'Highway to Heaven' 30 years later: Remembering a show about something

What if you met a man who told you he was an angel? Would you believe him? That was the premise of the groundbreaking NBC show, which ended its five-season run 30 years ago this summer.

Film & TV, Religion, Society, Opinion, CultureClemente LisiJuly 16, 2019Television, Clemente Lisi, angels, prayer, Michael Landon, divine intervention, God, Christianity, Judaism, Seinfeld, Secondary Feature Comments

Reporters need help from canon lawyers to explain California’s confession bill

(COMMENTARY) Religious freedom, an old-school liberal issue now largely taken up by conservatives, is often lost in mainstream news coverage. Lost in this coverage is an issue of such importance to Roman Catholics, that it may very well be the biggest fallout to come from years of clerical sex abuse when it comes to how it affects the law.

Analysis, Religion, Politics, North America, OpinionClemente LisiJuly 11, 2019Clemente Lisi, Roman Catholic, Christianity, Religious Freedom, confession, sacrament, CaliforniaComment

Ideological fight club as a millennial religion

(COMMENTARY) We often hear discussion about whether religion causes violence or makes the world more violent. But maybe we should discuss if, in the absence of true religion, violence can become a religion?

Duterte’s moral crusade against drugs is targeting the Catholic Church

(NEWS ANALYSIS) Rodrigo Duterte has wasted no time going after clergy, particularly when the church began opposing his human rights record. His bloody war against drugs has shocked the church, but has been met largely with approval from his supporters.

Asia, Politics, Religion, Analysis, OpinionClemente LisiJuly 9, 2019Clemente Lisi, Christianity, Catholic Church, Rodrigo Duterte, The Philippines, Primary Feature, drugs, primary feature, secondary feature, Secondary Feature

As American priests dwindle, Catholics prepare to debate clergy celibacy vs. marriage

(COMMENTARY) Survey results have shown that many American Catholics are ready for married priests.

Religion, Opinion, North AmericaTerry MattinglyJuly 5, 2019Terry Mattingly, American Catholics, married priests, priest marriage, clergy marriages, celibacy, Amazon, bishops, viri probati, Pope Francis, conservative Catholics, liberal Catholics, Catholicism, Christianity

Seeking A Catholic News Angle To America's Birthday

(ANALYSIS) Walking around Washington, D.C., is a reminder of how much religious faith and this nation’s founding are connected, in terms of personalities and big themes. God is everywhere in this country’s past and the monuments that populate this wonderful city are a reminder of it.

Analysis, North America, Religion, OpinionClemente LisiJuly 4, 2019Clemente Lisi, July 4, Catholic church, Christianity, United States

Christian author Karen Swallow Prior reflects on suffering after being hit by a bus

(COMMENTARY) In her book On Reading Well, the Liberty University professor says that in an age of noise, confusion and intolerance – it's more important than ever for families and congregations to help believers learn to enjoy and absorb great stories from great books.

Religion, Opinion, Books, Culture, North AmericaTerry MattinglyJune 27, 2019Terry Mattingly, Karen Swallow Prior, On Reading Well, Christianity, Liberty University, #ChurchToo

Vatican's soccer team had little choice but refuse to play in Austria

(COMMENTARY) The women’s soccer team representing the Vatican — yes, the Vatican has a women’s soccer team — canceled its planned international debut in Austria when sports, religion and politics made for a bad mix.

Pilgrimage: Normandy and Lourdes defy France's secularism

(OPINION) Two very different French sites — Lourdes, one of the holiest in the world for Roman Catholics, and the American cemetery at Normandy — have the ability to bring visitors closer to God in very different ways.

Europe, Religion, Society, Travel, OpinionClemente LisiJune 24, 2019Jewish, Christianity, Roman Catholic, France, Notre Dame, Lourdes, Normandy, Clemente Lisi, Primary Feature, Secondary Feature, secondary feature, secularism

Keep McCarrick in the news by educating readers

(COMMENTARY) On the one-year anniversary of the revelations that exposed the past misdeeds of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the story doesn’t look like it is subsiding anytime soon.

Analysis, North America, Politics, Opinion, ReligionClemente LisiJune 19, 2019Christianity, Catholic church, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, Clemente Lisi, Clergy sex abuse, Primary Feature, Secondary Feature

How to report religion angles of 'UFO sightings'

(COMMENTARY) A recent UFO sighting by the US Navy made news but not many delved into the religious implications of intelligent design or life beyond Earth.

Religion, Science, North America, OpinionRichard OstlingJune 17, 2019Richard Ostling, science fiction, aliens, ufos, Siegel, US Navy, intelligent design, intelligent life, UFO, Alien, Christianity

Director Franco Zeffirelli's faith inspired his best movies

(COMMENTARY) The Italian director is known for many things, but will be most remembered for is his deep Roman Catholic faith, his an ardent support for the anti-abortion movement and his 1977 masterpiece movie Jesus of Nazareth.

Film & TV, Europe, Primary Feature, Religion, Opinion, CultureClemente LisiJune 15, 2019Roman Catholic, Christianity, movies, Franco Zeffirelli, Jesus of Nazareth, Clemente Lisi, films, Primary Feature, Secondary Feature, Oscars, Academy Awards

Is the Vatican playing a game of 'wag the dog' with the American press?

(COMMENTARY) Pope Francis is a great example of an international leader whose handlers like to control the message. Not too different from the White House press office, where access can often be very limited. That makes the papal news conference, the one that takes place aboard the pope’s flight on the way to Rome at the end of very trip, very important.

Analysis, Europe, Religion, OpinionClemente LisiJune 13, 2019Roman Catholic, Christianity, Clemente Lisi, Vatican, Pope Francis, Theodore McCarrick, American press

Southern Baptists aren't doing enough for sexual abuse victims

(COMMENTARY) The Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting wrapped up Wednesday by taking an “action” against sexual abuse that is a way of distancing itself from churches that have mishandled sexual abuse instead of reaching out to victims.

Primary Feature, Religion, Women, Opinion, North AmericaMeagan SaliashviliJune 12, 2019Meagan Clark, SBC, #ChurchToo, #metoo, sexual abuse, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Southern Baptists, Southern Baptist Convention, southern baptist convention 2019, Beth Moore, Matt Chandler, Primary Feature, Christianity

Tips on reporting from this week's annual Southern Baptist Convention meet

(COMMENTARY) The SBC is expected to discuss a sex abuse study and complementarian views on gender that prohibit women pastors.

North America, Religion, OpinionRichard OstlingJune 11, 2019Richard Ostling, SBC, Southern Baptist Convention, sex abuse, J.D. Greear, complentarian, women pastors, Baptist Press, Baptist news, Christianity

The real story of America's bloody struggle for religious freedom

We talked with Steven Waldman, founder of BeliefNet and author of the new book Sacred Liberty, about America’s battles for religious freedom— how the notion that the US was founded with religious liberty in mind is wrong— our current challenges for preserving it, and much more.

Abortion news coverage needs to include various faith traditions

(COMMENTARY) What has been lacking throughout the ongoing abortion debate, from a media coverage standpoint, has been broader context. This is especially true of covering those who are adamantly opposed to abortion.

Analysis, Health, North America, Politics, OpinionClemente LisiJune 5, 2019Christianity, Catholic church, catholicism, abortion, politics, Clemente Lisi, Secondary Feature, women, social media

Pope vs. populists: European election results highlight Catholic divisions

(NEWS ANALYSIS) Never shy about brandishing a rosary or invoking God’s help, Italy’s Matteo Salvini has provided voters in the recent European elections with an alternative to Pope Francis’ pro-migrant stance and the church’s traditional social teachings.

Looking to C.S. Lewis for what it means to be a good Christian

(COMMENTARY) Christians cannot earn their way into God’s good graces by voting for a certain political party. Christians are freely granted God’s grace purely through their faith. If one believes that the only way to be a “good Christian” is to vote for a specific party, he or she is missing the big picture of Christianity.