(ANALYSIS) Lula’s victory this past Sunday is just one more example of how race intersects all facets of Brazilian society, including religion. Experts said these durable divisions will mark Brazil’s political and religious landscape for the foreseeable future.
Read MoreIn 1647, England’s Witchfinder General published a pamphlet to address criticisms he had received for his methods. He responded to each critique in turn, revealing the secrets of his complicated, misunderstood and undeniably cruel profession.
Read More(OPINION) Never damage another person’s reputation simply for sport or to build your own social currency. Don't assume the worst about people; instead, try to assume the best. If you say something harmful that turns out to be untrue, make every effort to set the record straight.
Read MoreOver the last few years, young educated adults are finding Catholicism more attractive than other forms of Christianity. Even at secular universities, these young men and women have settled on the Catholic Church, drawn in by its 2000-year-old intellectual tradition and beauty. Data from the prayer app Hallow shows that colleges saw students involved with Catholicism jump 115%.
Read MoreA Cleveland-area pastor publicly introduced a second wife to the world last Sunday, saying the widely held Christian teaching that a man should have only one wife is “unbiblical.” Israel Ford, founder of LifeWorks Church, posted a video of the announcement to Instagram on Oct. 25. His first wife and fellow pastor, Lydia Ford, introduced Minister Shakayla Talley Ford to congregants who gave the threesome a standing ovation.
Read MoreThis week, Religion Unplugged’s culture writers Joseph Holmes and Jillian Cheney sat down before Halloween to explore how Gen Z thinking is changing the horror genre.
Read More(REVIEW) “Brotherhood” is a new film that seems to agree with the second viewpoint. It’s a Christian musical focused on the American immigration debate. Its constant sermonizing in nearly every line of dialogue and song lyric is a good reminder that preachiness undermines good filmmaking, regardless of the message.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Movie studios have struggled through the pandemic and the streaming era, both of which have tanked box office receipts, leaving the field open for movies from offbeat production studios. In addition to The Daily Wire, there has been a whole ream of Christian movies attempting to shift the stereotype of bible movies to something more prestigious — or at least profitable.
Read More(REVIEW) Filmed on location across the country, it holds grief and vitality side by side: the final service at Belding United Methodist Church in Michigan; a Minnesota farm-country Lutheran congregation; growing Hispanic, Korean-American and historic Black churches; house churches; new church plants; and even worship in virtual reality.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Let’s actually dig into the widely held belief that American Orthodox Christianity is experiencing a huge surge in converts post-pandemic. The short answer: That’s a really hard claim to test with survey data, for a simple reason. There just aren’t that many Orthodox Christians in the U.S. to begin with.
Read MoreChristians make up roughly 1% of Japan’s population, and churches are increasingly multicultural, welcoming immigrants from neighboring countries. However, national politics have taken a decidedly nationalistic turn in recent years — worrying Christians that they will once again be ostracized and even face persecution.
Read MoreWithin a decade of hitting the religion beat, around 1980, it was obvious to me that the demographic collapse of the “seven sisters” of liberal Protestantism was going to create a giant hole in American life. We are talking about these flocks — American Baptists, the Disciples of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.
Read MoreAfter reading a recent piece this week at Religion Unplugged — headlined “AI might be conscious. If so, God help us” — I was curious: “Does AI have a soul?”
Read MoreAs the economy strains the U.S. public, pastors report increasing pressures and giving lagging behind inflation. Lifeway Research’s annual tracking survey reveals most U.S. Protestant pastors (54%) report the economy is negatively impacting their congregation. Slightly more than a third (36%) say it’s having no impact, while 8% see a positive economic effect.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The planned execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan sparked renewed debate among Christians over capital punishment. Catholic leaders cited church teaching opposing the death penalty, while some evangelical leaders defended it biblically. Disagreement also centered on whether televising executions promotes justice or glorifies violence.
Read MoreThe latest grant round drew 466 applicants and includes the program’s first recipient in Arkansas, as historic houses of worship seek funding to preserve their buildings and community services.
Read MoreDay after day, the senator-judges begin proceedings by asking God for the same things — truth, wisdom, justice and freedom from bias. As they prepare to decide Vice President Sara Duterte’s fate, those prayers have become an implicit measure of the responsibility they have assumed: To turn appeals for divine guidance into a verdict determined by evidence, law and conscience.
Read MoreWall Street investment banks have discovered what Southern Baptist financial ministries long have known: Dallas is a great place to do business. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley are among the banks that have established or are considering major offices in Dallas. They join the headquarters of GuideStone Financial Resources and the Baptist Church Loan Corporation.
Read MoreOn this week’s show, Religion Unplugged spoke with “American Rambler” author Isaac Fitzgerald in order to separate fact from fiction in the tale of Johnny Appleseed and to understand how the writer’s own path, like the legendary figure, led to a connection with nature, an openness towards faith and a few legends of his own.
Read More(ANALYSIS) There is also a contemporary way of eating lotus. It consists in settling in. At first, we live off our reserves: convictions, habits and certainties we acquired when we still remembered where we were going. Then we compromise.
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