“We must fight Christian nationalism. It’s what fueled Jan. 6 and the pews in our churches, every Sunday, are filled with them.” That isn’t the only time I’ve heard that ominous warning offered up by an earnest, well-weaning pastor, non-profit leader or Christian influencer. It’s shaped by a narrative repeated often by the press, echoed in a seemingly unlimited new genre of books and accepted as gospel even by many people of faith.
Read MoreIn an age of shrinking theological schools, Wesley Biblical Seminary is defying expectations. While many of the largest and prominent evangelical seminaries across the United States — such as Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Fuller Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary — are downsizing, WBS is growing in enrollment.
Read More(OPINION) What did the Founding Fathers really believe about the role of religion in America? When Franklin, Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison appeared, they were trying to figure out what they believed personally about God even as they debated religion’s role in a fledgling nation. These guys didn’t fit into our 21st century boxes.
Read MoreSince a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake last year killed more than 53,000 people and displaced some 3 million residents according to Turkey’s Interior Ministry, recovery has been slow. More than a year later, the city is quiet, often only disrupted by the sound of construction equipment.
Read MoreWith its manicured greens, blooming azaleas and a spectator menu featuring prices from yesteryear, the scene at Augusta National Golf Club in the first full week of April is, indeed, a tradition unlike any other. The subject of faith can also be raised. Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world who earned his first green jacket in 2022, talked about how the sport doesn’t define him, but his faith does.
Read More(OPINION) There is no neutrality when it comes to Donald Trump. To the contrary, he is arguably the most polarizing figure in America, if not in the world, and at the mention of his name, temperatures rise. To his loyal supporters, he is a courageous hero of superhuman proportions. To his fervent detractors, he is the incarnation of evil itself in exaggerated form. Why, then, does Trump bring such extreme polarization? Why is he so hated?
Read MoreA large majority of U.S. Catholics have a positive view of Pope Francis — although his popularity has slipped since he became pontiff in 2013, a new poll has found. Furthermore, when it comes to whether priests should be allowed to marry, among other hot-button issues, Catholics in the United States remain divided primarily along political lines.
Read MoreChristians are divided on how to address this growing issue. One camp sees this as a problem — something that needs to be solved by helping people get married. The other sees the problem as the privileging of marriage — and that it’s the church that needs to adapt to reflect such societal changes. Here’s what some books are saying about the issue.
Read MoreEven as countless books, newspaper articles and cable TV segments devote intense attention to Christian nationalism, the term has become so pervasive that it risks losing any real meaning, according to a growing group of scholars both on the left and right. Nonetheless, expect its use to grow as another presidential election nears.
Read MoreDespite opposition from Catholic bishops across the continent, the European Union voted on Thursday to enshrine access to abortion as a “fundamental right” in its charter. The proposal — approved 336 votes for to 163 against — was passed in Brussels with support coming primarily from left-wing and centrist members.
Read More(OPINION) Some forms of Christian nationalism pose no imminent threat to American democracy. But there is a new breed of chauvinistic, theologically bull-headed Christian nationalists who might be better called “Christian supremacists.” These hard-liners believe that Christianity deserves a privileged space in American society.
Read More(OPINION) As for those who are not familiar with the term “replacement theology,” or, more technically, “supersessionism,” this refers to the idea that the Church has replaced (or superseded) Israel in God’s plan of salvation, as a result of which, the promises God once gave to national Israel now apply to the church.
Read MoreThe revival of an 1864 Arizona law criminalizing abortions for providers, expectant mothers and advertisers will likely face a November state ballot measure asking voters to enshrine abortion rights in Arizona’s constitution.
Read MoreA new version of the “Jesus Film,” performed in American Sign Language (ASL) by deaf actors and crew members, premiered on April 4 at the Deaf Missions Conference in Arlington, Texas. A broader release of the film portraying Jesus’ life is in the works, Deaf Missions has said, but details have not been announced.
Read More(EXCERPT) Scholars have noted the similarities between the secular turn in our modern world and the ancient pagan one. In his new book, “Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the World life the Early Church,” Stephen Presley considers how the early church engaged a pagan world and what we can learn from them. Here is an excerpt from the book.
Read MoreNorthwoods Church joined others Monday in opening its doors for those wanting to see the last total eclipse to cross the U.S. for another 20 years. More than 100 people and multiple guests from the community took advantage of the view from the church’s property, said Pastor Bobby Pell.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The title, “1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture,” summarizes well this feature documentary, which argues how the misuse of a single word forever changed the course of history. Two researchers trace the origins of a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946 when the Revised Standard Version committee that two poorly understood and rarely-used Greek words would be combined and translated as homosexual.
Read More(ANALYSIS) “Judaism Is About Love” is a new book that thoroughly and poetically shatters the misconception that the God of the Hebrew Bible is about law, while the God of the New Testament is about love. As a result, it creates healthy parameters for disagreement between Jewish and Christian believers.
Read MoreIndia’s increased use of Facial Recognition Technology has led to the arrest of those the government deemed “troublemakers” for their involvement in recent protests. It was not the first time video technology had been used to identify people taking part in such activity against the government. As a result, there’s the potential on the part of police to increasingly target religious minorities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) White evangelicals vote for Trump because White evangelicals are Republicans, and Donald Trump is the standard bearer of the GOP. That’s the same reason they voted for McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012. But have White evangelicals always been Republicans, or is this a very recent phenomenon?
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