On Jan. 22, pastor Carlos Nzolameso received a call from a member of his congregation who was searching for a roommate. Evaristo Kalonji had not shown up to work. Several congregants also reached out to Nzolameso, concerned that Kalonji, an asylum seeker from Angola, was missing. Nzolameso, who leads Maine’s Rehoboth Christian Church, said Kalonji, is like a son.
Read MoreAllen was a journalist who was a Catholic and an active Catholic who was a real journalist, and he fought to balance that equation in his daily reporting. His death on Jan. 22, after a long battle with cancer, left a strategic hole in Catholic life.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Beyond the debate over who is polarized in the U.S., there’s an adjacent, and perhaps more critical, discussion I want to tackle today: What drives polarized views? There is ample reason to think that religiosity impacts views on topics like abortion, same-sex marriage, and gender identity.
Read More(ESSAY) Flee the clamor of urban life, and take a drive through this beautiful desert and wilderness area. Meet three faith leaders who found the solitude and peace they were looking for — and who ultimately made this stunning landscape their home. Across New Mexico, religious communities locate themselves in remote areas in order to gain solitude and silence.
Read MoreAn affidavit describes how protesters disrupted a Jan. 18 service at Minneapolis’ Cities Church, frightening worshippers, blocking parents from children, and forcing families to flee. Federal agents say organizers targeted the church over alleged ICE ties, leading to arrests and civil rights conspiracy charges under an 1871 federal law statute.
Read MoreWhen the Pew Research Center asked Mainers what religions they followed, the most common answer wasn’t Catholicism or Evangelical Protestantism. It was “nothing in particular.” But there’s more to the story.
Read MoreTravis Reger claims he was abused in 1984 at the age of 10 by a leader in the Royal Rangers at Albany First Assembly of God church in Oregon. Although he says his father confronted the pastor, Stan Baker, about the leader’s behavior, nothing happened. The leader was convicted in 1988 for abusing two other boys.
Read MoreSince December, the Department of Homeland Security has deployed about 3,000 federal agents to the state where Minnesotas’s Tim Walz — the 2024 running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris — serves as governor. Over that time, ICE agents have killed two people, unleashing violence and protests across Minneapolis.
Read MoreIn the second half of the State of Discipleship study, Lifeway Research studied churchgoers’ levels of discipleship by asking dozens of questions related to Christian doctrine and practice. Analysis of their answers reveals eight characteristics that are consistently present in the lives of believers who are progressing in their spiritual maturity.
Read MoreUntil temperatures rise high enough and long enough to make roads more accessible, response to a winter storm stretching from Texas to the Northeast is going to have a more local focus, officials said.
Read More(ANALYSIS) So, the question remains: “How does Christianity grow?” Now, though, we can say that history gives us a clear answer. It does not grow via the machinery of the Evangelical Industrial Complex, with church growth consultants, big rallies and massive social media platforms. These things are not necessarily bad — they are just irrelevant.
Read MoreChurches across the U.S. use Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program to build lasting relationships with families of incarcerated parents. What began as a Christmas outreach expanded into year-round ministry, providing practical support, spiritual care, and community connections that strengthened churches, families and neighborhoods.
Read MoreDavid Halimi grew up Jewish in Tehran, watching “Bonanza.” He now produces rodeos in Northern California and owns a bar modeled on “Cheers.” At 73, Halimi is known as the man behind a Western wear store stocked with cowboy boots, a rodeo circuit and a U-shaped bar where locals joke about who might be the town’s version of Norm.
Read MoreMicah Waldman ranks each denomination in four categories after attending a Sunday service: Worship, sermon, hospitality and overall environment. He has no desire to change denominations himself — but instead to experience them himself and educate others about the differences in practice.
Read MoreThe Pennsylvania governor’s new memoir, “Where We Keep the Light,” explores his Jewish identity, principled stances on Israel and political risks. He recounts antisemitic attacks, early ties to Israel and his refusal to soften controversial views during 2024 VP vetting, offering a candid reflection ahead of a potential 2028 run.
Read MoreDuring this tense moment in journalism, will Southern Baptist leaders return telephone calls from elite newsrooms or will they choose to speak to “conservative” and “religious” publications, alone?
Read MoreFederal authorities announced arrests after activists disrupted a Minneapolis Southern Baptist church service to protest ICE activities. Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and two others were charged under an 1871 conspiracy statute. Church leaders have condemned the protest, while activists called it a peaceful demonstration.
Read More(REVIEW) The faith-based film industry is going through major changes. It’s starting to break into the mainstream, with critical and box office success. As a result, there’s a new film genre called “based faith” targeting conservative, Christian male audiences, but if “The Pendragon Cycle: Rise of the Merlin” premiere is any indication, this new genre has a rocky road ahead.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Sam Kinison, the famed comedian, is remembered for his intensity, volcanic punchlines and the wild nights that carried him far beyond the boundaries most people never cross. But long before the fame, he lived in a world far more holier. Born into a family of Pentecostal preachers, he grew up where faith was the structure around which life revolved.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Buckle up, readers, because we’re about to do a deep dive into an important but difficult-to-grasp concept in the social sciences. It’s called age-period-cohort (APC) effects. Let me start by showing you a simple graph.
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