It appears that Emily Harrison — creator of the “Dear Christian Parent” website — is some kind of religious countercultural radical. By the way, for me “radical” is a compliment when discussing matters of digital-screen culture. The question is what brand of faith-based radical she is, since her Substack’s “about” page offers classic nondenominational-era language: “Believer in Jesus. Wife. Mother. Writer & Speaker on kids and screen time. ScreenStrong Ambassador.”
Read More(REVIEW) The documentary “Gothix” tells the story of popular Twitch streamer Vanessa Rosa (known online as “Gothix”) who, having achieved her dream of being a full-time internet personality, loses it all when she states a controversial opinion that makes her the target of a concentrated harassment and boycott campaign by her friends and peers. “Gothix” is a timely documentary about the universality of cancel culture and how faith may hold the answer to navigating it.
Read MorePassover ended a little over a week ago. The big question now is what do you do with all the leftover matzo? That’s what many Jews are asking themselves now that the eight-day holiday — in commemoration of the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt — has passed.
Read MoreThe Jewish festival of Passover recalls the biblical story of the Israelites enslaved by Egypt and their miraculous escape. During a ritual feast known as a Seder, families celebrate this ancient story of deliverance, with each new generation reminded to never take freedom for granted. Every year, a written guide known as a “Haggadah” is read at the Seder table.
Read MoreGrammy Award-winning contemporary Christian singer Mandisa Lynn Hundley, a former Lifeway Christian Resources employee and top-10 “American Idol” finisher, was found dead on April 18 at her Nashville home, her publicist announced on social media. No cause of death was given.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Congress of the XXV World Russian People’s Council, headed by Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, issued a document on March 27 entitled: “The Present and Future of the Russian World.” In the document, the leadership of the XXV World Russian People’s Council describes the conflict in Ukraine as a “Holy War.”
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 More(REVIEW) It’s a shame that “Solo Planet” has such a ho-hum subtitle: “How Singles Help the Church Recover Our Calling.” It should be: “An Intrepid Reporter Surveys Christian Singles on Six Continents during a Whirlwind 17-month Tour.” Which is what Anna Broadway did. Having already written one book on singles, this 40-something single evangelical woman noticed that most literature on the topic came from an English-speaking, American perspective.
Read MoreFor decades, the people of northern New Mexico have marked the Christian observance of Good Friday with a walking pilgrimage to the Santuario de Chimayó in the village of Chimayó, New Mexico. Referring to themselves as Hispanos, or Nuevomexicanos, they have lived in the region for generations.
Read MoreEven though the days of slavery and indentured labor in South Africa are long gone, the Hindu and Muslim festivities that take place on Easter weekend have become beloved occasions for their respective communities. In a variety of ways, South African Hindus and Muslims have made the Christian holiday their own.
Read MoreMuslim athletes face a unique challenge when Ramadan coincides with their training and competition schedules. Throughout the month-long period, practicing Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, abstaining from both food and drink. For athletes, this can be particularly demanding as they need to maintain their energy and performance levels.
Read More“Dune: Part Two” has been a massive hit at the box office, making back the first movie’s entire ticket take on its opening weekend and narrowly beating the opening of “Oppenheimer.” And with a Rotten Tomatoes critical and audience score over 90%, many are already calling it one of the best sequels of all time. Here’s what the movie says about religion and those who practice it.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Holy Week and Easter are perhaps the most important days in the Christian calendar. Many associate those celebrations with church services, processions, candles, incense, fasting and penances. However, there is another tradition that many Christians follow — that of tattooing.
Read MoreNot everyone will be enjoying chocolate this Valentine’s Day. For the first time since 2018, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day. In fact, this rare occurrence is taking place once again in less than a week. It has happened three times in the last century — 1923, 1934 and 1945 — and will happen again in 2029.
Read MoreOn 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.
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