(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) When we’re asked, “Are you religious?” There are a number of different ways someone might justify an affirmative answer. It could be that they attend a house of worship regularly or pray frequently. It could be that they hold specific beliefs about Jesus Christ or Muhammad. Those would be behavior and belief measures of religion. But there’s a third dimension that often gets overlooked: Belonging.
Read MoreFor Don Lemon, here’s the bottom line: He says he was a journalist “on the front lines,” embedded with protestors whose actions were the subject of his reporting. In addition to the coffee and donuts, the lifestream suggests that he took part in discussions of which church to invade and the details of what to do during the protests.
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 More(ANALYSIS) As the complexities in Venezuela continue to evolve, President Donald Trump held his first face-to-face meeting with democratic opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. Universal consensus says her party won the 2024 presidential vote by two-thirds or better, whereupon dictator Nicolás Maduro, now imprisoned in New York City, stole the office.
Read MoreAs Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the focus is fixed on the New England Patriot and Seattle Seahawks. Beyond the game, the Super Bowl is a cultural touchpoint. Watched by millions, it remains the most-viewed event on American TV. While commercials and the halftime show are all big draws, faith once again plays a part in the biggest football game of the year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Two in five Americans have fought with a family member about politics, according to a 2024 study by the American Psychiatric Association. One in five have become estranged over controversial issues, and the same percentage has “blocked a family member on social media or skipped a family event” due to disagreements.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Over the past two decades, the concept of mindfulness has become hugely popular around the world. An increasingly ubiquitous part of society, it’s taught everywhere from workplaces and schools to sports programs and the military.
Read MoreWhen the Pew Research Center asked Mainers what religions they followed, the most common answer wasn’t Catholicism or Evangelical Protestantism. It was “nothing in particular.” But there’s more to the story.
Read MoreOn this week’s episode of the podcast, we sat down with Bobby Ross Jr. to discuss not only the news trends he anticipates in the year to come — but his career of 25 years covering faith through on-the-ground reporting in all 50 states and in 20 different countries.
Read More(ANALYSIS) You’ve seen the headlines about Iran’s uprising, but there is a deeper story: Two-thirds of the nation’s mosques, 50,000 out of 75,000, have been closed due to declining worship attendance, according to a high-ranking cleric. What does that mean for Iran and for Islam?
Read MoreThis past Dec. 18, on International Migrants Day, participants in an interfaith prayer group gathered at Winton’s statue with Jewish children. In freezing weather and amid the noise of passing trains, the refugees were remembered by the people who had helped them.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of the “evergreen” topics on social media when it comes to religion is what’s often called the Billy Graham Rule. The idea comes from the famous evangelist, who was deeply concerned with living a life beyond reproach. Graham wanted to avoid even the appearance of impropriety that could undermine his work as America’s most prominent preacher.
Read MoreDuring this tense moment in journalism, will Southern Baptist leaders return telephone calls from elite newsrooms or will they choose to speak to “conservative” and “religious” publications, alone?
Read More“Why not keep busy?” That’s Richard Ostling’s response when asked why he’s still covering religion at age 85 — after six decades on the Godbeat.
Read More(REVIEW) The faith-based film industry is going through major changes. It’s starting to break into the mainstream, with critical and box office success. As a result, there’s a new film genre called “based faith” targeting conservative, Christian male audiences, but if “The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin” premiere is any indication, this new genre has a rocky road ahead.
Read MoreCatholic affiliation is declining across much of Latin America, while the number of religiously unaffiliated adults is rising sharply, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Despite these shifts, belief in God, prayer and the personal importance of religion remain widespread throughout the region.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Buckle up, readers, because we’re about to do a deep dive into an important but difficult-to-grasp concept in the social sciences. It’s called age-period-cohort (APC) effects. Let me start by showing you a simple graph.
Read MoreEl dominio histórico de la Iglesia católica en América Latina continúa debilitándose, incluso cuando la mayoría de las personas en la región sigue siendo profundamente religiosa, según nuevos datos de encuestas del Pew Research Center.
Read MoreNearly 175 worshippers were abducted on Jan. 18 from three churches in Kaduna State in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, Christian advocacy groups reported, after at least 35 were killed in separate attacks on villages in the Middle Belt and eastern Nigeria.
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