Religion Unplugged

Posts in Catholicism

Catholic Schools And Weekly Mass Aren’t Solving The Retention Crisis

Catholic Schools And Weekly Mass Aren’t Solving The Retention Crisis

(ANALYSIS) The Association of Religion Data Archives is awesome for a project like this because I can quickly find the datasets that I need to answer this question from multiple angles. I am going to use two different sources — the General Social Survey, which allows me to trace the contours of American religion all the way back to the early 1970s, and the Pew Religious Landscape Survey, which permits me to do a really deep dive on the state of Catholic retention in the last couple of years.

Analysis, Catholicism, Christianity, Data, Education, News, North America, Religion Research, Religion NewsRyan BurgeOctober 19, 2026Ryan Burge, analysis, news, data, religion, Catholic Church, educationComment

Crossroads Podcast: Christians And The Firing-Squad Execution

Crossroads Podcast: Christians And The Firing-Squad Execution

This week’s topic was religion-news coverage of the White House call to execute Major Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad, in response to the U.S. Army psychiatrist’s 2009 mass-murder of 13 soldiers at Fort Hood, while injuring 32 others.

White Evangelicals Only Faith Group With Majority Support For Trump

White Evangelicals Only Faith Group With Majority Support For Trump

Well over half, 58 percent, of white evangelical Protestants said they approve of Trump’s job performance, with 40 percent voicing disapproval. But Trump’s approval has fallen among white evangelical Protestants since his term began, when 78 percent approved.

From Christmas Currents To Climate Pattern: How El Niño Got Its Name

From Christmas Currents To Climate Pattern: How El Niño Got Its Name

Long before scientists began tracking ocean temperatures with satellites, buoys and computer models, fishermen along the Pacific coast as far back as the 1600s were watching the seas for signs of change. They noticed that every few years, waters that were normally cool would become unusually warm.

Vatican Says Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

Vatican Says Pope Leo XIV Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday in Rome that confirmed he has lung cancer. Doctor’s removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung after tests confirmed the diagnosis. A Vatican statement made no mention of treatment going forward. The Vatican, however, said doctors were not currently speaking of chemotherapy or other therapies.

US Religious Leaders Condemn Livestream Firing-Squad Execution

US Religious Leaders Condemn Livestream Firing-Squad Execution

Leaders across the religious spectrum have condemned U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream the firing-squad execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, warning that the decision risks turning state-sanctioned killing into public entertainment.

New Lucio Fontana Exhibit Cuts Between The Infinite And The Divine

New Lucio Fontana Exhibit Cuts Between The Infinite And The Divine

(REVIEW) Lucio Fontana’s radical slashed canvases sought to transcend the limits of painting, opening onto infinite space and spiritual possibility. Exploring his Spatialist works alongside his religious sculptures and ceramics, this article examines the connections between abstraction, Christian theology and the unknowable nature of God.

Columbus’ Writings Reveal How Faith And Conquest Were Intertwined

Columbus’ Writings Reveal How Faith And Conquest Were Intertwined

(ANALYSIS) In those texts, the conquest and colonization of the Western Hemisphere were inseparable from religious conversion. His actions echoed in subsequent generations, evident in other Europeans’ efforts to spread Christianity in the Americas.

Pope Leo To Undergo Surgery For Lung Nodule: ‘Thank You For Your Spiritual Closeness’

Pope Leo To Undergo Surgery For Lung Nodule: ‘Thank You For Your Spiritual Closeness’

(ANALYSIS) Pope Leo XIV has spent his papacy carrying the enormous responsibilities of leading the Catholic Church, addressing a world troubled by conflict and division and offering spiritual guidance to millions of faithful. The 71-year-old pontiff now faces a personal challenge: Surgery to remove a small nodule discovered in his lung.

Analysis, Catholicism, Christianity, Health, NewsClemente LisiOctober 11, 2026Clemente Lisi, news, analysis, pope leo xiv, Vatican, health, Primary feature, Christianity, recharge, Secondary featureComment

Sylvester Stallone Revisits ‘Rocky,’ Faith And Redemption In New Memoir

Sylvester Stallone Revisits ‘Rocky,’ Faith And Redemption In New Memoir

The actor’s new memoir, “The Steps,” revisits his journey from struggling actor to Oscar-winning star, framing his life alongside the enduring themes of “Rocky.” As the film nears its 50th anniversary, Stallone reflects on his Christian faith, insecurity, perseverance and the story’s deeper symbolism.

How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Religious Pilgrimages

How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Religious Pilgrimages

(ANALYSIS) Two scholars decided to make a pilgrimage along the Kumano Kodō trail — an ancient route in Japan connecting Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples — guided by an artificial intelligence assistant. The two — Wayne E. Arnold and John A. Shultz — trained an AI companion to suit their travel needs. They were also curious to see how AI would shape their pilgrimage experience.

Southern Faith, Football And Everything in Between

Southern Faith, Football And Everything in Between

(ANALYSIS) The war between Auburn and Alabama has verged on a crusade, with fans so devoted some seem possessed. In the most infamous moment on “The Paul Finebaum Show,” “Al from Dadeville” offered this explanation, quoting former Alabama football player Tommy Lewis, for his poisonous attack that killed Auburn's Toomer's Corner oak trees: “I just have too much ‘Bama in me.”

‘Sowing And Growing’: UK Churches Bring Back Community Gardens

‘Sowing And Growing’: UK Churches Bring Back Community Gardens

More than 9,000 Anglican churches and chapels across the United Kingdom participate in the A Rocha U.K. Eco-Church movement, which encourages congregations to care for the environment around their buildings. This has become a bigger part of church outreach, especially in the six years since the pandemic.

Notre Dame And Villanova To Open Hoops Season In Rome With A Papal Audience

Notre Dame And Villanova To Open Hoops Season In Rome With A Papal Audience

Notre Dame and Villanova will tip off the 2026-27 college basketball season nearly 4,500 miles from their home campuses, with the two schools’ men’s and women’s teams meeting in Rome on Nov. 1 in an international doubleheader billed as the “Eternal City Tip-Off.” The event will also feature an audience with Pope Leo, a Villanova grad and big sports fan.

Catholicism, Christianity, Europe, News, Women, women, Sports, SolutionsClemente LisiOctober 5, 2026Clemente Lisi, college basketball, Villanova, Notre Dame, news, sports, sport, Pope Leo XVI, Vatican, Catholicism, Christianity, women, college, college baseball Comment

Inside Bangalore: India’s City Of Churches Etched In Faith And Memory

Inside Bangalore: India’s City Of Churches Etched In Faith And Memory

(TRAVEL) We Bangaloreans are just a stone’s throw away from a place of worship. And if one threw a stone, chances are it would probably land on one of the beautiful, iconic places of worship in Bangalore. Or perhaps the stone might get stuck in one of the many traffic jams.

Blessing The Beasts: How Animals Are Finding Their Place In Church

Blessing The Beasts: How Animals Are Finding Their Place In Church

Puppies in the pews? Churches worldwide are gearing up to celebrate St. Francis, patron saint of animals, by inviting pets, including goats, cats, tortoises and more into their buildings to receive a special blessing — chaotic comedy often ensues.

Stigmata, Relics And Miracles: Is Strangeness Next To Holiness?

Stigmata, Relics And Miracles: Is Strangeness Next To Holiness?

On this week’s podcast, W. Tyler Allen speaks about his book, which celebrates God’s ability to use the miraculous, the bizarre — and even the downright creepy to connect with his people.

‘Like Christ’s Rebirth’: Forgiveness At The Heart Of Oasis Reunion

‘Like Christ’s Rebirth’: Forgiveness At The Heart Of Oasis Reunion

(REVIEW) Oasis, the Manchester-born rock n’ roll band who defined the 1990s pop scene, were broken up between 2009 and 2024, when they finally announced a reunion tour for 2025. In “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” a newly-released documentary film accompanying last-year’s tour, one fan says the band’s reunion was “like the rebirth of Christ.”

Crossroads Podcast: Catholic Issues Looming Over That Patrick Clancy Interview

Crossroads Podcast: Catholic Issues Looming Over That Patrick Clancy Interview

On this week’s episode, the “60 Minutes” interview featuring Patrick Clancy — ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy — where he talked about the children’s killings in his first televised interview.

Analysis, Catholicism, Christianity, Crime, Marriage, North America, Podcast, Religion, Religion News, Society, Women, womenTerry MattinglySeptember 25, 2026Terry Mattingly, news, analysis, podcast, Catholicism, Christianity, Patrick Clancy, Lindsay Clancy, crime, family, women, rechargeComment

Faith On The Ballot: Guide To The 2026 Midterm Elections

Faith On The Ballot: Guide To The 2026 Midterm Elections

Across several of the country’s most competitive congressional contests, religious identity has become a central issue for many voters. Here’s a look the the Senate and House races where faith has become a major issue.