On the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s death, a leading scholar on faith and politics sees lessons for Americans today. “One overarching theme emerges again and again: A call for civility, a call for condemnation of extremism and a call to end the divisions and polarizations,” said Matthew Wilson, director of Southern Methodist University’s Center for Faith and Learning.
Read MoreLos Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Clayton Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, talked about their faith — not to mention their family and fastballs — during the team’s Christian Faith and Family Day. Clayton and Ellen — high school sweethearts who married in 2010 — are natives of Dallas and the parents of four children: Cali Ann, Charley, Cooper and Chance.
Read MoreFaith nights at MLB ballparks across the nation feature Christian music, player testimonials and prayers. The theme events are part of marketing efforts to boost baseball’s ticket sales.
Read More(PERSONAL ESSAY) How did I — a child raised into that organization — break free? How can anyone break free of misguided, fundamentalist religious movements or cult-like organizations and, yet, still retain any kind of religious belief?
Read More(TRAVEL) In the center of this Scandinavian capital city, you’ll find a humble museum dedicated to the story of the Bible where a bartender gets to moonlight as a volunteer historian. The Nordic Bible Museum shows up as a blip on some printed tourist maps of the downtown city center but isn’t as well known as Oslo’s stunning Opera House or its fancy “Munch” museum dedicated to painter Edvard Munch.
Read MoreThis week in our Talking to Tech series, we conducted another interview with ChatGPT-4. This was the second in a three-part interview. The first two involve questions specifically relating to the three monotheistic faiths.
Read More(OPINION) It's hard to consider the Big Apple a truly "secular city" when considering the rising number of New Yorkers who are Muslim, Orthodox Jewish, Hindu and evangelical and Pentecostal in Latino, Black, Asian, White and interracial flocks.
Read More(OPINION) Houses of worship are in decline. One reason is Americans’ waning interest in religious institutions. Another may be the change in consumer behavior away from the “average” and toward the large, the online and the small but specialized. Houses of worship can develop hope by learning from the experiences of the retail, financial-services and health care industries.
Read MoreThe celebration of a Hindu festival, Ram Navami, which marks the birth of Lord Ram, was tarnished by violence in late March across 10 Indian states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Delhi and West Bengal. It’s this kind of religious violence and intolerance that belied the surface of diplomatic talks between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to Washington.
Read MoreIf you live in or near Orange County, California — or can be there June 15, 16, 17 or 20 — you might want to attend one of the premiere performances of “Fiat Lux” (Latin for “Let there be light”) by Sir James MacMillan, a work for soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, organ and orchestra based on a five-part libretto by poet Dana Gioia.
Read More(REVIEW) Jelly Roll, a musician with an unusual name, featured in the documentary “Save Me” shows a redemption journey still in progress. The gritty country singer rose to fame with his breakout song “Save Me.” The documentary gives fans a look into a troubled person that has chosen to walk a path of grace through music.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Secrets of Hillsong” uncovers Hillsong culture, abuse and Carl Lentz. The four-part documentary dropped on May 19th. Since Carl Lentz’s fall from grace due to his affair with Ranin Karim, many celebrity gossip and media voices have chimed in to tell Lentz’s story. For the first time since the scandals, both Carl and Laura Lentz tell their own stories in the documentary.
Read More(PHOTO STORY) On Nyepi, which is the most special day of the year in the Balinese Saka Calendar, the island of Bali turns off all lights and sounds, stops all traffic, renounces all worldly activities, and meditates while silence and serenity reign over the entire island.
Read MoreJERUSALEM — Israel’s central — and arguably shameful — role in the global antiquities business was the subject of a Zoom lecture on May 2 sponsored by the W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem and the Palestine Exploration Fund headquartered in London.
Read MoreCanon India uploaded a picture from Kashmir on its social media handles last year. As soon as it reached the audience in Muslim-dominant region, a wave of anger and outrage swept across people after they saw a couple posing for a memorable picture in the backdrop of Hazratbal shrine, which is believed to be the most revered religious place in Kashmir.
Read MoreSteven Spainhouer arrived before most first responders to the scene of the nation’s latest mass shooting. The massacre lasted less than four minutes but left eight dead, including three children, and seven wounded.
Read More(OPINION) Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are good things. But DEI is like trying to change the world through law. There’s a better way: love. I think love is UEE: unity, equality and exclusions.
Read MoreFrom Addis Ababa to Tehran, Daniel Herszberg visited synagogues, schools, cemeteries and Sabbath services in hospitable homes. In Suriname and Poland, in Pakistan and Sudan, Barbados and Brazil, Herszberg not only discovered cherished archives and legacies but connected with locals who shared their stories — both lived and long forgotten. In some instances, he was the first person to have visited Jewish heritage sites in decades.
Read MoreClashing messages about God and guns came a day after an assailant opened fire at a Dallas-area outlet mall, killing eight people — including three children — and wounding seven.
Read MoreA Texas congregation responds to nation’s latest mass shooting with prayer, tears — and discussion of solutions.
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