(ANALYSIS) Two scholars decided to make a pilgrimage along the Kumano Kodō trail — an ancient route in Japan connecting Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples — guided by an artificial intelligence assistant. The two — Wayne E. Arnold and John A. Shultz — trained an AI companion to suit their travel needs. They were also curious to see how AI would shape their pilgrimage experience.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Whenever you think about the very largest churches in the United States, what denominations come to mind? I think that most of you, if you’ve been following along with this newsletter for any amount of time, would think of non-denominationalism. Maybe a Southern Baptist church. And the data says that this is largely the case.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The war between Auburn and Alabama has verged on a crusade, with fans so devoted some seem possessed. In the most infamous moment on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” “Al from Dadeville” offered this explanation, quoting former Alabama football player Tommy Lewis, for his poisonous attack that killed Auburn's Toomer's Corner oak trees: “I just have too much ‘Bama in me.”
Read MoreThe highest peak in Zimbabwe, standing at 2,592 meters above sea level, has been the source of local intrigue for decades: People have gone missing, strange natural phenomena have created inexplicable mystical experiences, and now, some are even claiming the mountain is home to UFOs. Whatever the case, it has attracted curious travelers from around the world.
Read MoreMore pastors are preaching longer sermons, and most churchgoers are OK with it. In fact, a small but growing number would prefer even more each week. A Lifeway Research study of Protestant pastors and churchgoers finds little disagreement between the pulpit and the pews over sermon length, even as pastors stretch out their weekly messages.
Read MoreThe Netflix documentary series “Death of the Pastor’s Wife” has garnered over 40 million views in just over a month. But is a Netflix show the best way to tell this story? Why does clergy abuse happen so frequently? On this week’s podcast, Christian investigative reporter Julie Roys explains.
Read MoreFor more than five decades, Bakker embodied both the possibilities and the perils of American televangelism. He was a pioneering Christian broadcaster who understood that TV could turn a ministry into a mass-media enterprise. He was also a convicted felon whose career became an enduring cautionary tale about money, celebrity and religious power.
Read MoreFormer Christian Life Center worship leader Caleb Flynn was sentenced Monday to life in prison without parole for murdering his wife, still insisting, “I did not kill my wife.” Flynn, 40, acknowledged adultery, lies and broken marriage vows at a Miami County, Ohio, court hearing. But he continued to deny killing Ashley Flynn, 37, a teacher and volleyball coach.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Timothy Keller, founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, may represent a strategic successor to Billy Graham’s evangelical influence. His posthumous book, co-written with his son Michael, examines seven cultural myths involving identity, power, freedom, morality, science, happiness and progress, arguing that Christianity offers more satisfying answers.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Bible was such an integral part of my upbringing that it’s hard to describe. We did Bible quizzing drills and scripture verse memorization. By the time I got my driver’s license, I had a pretty good grasp on the meta-narrative laid out in the 66 books that make up the Old and New Testaments. I had Bibles from all kinds of translations, too.
Read MoreNotre Dame and Villanova will tip off the 2026-27 college basketball season nearly 4,500 miles from their home campuses, with the two schools’ men’s and women’s teams meeting in Rome on Nov. 1 in an international doubleheader billed as the “Eternal City Tip-Off.” The event will also feature an audience with Pope Leo, a Villanova grad and big sports fan.
Read MoreThe U.S. recently completed its military withdrawal from Iraq after a 12-year mission against ISIS. Iraq is more stable but remains shaped by powerful Shia parties, Iranian influence, armed militias, Sunni political recovery, Kurdish autonomy and lingering ISIS activity — raising questions about the country’s future.
Read More(TRAVEL) We Bangaloreans are just a stone’s throw away from a place of worship. And if one threw a stone, chances are it would probably land on one of the beautiful, iconic places of worship in Bangalore. Or perhaps the stone might get stuck in one of the many traffic jams.
Read MoreAn anti-Islam rally promoted as a “Christian Crusader March” drew hundreds of demonstrators and counterdemonstrators to this majority Arab American city of Dearborn, Michigan. A few participants carried assault rifles as police in riot gear patrolled. The Sunday after the recent protest, minister Wayne Beason felt compelled to speak up for his Muslim neighbors.
Read MorePuppies in the pews? Churches worldwide are gearing up to celebrate St. Francis, patron saint of animals, by inviting pets, including goats, cats, tortoises and more into their buildings to receive a special blessing — chaotic comedy often ensues.
Read MoreToday’s urgent questions about artificial intelligence, consciousness and morality are all the rage. This week, we examine Anthropic’s efforts to teach Claude virtue, the theological implications of AI “souls,” and humanity’s growing struggle to define — and control — machine choices.
Read More(REVIEW) “Silo” skillfully weaves all of these dystopian tropes into the background of something quite new. The hints were there from the show’s start. The series skillfully weaves all of these dystopian tropes into the background of something quite new. The hints were there in the opening titles we streamers learn to skip. The closing shot is an animation of the show’s citizens going up and down and up and down the endless steps.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When millions of users comment “Amen” beneath his posts, they are not consuming religious content. They are participating in religious practice itself. In that sense, prosperity preachers should not be seen as odd figures operating with premodern beliefs. Rather, they reveal what becomes possible when charismatic Christianity fully commits to the digital age.
Read More(OPINION) Once we start using this lexicon, we have been successfully “groomed” into a new discourse we might not quite “get” — but which we begin to accept as normal. No, I’m not a signed up conspiracy theorist, and yes, language evolution is part of the dynamic of a lively society whose moods and modes it carries. But is that all it is?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Shortly before her “Para(site)dise” exhibition at the William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, Virginia, artist Jocelyn Mathewes used a pillowcase and 30 pieces of fabric to create a 7-by-9-foot floating sculpture called “The Bed (Horizontal Time).” This experience touches minds and souls, as well as bodies.
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