(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(ANALYSIS) Things are moving in another direction, no doubt. Some people embrace that change and look forward to a more diverse America, while others pine for a country that they think existed five or six decades ago. But what portion is in each camp?
Read More(ANALYSIS) A 1954 law barring churches and pastors from endorsing or opposing candidates for public office will no longer be enforced, the Internal Revenue Service said.
Read More(OPINION) As someone who works with Catholic religious communities, I hear things. Up until recently, what I’ve heard has been a hopeful message that includes how much God loves each and every one of us. In recent months, though, even what I hear from the various vowed religious women with whom I interact has become somewhat ominous.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Evangelicals struck a middle path. They did not make the mistake of turning inward completely, nor did they capitulate to the larger culture either. Instead, they still managed to interact with the world just enough while maintaining their cultural distinctiveness on things like sexuality, abortion, divorce, etc.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When I think about the 2024 election, the biggest sentiment that comes to my mind is a simple malaise. It’s like all the momentum went out of the room and it was impossible to get it back. And guess what? That’s exactly the story that emerges from the data.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On June 21, 2025, Alex Sobel, a member of the U.K. Parliament, delivered a letter to Pope Leo XIV after a special audience for members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), in the Hall of Benediction, the Vatican, calling upon him to stand up for Jimmy Lai, who has been imprisoned by Hong Kong authorities since December 2020.
Read More(ANALYSIS) My working hypothesis is that in areas like immigration, there won’t be a really strong slope to the line — never attenders will basically feel the same as those who attend religious services on a weekly basis. While issues with a clear theological angle will see a line that tilts pretty steeply (in either a positive or negative direction).
Read More(ANALYSIS) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s affiliation with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches drew attention again with a Pentagon prayer led by Hegseth and his pastor, Brooks Potteiger, in which they praised President Donald Trump, who they said was divinely appointed.
Read MoreThe United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a group of pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey. The case began in November 2023, when New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin demanded that First Choice turn over sensitive documents.
Read More(ANALYSIS) There’s a really big problem with just using religious attendance as a proxy for religiosity. It masks a way more interesting feature of American life — a never-attending person who identifies as atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular is a completely different species compared to a never-attending person who still identifies with a religious tradition.
Read MoreFocus on the Family has joined a long list of conservative Christian ministries to receive a “hate group” designation by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Specifically, the SPLC has labeled the Colorado Springs-based ministry an “anti-LGBTQ+ hate group” for its “biblical worldview strategy” that opposes same-sex marriage and affirms biological sexual identity.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A 22-year-old student has been charged with allegedly offending religious sentiments after making derogatory remarks about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Whatever the merits of the case, the incident raises an important question: Should the right to free speech include the right to criticize religion — one’s own or someone else’s?
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth repeating here: Whenever I tweet a graph that contains a couple of the largest religious groups (evangelicals, Catholics, nonreligious), the first question that comes in the comments is inevitably, “Where are the Latter-day Saints?”
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Black church in America is an entirely different culture than the average White evangelical or mainline tradition. Anyone who has attended a worship service in a Black church tradition knows that to be true. But beyond a difference in worship styles, there are many ways that the Black church should be considered its own category.
Read More(OPINION) If you are a conservative, Bible-believing Christian, there’s a lot to like about the Rev. Calvin Robinson. His behavior of the past few years has demonstrated both a sharp mind and an enormous gift for communication, but also an unseemly appetite for controversy and the limelight.
Read More(OPINION) While public school Bible initiatives seem commendable, and we agree with recognizing the Bible’s value as an educational resource for teaching the moral, spiritual and historical context of Western civilization, we believe there’s a less controversial way to go about encouraging Bible teaching in our schools.
Read MoreAs Tennessee’s chief lawyer, it’s Jonathan Skrmetti’s job to defend the state against legal challenges to its statutes. And in U.S. v. Skrmetti, one of the Supreme Court’s most consequential cases this term, Skrmetti and his office are defending Tennessee Senate Bill 1, which prohibits the use of drugs or surgeries to alter a minor’s sex characteristics.
Read MoreCongressional representatives are seeking to protect the freedom of tax-exempt charitable groups by filing the Safeguarding Charity Act. The bill would reaffirm that a tax-exempt status is not financial assistance, making a group subject to federal regulations.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Research from Scheitle and Cornell found that there’s often a significant mismatch between what the clergy say that they are speaking about and what is actually received by the congregants. Are they receptive to politically charged messages from the pulpit?
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