three decades, have been working among some of the most marginalized communities in the country through their organization Iris Global.

Read More
Mainline Pastors Less Likely To Hold Historic Christian Doctrine

While there are likely numerous theological differences between evangelical, Catholic and Black Protestant pastors, they share core convictions that aren’t as common among mainline pastors.

Read More
Violence In Southern Syria Brings Druze Community To The Fore

(ANALYSIS) A fragile ceasefire was put in place in southern Syria on July 19, after days of violence between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes that drew in government forces and prompted Israeli strikes on the capital, Damascus, as a warning to pull back from Druze areas. The United States helped broker the latest agreement, fearing a spillover of violence to other parts of Syria.

Read More
‘I Will Always Be a Jew’: Billy Joel On His Family’s Holocaust History

In the second installment of “And So It Goes,” HBO’s new two-part documentary about Billy Joel, the Piano Man explains why he wore a yellow Star of David in August 2017, during his residency at Madison Square Garden, in his most extensive filmed account of his family’s experience in the Holocaust. “No matter what, I will always be a Jew,” he said.

Read More
Evangelical Pastors More Likely To Be Bivocational These Days

Working nine to five doesn’t cut it for many pastors. Neither does working strictly at one church. The National Survey of Religious Leaders (NSRL) report revealed 35 percent of all clergy in the U.S. serve bivocationally, holding an additional job outside of their congregational ministry.

Read More
Welcome Back, Carter: Faith Helps Texas Rangers’ ‘Little Savior’ Overcome Setbacks

Evan Carter helped the Texas Rangers win the World Series in 2023. But Carter — still just 22 — has faced multiple challenges over the past two seasons. He talked to Religion Unplugged about his journey as a ballplayer and, more importantly, as a person of deep Christian faith. “Baseball is what I do, but I try and not make it, as the cliché goes, who I am,” he said.

Read More