(ANALYSIS) When it comes to hot dogs, there’s always a nagging question in the back of my mind (and possibly yours): What are they made of, exactly? That’s why, even though I don’t keep kosher, on the rare occasion that I do eat a hot dog, I prefer a kosher brand. But now, thanks to Joey Chestnut’s endorsement of Impossible Foods’ vegan hot dog, I’m wondering if I should forsake my usual go-to, Hebrew National, for meatless.
Read MoreFrom his grandparent’s home in Germany to Texas soccer arenas, from rage at God to full-time ministry, the Rev. Rene’ Devantier’s journey from unbelief to faith has led him to vow that everyone feels welcome at Fowler United Methodist Church. Born in Berlin, Germany, to parents too young to care for him, one of Devantier’s earliest memories is of Child Protective Services coming to his home.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I guess there is a question that motivates this post but it’s about as simple as it’s going to get: How is Joe Biden doing among a bunch of different religious groups? Asking about presidential approval is about as straightforward as it gets, and the question was posed in the Fall of 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Read More(OPINION) Since 2016, in private conversations and in responses from newspaper readers, the question I’ve probably been asked more consistently than any other is: “How do you account for White evangelicals’ devotion to Donald Trump?” So I’ve taken stabs at answering that question. But more often than not I’ve ended up shrugging and saying, “I don’t know. I don’t get it, either.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) A Louisiana bill signed into law on June 19 requires displays of the Bible’s revered Ten Commandments in all public classrooms, even at the university level. Religious and nonreligious citizens immediately joined national lobbies in a federal court complaint that the law must be overturned for violating the U.S. Constitution’s ban on “establishment of religion” by the government.
Read MoreThe Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from former reality TV star and Christian activist Josh Duggar regarding his conviction for downloading child sex abuse material. The nation’s highest court made no comment or notes on its decision to decline. Instead, the court just listed Duggar’s case as one in several petitions that were denied.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When Pope Francis addressed a group of top international comedians on June 14, he called them artists and stressed the value of their talents. To many Catholics, this meeting came as a surprise. Traditionally, the themes of detachment, sacrifice, humility and repentance appear far more frequently in religious writing and preaching than the spiritual benefits of a good laugh.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Christian colleges and universities are in a tough spot. Spiraling costs and shrinking demographics, plus technological and other cultural concerns, are putting unprecedented pressure on them. That’s why the news from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Mich., caught my attention. John Fea, writing for Current, broke the news that “Cornerstone University fires tenured professors and terminates all humanities and arts programs.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Ireland is sometimes dubbed the “land of saints and scholars.” A Google search reveals a fair number of Irish scholars, but there really haven't been that many Irish saints, at least not since the advent of papal canonization. In fact, when St. Oliver Plunkett — the final known Catholic martyr to die under English persecution — was canonized in 1975, he became the first new Irish saint since 1225. That's a gap of three-fourths of a millennium.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Thoughtful Christians do need to speak up. During the late 20th century Marxist-Christian syncretism was a major problem, but Christian nationalism has much more influence within the evangelical world now and is, right now, the greater danger. In “Untangling Critical Race Theory,” Ed Uszynski writes, “Too often Christian commentary denounces CRT while making light of the real problems it seeks to address.”
Read MoreA grease fire that severely burned Richard Inyang on his stomach, arms, hands and upper thighs could have killed him. But it didn’t. As the Minnesota preacher sees it, the Lord still has a purpose for him. After his brush with death, the longtime missionary from Nigeria has no doubt about that.
Read More(ANALYSIS) While political pundits do their jobs in analyzing the presidential debate, I’ll do my job as a spiritual leader and encourage us to keep our priorities straight. In short, as I posted earlier this year, preach Jesus and vote for your presidential candidate of choice, based on scriptural principles. But do not preach your candidate. To do so is to defile your witness.
Read MoreMillions continue to suffer religious persecution globally, with wars and civil conflicts exacerbating already existing ills in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the U.S. State Department documented in its 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom. The report attempts to present an overview of persecution by governments, extremists and members of society, relying on information from government officials, religious groups, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, academia and the media.
Read MoreKosovo is a region in the heart of Europe that offers visitors an amazing journey through nature, history and religion. Despite its rich history and beautiful views, tourists had avoided Kosovo for years because of the ethnic conflict between Albanians and Serbs.
Read MoreThe timing was awkward, to say the least, for the recording of this week’s “Crossroads” podcast. Lutheran Public Radio listeners who heard this chat live heard us discussing an alleged “debate” between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump that had not yet taken place. Ditto for anyone who immediately downloaded the Issues, Etc., audio file.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Exorcism” is a beautifully shot and smartly conceived meta-take on the exorcism genre. Unfortunately, instead of developing or paying off its ideas, it abandons them in favor of an unreflective string of the very cliches it spent the rest of the movie deconstructing. Russell Crowe stars as Anthony Miller, a washed-up actor out of rehab trying to reconnect with his troubled daughter.
Read MoreIn a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the case of Idaho and Moyle v. U.S. back to the Ninth Circuit Court in a ruling released on Thursday. The case involves a conflict between state law and the Biden Administration’s use of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
Read MoreThe Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked on June 25 a publicly funded religious charter school that would have been the first in the U.S. The state’s contract creating a religious charter school violates state and federal law and is unconstitutional, the court wrote, siding with Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in his challenge to the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
Read More(EXPLAINER) The Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates on Friday the Feast of St. Vitus (in Serbian Vidovdan), commemorating the Battle of Kosovo against the Ottoman Turks, which took place in 1389. St. Vitus Day is a Serbian national and religious holiday. Here’s everything you need to know about the feast day.
Read MoreMost churchgoers believe Christians have a good reputation with Americans in general, but they worry those feelings are starting to sour. A Lifeway Research study finds 53% of U.S. Protestant churchgoers say most Americans have a positive perception of Christians. Two in five (40%) disagree and 8% aren’t sure.
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