(ANALYSIS) On Jan. 31, United Nations agencies called for an end to the violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting between government forces and the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group intensified. The call comes after M23 rebels have already seized Goma, the provincial capital.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The backlash against President Trump’s funding freeze was swift and strong. But the outcry was not just from progressives. A number of Christian groups, some of them relatively conservative, also objected. World Relief, the benevolence arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, said the freeze would hamper their refugee resettlement efforts.
Read MoreNot yet, and not quite, even as President Trump’s agenda instead puts the news spotlight on transgender issues. Though the Supreme Court’s historic 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision to legalize gay and lesbian marriage nationwide was by a narrow 5 to 4, the law appears very unlikely to change. And yet dissent continues and U.S. public opinion is shifting a bit.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In a 14-year time period, support for same-sex marriage went from 31% to 68%. That’s just a stunning shift in such a short period of time. And because of the velocity of the change, we cannot attribute that to generational replacement.
Read MoreThe bottom line: Next year, more journalists need to attend some of the worship services linked to the March for Life. They will hear plenty of voices, young and old, stressing that the sanctity of human life is too complex to be discussed in political terms, alone.
Read MoreHoss Ridgeway mixes preaching and stand-up comedy. The Indiana minister says he knows when it’s appropriate to be funny — and when the situation calls for a serious approach.
Read More(ANALYSIS) They are the second largest generation in America’s history. At 74 million persons, they are only surpassed in size by the Boomer generation. Born between 1980 and 1997, they are shaping our businesses, our government, and our culture. And they are shaping our churches.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The questions at the 2025 March for Life were familiar ones for D.C. Beltway insiders: Would major politicians show up, and what would they say?
Read More(ANALYSIS) As 2025 begins, Russia ends its official “Year of the Family.” But the state has been promoting what it calls “traditional” or “pro-family” values for more than a decade — and looks likely to continue.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Red envelopes, known as hongbao in Mandarin, are a cherished cultural tradition in China and many other parts of Asia. In China, the vibrant red color symbolizes good fortune and joy. Hongbao can be given during many various festive and joyful occasions, and they are a prominent feature of Lunar New Year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A Texas Supreme Court hearing marked the climax of a significant six-year legal battle. SMU has declared its independence from the United Methodist Church, ending a 114-year connection while planning to retain its “Methodist” name. Regardless of the decision, one question remains: In what respects is SMU a “Methodist” or a “Christian” university beyond acknowledging its heritage?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Monday marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Over 1 million people were murdered there, most of them Jews, but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and people of other nationalities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Homeschooled kids constitute a population group that I’ve always wanted to try to understand better, but it’s a super hard methodological problem. There’s no central database that tracks them.
Read More(REVIEW) Pastor Tyler Staton’s new book makes a compelling case for placing the Holy Spirit at the center of Christian life. Unfortunately, much of what it says also validates the fears of those skeptical about Spirit-filled theology. In times of perceived decline, people search for answers on how to reverse it. Many in the church and the Western world view Christianity and Western civilization as being in cultural retreat. One of the proposed solutions is "re-enchantment.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) The last three years have seen the Taliban placing restrictions on all aspects of women’s lives in Afghanistan. From education to employment. From movement to participation in everyday activities. When the international community thought that it could not get any worse for women in Afghanistan, the Taliban kept coming up with new ways how to impose more restrictions on women.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Trust in American institutions has eroded significantly over the last several decades — things like major companies, the federal government, and the scientific community. But given the name of this newsletter, I bet you can guess which institution I want to focus on today: organized religion.
Read MoreEpiscopalians own the cathedral of D.C. culture Thus, journalists embedded in Beltway life applauded Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde.
Read MorePresident Donald Trump’s latest inaugural speech was notable not for its inclusion of God but for the specific personal nature of what he said.
Read More(ANALYSIS) While many critics accuse the Babylon Bee of spreading political misinformation — the website's motto is “Fake News You Can Trust” — controversies about its work usually center on clashes between religious doctrines and powerful trends in modern life, such as the sexual revolution.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Luce, the anime-inspired official mascot for the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee, whose name means “light” in Italian, has been getting a lot of attention on social media. Some people love the cartoon and find her “cute,” but a few others consider her “unsuitable” and even “repugnant.”
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