Joseph Holmes speaks with the director of “Cast Aside The Clouds” about why she wanted to make a film about a Bahá'í/Muslim love story, her own journey with the Bahá’í faith, and the unity and conversations she hopes will come about as a result of its release.
Read MoreNo one who has followed trends in the powerful world of podcasting was surprised by the headlines following Alex Cooper’s announcement that, after raising eyebrows by getting married to a stud Hollywood producer, she is now happily pregnant. Consider the following background information from the buzzy New York Times story that served as the hook for this week’s “Crossroads” podcast.
Read MoreThirty years ago, a woman was found dead by the side of the road in Arizona. Today, her body has still not been identified. To find out the strange reason why, I spoke to Hannah Feuer, a reporter at Forward.
Read MoreThe Big Idea for this podcast? The social-credits system shifted into high gear the year after China, in 2018, launched sweeping new regulations to crush religious activities that lacked formal government approval. Digital technology is at the heart of China’s efforts to control the beliefs of its citizens.
Read MoreWhat does a Church's size say about its health? Matthew Peterson speaks with Karl Vaters, author of "De-Sizing the Church" to find out in this week’s podcast.
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 MoreWhile several books have been published about Leo, it seems the definitive biography of the Pope’s life is finally here.
Read MoreThe pursuit of virtue and liberty ought to be at the center of American policymaking. What’s changed — especially among conservative lawmakers — in recent years? Matthew Peterson interviewed Stephanie Slade, senior editor of Reason magazine and author of the upcoming book “Fusionism” to find out.
Read MoreIn 1968, the three Apollo 8 astronauts, while the world focused on their Christmas Eve effort to orbit the moon, read the opening verses of Genesis, beginning with: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
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 MoreIt’s hard to discuss a war in the Middle East without mentioning religion, especially when the main players are Israel, Iran and the United States. Apparently, the most important word in this drama is not “nuclear” or “oil” -- it’s “fundamentalism.”
Read MoreCategorizing those who do violence is a messy business. The very individuals who are called heroes, warriors and revolutionaries by some can be categorized as villains, murderers and radicals by others. But when the morality of a violent person is highly controversial or just ambiguous, we have a separate, more fuzzy term – we call them a vigilante.
Read MoreTruth is, the Finland powers that be are not attacking all “biblical views.” Instead, as in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, the government is saying that some “biblical views” are unacceptable in public life, while other doctrines are acceptable — such as those affirmed by progressive leaders of the nation’s official denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Read MoreWhen you picture an American church, what comes to mind? Is it a palatial, gothic cathedral that dwarfs its neighboring buildings and carries with it an air of ancient mystery? Is it a small, white chapel with a sharp steeple and a quiet humility about its presence?
Read MoreAhead of Easter, newsrooms often chase predictable religion stories, but recent reporting highlights a more complex reality. While Catholic and Orthodox churches are seeing notable increases in converts, broader trends show ongoing decline in attendance and affiliation. The result is not a single revival, but a fragmented landscape of growth and loss.
Read MoreWhen Americans call President George Washington the “Father of His Country” it’s an honorary title based on politics and history. When modern citizens of the Republic of Georgia refer to Patriarch Ilia II as the “Godfather of Our Land” they are being quite literal, in terms of the rites and traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith.
Read MoreIt’s been three weeks since the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It's now worth asking, “What do the Iranian people stand to gain from all this chaos?”
Read MoreI have this short conversation at least once a month, since I do so much of my journalism via telephone and that often means dealing with people I have never met. “What is your name?”
Read MoreWhat can news consumers learn from this complicated drama? Surely it is a commentary on the age in which we live that many Americans laughed when they read the early New York Times headline about the terrorist attack that fizzled near the New York home of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Read MoreCoverage of a Supreme Court decision blocking a California policy on student gender identity reveals starkly different media frames. Some outlets emphasize protecting transgender students from being “outed,” while others stress parental rights and religious liberty. The contrasting headlines highlight how newsrooms shape public understanding of contentious legal and cultural debates.
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