(ANALYSIS) Measuring happiness is a real problem for social scientists. It’s an area of intense interest because I think all of us would like to be just a little bit happier. But it all seems pretty subjective and transient at some level, right? Take the often hyped-up “World Happiness Report,” published annually by Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup.
Read More(ANALYSIS) What most people get wrong about the great Dane is that they remember the existential dread and forget the destination.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When addressing the 2026 graduates of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, country music star Eric Church used words rarely heard in secular campus rites, such as “faith,” “family,” “grace” and “soul.”
Read More(OPINION) After our Baptist congregation laid hands on him and prayed, Dad was instantaneously healed. Without treatment. His miraculous recovery was documented by a team of Lexington, Ky., doctors and later confirmed by a second panel of physicians in Washington, D.C. Dad wound up being interviewed on national TV and written about in various publications.
Read More(ANALYSIS) “Rededicate 250” was billed as a prayer rally celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. But the event on the National Mall also became a revealing snapshot of how faith, politics and national identity are increasingly intertwined during the Trump era.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As the United States approaches its 250th birthday this summer, the fight over “Rededicate 250” underscores a deeper question about the future of American democracy: Can a nation that is religiously diverse maintain a shared civic identity without elevating one tradition — in this case Christianity — above all others?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Mother’s Day in the U.S. now drives about $34 billion in spending, but its founder, Anna Jarvis, envisioned it as a day honoring mothers’ social and moral influence. From ancient traditions to modern activism, mothers have long been seen as protectors and advocates for peace — a legacy often overshadowed today.
Read MorePolls and news coverage explaining the voting habits of “evangelicals” are haunted by the same kinds of questions. Define an “evangelical” voter. Please.
Read MoreOn this week’s show, Joseph Holmes interviewed Jon Gunn, “House of David” executive producer. The two talked through this balance of myth and reverence, the evolution of faith in film, the complications of portraying romance in a time when arranged marriage was the norm and much more.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A year ago, King Charles III, in an Easter message that made little news, proclaimed that the love Jesus showed “when he walked the Earth reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger and those in need, a deep human instinct echoed in Islam and other religious traditions. ... The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world — the whole world — that He sent His son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death.”
Read More(OPINION) Striving for success, status, and achievement often deepens emptiness rather than fulfillment. True meaning comes from cultivating love, faith in something greater, hopeful expectation, benevolence toward others, a sense of humor and mercy. These qualities, more than external rewards, sustain a satisfying, grounded life and ease the burden of human imperfection.
Read MoreWhile churchgoers may be praying about ways to tell others about Jesus, many aren’t doing much to make that happen. According to Lifeway Research’s State of Discipleship, U.S. Protestant churchgoers often struggle to grow in their own discipleship. The latest findings indicate they also frequently miss opportunities to make new disciples by not sharing their faith with others.
Read More(ESSAY) Lou Holtz’s story was about more than football. The sideline antics, his gravelly voice and the championships made him one of the most recognizable men in college football. To measure Holtz only by wins and trophies would miss the deeper truth about him. His life was built on something stronger — a Catholic faith that shaped nearly every decision he made.
Read More(ANALYSIS) This year’s nominees’ bias toward personal faith over organized religion reflects the move our own society is making in that direction. It remains, however, to be seen whether that spirituality will evolve to meet the challenges of hyper-individualism, or if organized religion will simply outlast it. The Academy Awards will be handed out March 15 in Los Angeles.
Read MoreFormer U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse reflects on his pancreatic cancer diagnosis and limited prognosis. In a Hoover Institution interview, Sasse speaks candidly about pain, mortality and Christian hope, urging believers to face death without despair while serving others with whatever time remains.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Fifteen years ago, Egyptians from all walks of life took to the street to demand “bread, freedom, social justice.” They were protesting the oppressive 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak. Egypt had been under martial law for 31 years. This meant that political opposition was silenced, and opponents were often imprisoned and tortured. Police brutality was the norm.
Read More(OPINION) As a prolific writer — both fiction and non-fiction — when an inspiration hits me, I have to follow through on the process of getting my ideas on paper (or, in these modern times, typed into the computer) or it bugs me no end. My latest effort will, eventually, be a book about how not to be “beige.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Pope Leo warned that, “The stakes are high. The power of simulation is such that AI can even deceive us by fabricating parallel ‘realities,’ usurping our faces and voices. We are immersed in a world of multidimensionality where it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from fiction.”
Read MoreA recent New York Times feature noted that quarterback Fernando Mendoza, before helping change University of Indiana football history, excelled at Belen Jesuit, an all-boys Catholic school in Miami, and then Miami Columbus High, another all-boys Catholic school. Oh, and his mother was a star athlete at Lourdes Academy, an all-girls Catholic school.
Read More(REVIEW) Children’s constant attachment to their screens — and how that behavior impacts their mental health and development — is an issue of much consternation for parents today, and one that’s virtually impossible to avoid or ignore. “Connected: Parenting Faithfully in the Digital Age” looks to equip parents to combat the ill effects of unlimited digital access — centered around a God-seeking family life.
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