(COMMENTARY) A new biography on the famous African-American abolitionist explores his public and private life, including his Protestant (and anti-Catholic) faith.
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(COMMENTARY) Libresco wants to encourage Christian hospitality to go beyond typical young adult gatherings offering shallow chitchat over wine and cheese.
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A review of the book From Fire, By Water, which recounts Sohrab Ahmari’s spiritual journey from revolutionary Iran to membership in the Communist Party before he finds a spiritual home in the Roman Catholic church.
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It may be the one issue in America capable of uniting Mormons, Native Americans, Roman Catholics and Evangelical Christians. The issue of religious liberty has, in recent years, increasingly galvanized people of many faith traditions in the United States to unite against secular forces. One of its most-vocal backers and eloquent advocates is opinion journalist David French.
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(ANALYSIS) A new documentary, Surviving R Kelly, focuses on allegations of Kelly’s sexual misconduct without exploring his departure from a religious upbringing.
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The popular Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo has many influences from Shintoism, the native religion of Japan.
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In western parts of Nepal, menstruating girls and women are sent to cow sheds or huts despite a law banning the practice. The Nepalis in Myanmar also treat the practice as an integral part of their culture. Nandar Gyawalli is calling for the abolition of this tradition which recently claimed the lives of a mother and two sons in Nepal.
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(COMMENTARY) Handel’s “Messiah” — the Easter cantata that is so frequently heard at Christmastime — is probably the most-performed and most-beloved piece of great music ever written.
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The Swedish Academy is a famous institution, awarding the Nobel Prize in Literature since 1901. This year, there will be no winner awarded. On December 10, traditionally the day of the Prize Award Ceremony and banquet, for the first time in 70 years, one chair will be empty.
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William Buckley’s ability to articulate a strong national defense, need for small government and a devotion to God and traditional values became the bedrock of the modern American conservative movement. It was Buckley’s Catholic faith that proved central to his life and ideology. He was a man who not only lived his devotion daily, but one that helped to inspire future generations of politicians, thinkers and broadcasters.
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Deeply stirring documentary “Emanuel” about the 2015 Charleston Church shooting, directed by Brian Ivie, unearths a hidden parallel tale of living amidst hate. The film, which premiered on November 14 at the New York Documentary Festival, shows how one community chose to respond to tragedy with forgiveness.
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(COMMENTARY) Marvel Comics’ creative genius Stan Lee revolutionized the comic book world with super-heroes who were flawed, insecure and prone to evil forces. What’s lesser known or asked is where Lee’s storytelling perspective came from and how his mix of religious beliefs informed the Marvel universe.
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Last year local audiences to Tariq Mir’s stage plays and TV serials laughed at him and his troop of little people, or “dwarves” as they are sometimes called in India. His big break came when a Bollywood director tweeted a selfie with him at a film festival that went viral. Now Tariq sees it as his mission to change the stigma around dwarfism in Indian theater and cinema.
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(COMMENTARY) The Religion Guy answers whether evangelical and charismatic Christians can worship together.
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Author and scientist Michael Guillen warns that scientists are working to resurrect extinct species and robots have made leaps and bounds. He says Christians must take this opportunity to provide wisdom to a world so obsessed with scientific progress without considering the ramifications.
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(COMMENTARY) The Catholic Church’s “bad guys” aren’t women, but men accused of molesting children and teens over the last few decades. Those who were victimized were children, teens and young people – all in large part males. The solution to the Catholic Church’s ills won’t come from the clergy – certainly not if Pope Francis and others protect the likes of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick – but from the flock. And it will be women who will lead the way.
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Nestled between flashy carnival games, noisy food vendors and large, sweaty crowds, the small shrine of St. Gennaro glows and quietly blends in with the party atmosphere along Mulberry Street in New York’s Little Italy
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Since the premiere of Sacha Baron Cohen’s Who is America?, many people have compared the British provocateur comedian to American conservative political activist James O’Keefe of Project Veritas. Their tactics are similar. Both don false identities and provoke subjects to say or do unsavory things on camera and both violate standard journalism ethics.
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(COMMENTARY) The Republic of South Sudan is one of the world’s misery portals. Since its independence in 2011, it has known little else but war, poverty, hunger and political infighting among its power elites. South Sudan sought to secede from its northern neighbor, Sudan, in large part over religion. A newly brokered power-sharing agreement could change things for the better. However, those in the international media paying close attention to South Sudan note that we’ve been here before.
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(COMMENTARY) The International Football Association Board's "Laws of the Game" – used at the FIFA World Cup – state: "Equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images." This rule "applies to all equipment (including clothing) worn by players," according to IFAB guidelines. BUT Does this apply to religious symbols woven into the flags and traditions of many nations?
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