Two soccer teams — each comprised of eight Muslims and eight Christians — faced off as a mixed crowd cheered. Only months earlier, 52 people were killed in yet another religious massacre nearby. Some of the players on the field had lost relatives in that attack. Yet, they chose sports over revenge.
Read MoreRobert Morris, the controversial founder of Gateway Church, has asked a Dallas County court to dismiss a $1 million defamation lawsuit from Cindy Clemishire. Morris’s motion to dismiss comes just weeks after the embattled pastor pleaded guilty to sexually abusing Clemishire in the 1980s, starting when she was 12 years old.
Read More(REVIEW) Visitors to Canterbury Cathedral in the U.K. have been surprised to find that parts of the building’s majestic architecture are currently daubed with eye-catching graffiti. But this is not the work of vandals. The colorful graphics are part of a thought-provoking art installation centered on the idea of asking questions to God.
Read MoreSince only 8% of U.S. Protestant pastors are extremely satisfied with discipleship in their church, it’s not surprising only 11% of pastors believe their church does discipleship better than other functions.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’m not exaggerating when I say this — there is no other long-term, cross-sectional survey of the adult U.S. population that asks about religion in such a useful way. It’s the tree trunk of empirical social science in this space, and it’s cited everywhere. The phrase “General Social Survey” appeared in more than 4,400 articles published in 2024, according to Google Scholar.
Read More(REVIEW) It can be easy to forget the role physical space plays in sustaining religions, for good or for ill, and why talks of bringing about a “New Jerusalem” were not so far-fetched. They started in places made of brick and stone — and as Fergus Butler-Gallie points out, “Jerusalem is a somewhere, not a nowhere. Specifically, it is here.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) There’s a certain kind of conversation that happens among pastors and denominational leaders, usually in almost hushed tones: “Did you hear about how [insert church name] added a thousand new attendees last year?” Someone will inevitably chime in with another example of a church experiencing rapid growth. Before long, the discussion circles back to the same question: “How in the world do they do that?”
Read More(ESSAY) Again and again, deadly incidents occur at Cuba’s largest garbage dump — sometimes from sudden eruptions of violence, sometimes from hunger or disease. But a group of about 50 locals, led by a pastor, have banded together to look out for one another. “Sometimes they kill each other over a piece of copper,” said one local woman.
Read MoreObviously, Trump knows he has enemies who want to help him spend eternity in real estate infinitely hotter than South Florida. The president believes God saved his life for a purpose. That's interesting, considering his history of remarks doubting whether he is worthy of heaven.
Read MoreThe authors propose a revised, even countercultural way of relating to one another despite our differing views on controversial issues. Based on more than 100 interviews, the book proposes that LGBTQ Christians have something to teach us about Christian faith, and they, in turn, might learn something from conservative Christians.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Across the country, colleges and universities are grappling with the effects of the demographic cliff: This year’s sharp drop in the number of high-school graduates resulting from lower birth rates during and after the 2008 recession.
Read MoreLife in rural America has its charms and challenges. Those who pastor in small towns across the United States recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Many congregations have developed safer celebrations — often called “Holy-ween, “fall festivals” or similar terms — which almost always offer “trunk 'r treat” options, with families parked in church lots and children going car to car collecting candy.
Read More(OPINION) In the wake of the historic schism that has fractured the worldwide Anglican Communion, lazy and ignorant narratives have already begun to emerge. The secular media and even some progressive Christian outlets would have you believe this is a simple story of progress versus bigotry — a misogynistic, homophobic and unenlightened conclave of Global South bishops mostly from the African continent breaking away because a woman was put in charge.
Read More(OPINION) After participating in multiple protests this year opposing authoritarianism, a Christian minister reflects on how people of faith can help sustain the growing No Kings movement — with hope, humor, and moral clarity. The “No Kings” movement, thank God, has only just begun.
Read MoreChurch clocks have long been an iconic part of United Kingdom life, perched high on church towers, visible across the countryside. Over time, many have fallen into disuse or broken. Recently, three ancient clocks — in Montacute, Somerset and in Winchester, Hampshire — have been returned to full working order — and their restoration projects turned up some unexpected discoveries.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I can’t imagine I will ever teach a course on Research Methods again, but it’s something that I actually really did enjoy at EIU. I led our incoming graduate students on a tour of how political science tries to answer questions every fall for at least eight years. It was a difficult course, no doubt. But I think that many of my students left with a lot of really practical skills and a much better understanding of research design.
Read MoreNext year, a new feature-length presentation of the Crucifixion will hit the big screen. It’ll mark the culmination of the much-anticipated Season 6 of the worldwide phenomenon “The Chosen.” What should viewers expect? Will it be similar to — or different from — “The Passion” version?
Read MoreIn the early 2000s, women were more regular churchgoers than men, and according to researchers, it is unclear whether this new shift “is a story of women stepping back or men stepping up.”
Read More(REVIEW) “House of David” is the flagship title of the newly launched “Wonder Project,” and Season 2 is the biggest launch title for its new subscription platform. The series delivers on epic battles, complex characters and biblical themes. It recounts the ascent of the biblical figure David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel.
Read More
