(ANALYSIS) On Easter, U.S. churches fill with worshippers, yet few are led by women despite rising numbers in clergy training. This disparity contrasts with Gospel accounts that name women, especially Mary Magdalene, as the first to witness and proclaim Jesus’ resurrection, underscoring their foundational role.
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 More(PHOTO ESSAY) About 200 Catholic workers in Bangladesh’s Zirani industrial area marked Good Friday by staging the Way of the Living Cross. Despite demanding jobs, mostly in garment factories, they practiced and performed the devotion, reflecting their strong faith. In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Easter Sunday is not an official holiday.
Read More(ESSAY) When Passover arrives each spring, Jewish families around the world gather at their tables to retell a story passed down for thousands of years. At ritual dinners known as Seders, they recount the Exodus, the biblical story of the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt — asking questions, singing songs and explaining the meaning behind symbolic foods like matzo.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Finland’s Supreme Court convicted Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola over a 2004 booklet on homosexuality, ordering its removal. The ruling, alongside developments in Canada and Iceland, raises concerns about expanding hate speech laws and their impact on religious expression and free speech in Europe and beyond.
Read MoreShe walked for days through jungle mountain paths to escape the Myanmar military's campaign of terror. The medical care she needs is out of reach. What keeps her and the more than 600 people around her alive is a fragile web of church donations, local tithes and the tireless intervention of faith-based organizations — a web now stretched to breaking point.
Read MoreVery few superheroes wear their faith on their sleeves like Daredevil. But the Season 2 opener for Disney+ series “Daredevil: Born Again” has pulled back on those elements. If that reflects the rest of the season, it will be to the show’s detriment.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Mark Leibovich, author of The Atlantic’s “Why Do Democrats Hate Winning,” is among those who think it is. He expresses his concern to James Talarico, who is now running to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate. In 2021, Talarico made such a declaration. Leibovich posits that this could cause trouble for him as a candidate.
Read More(ANALYSIS) March 31 marks 50 years since a landmark decision that shapes American patients’ rights every day: the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling in the case of Karen Ann Quinlan, who had suffered an irreversible coma. Quinlan’s case established for the first time that decisions near the end of life should be made by patients and families, not by doctors and hospitals alone.
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 More(ANALYSIS) The Supreme Court recently announced a major decision in what seems like a quintessential religious freedom case: A Christian preacher charged with violating a city ordinance for sharing his faith in a public park. But outrageous as it may have been, the preacher’s arrest was not actually at the heart of this case.
Read MoreA new report from the Pew Research Center found that religious radio stations remain ubiquitous — with 98% of U.S. adults living within the local coverage area of at least one of them. The report found that an “overwhelming majority” of those stations are Christian. Despite the rise of digital media, 45% of U.S. adults say they’ve listened to religious programming on the radio.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Don Mattingly, a pioneering Southern Baptist leader, created Centrifuge youth camps to “spin” teens toward meaningful futures in faith, service and careers. Launched in 1979, the program has reached millions. Remembered as both a visionary and organizer, Mattingly shaped generations by helping young people explore calling, purpose and lifelong decisions.
Read MoreWhen “The Faithful: Women of the Bible” trusts the Bible’s voice, it does a great job of giving voice to the women that it portrays. Unfortunately, far too often, the filmmakers shout their own voices too loud for you to hear the real women they claim to be elevating.
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 MoreOn Antarctica’s King George Island, the 22-year-old Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church stands as a striking symbol of faith and craftsmanship. Built in Siberia, shipped across the world and rebuilt near Russia’s Bellingshausen Station, the wooden chapel draws visitors awed by its beauty, resilience and unlikely presence amid ice and penguins.
Read MoreA new report links interfaith cooperation and religious freedom to economic stability. It measures dialogue, workplace inclusion and government support — arguing that cities fostering trust and pluralism attract investment and skilled talent while reducing social tensions that could disrupt long-term economic growth.
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 More(ANALYSIS) In theory, many Christians support pacifism or non-violent resistance, but for Iranian Christians, those theories are challenged by the harsh realities of a hellish regime and an ongoing war. This question of ‘just war’ has a long history, going back to the first centuries of the church.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The NCAA men’s basketball tournament once again features a strong group of religiously affiliated schools, particularly those with Catholic and Protestant traditions. These programs bring a mix of championship expectations and underdog potential into this season’s March Madness. The action all starts with a glut of first round games.
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