(OPINION) This season of Epiphany, which we are now in, affords us the opportunity to honor Christ’s manifestation and ministry in the world. Epiphanytide invites us to reflect on the role of religious freedom and religious literacy in Christ’s manifestation to the world. This is perhaps even more relevant in light of the Capitol violence last week.
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(OPINION) To combat a plague of Christian nationalism, seen on display in the recent Capitol violence, Christian leaders should teach the right Christian theology: that Christians should never seek to have the government privilege one religious group over another, God gives good ideas to all people, not only Christians, and our advocacy in the public square should not pretend everyone believes the Bible.
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(OPINION) Mattingly looks into Rev. Daniel Darling’s “Christians and Conspiracy Theories," outlining the danger of impulsive Christian social media posts and how it makes the faith seem “less attractive.” This sort of online community aided in harboring the Capitol siege on Jan. 6.
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(OPINION) “A republic, if you can keep it” still threatens the U.S. political system to this day. After the ‘Capitol coup',’ the dangers of mob rule were brought to the surface. Are we trying to “keep” our republic?
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(OPINION) The violence at the Capitol on Wednesday was a horrific assault on our essential democratic institutions, but it calls attention to the importance of sustaining the institutions of government, even when those institutions themselves are flawed.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the key religion angles related to Wednesday’s violence by a pro-Trump insurrectionist mob at the U.S. Capitol. Plus, check out all the week’s top reads in the world of faith.
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(OPINION) Conservative-leaning Christians, who are being blamed nationally and globally for making a Trump presidency possible, should be in the vanguard of this honorable undertaking to restore American democracy.
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(OPINION) Christian analyst advocates for the third way for Christian voters — to vote with the passion for people that liberals have and the economic policies that conservatives advocate for. He encourages Christians to be Unaffiliated, voting based on faith instead of party lines.
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(ANALYSIS) Mike Pence has remained one of the only constants in the often chaotic Trump administration. But that humility and loyalty are being tested as his tenure as vice president draws to an end.
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(OPINION) The high court’s ruling on whether Gordon College, an evangelical school, can require its professors to adhere to its doctrinal statement on LGBTQ relationships could have nationwide impacts. The arguments hinge on whether professors at religious institutions qualify for “ministerial exemption” from workplace anti-discrimination laws because of their role in faith formation of the students.
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(OPINION) After I became a Christian in 1973, in my early 20s, I lost interest in politics for a while, because there were new spiritual dimensions of reality to investigate and map. But around 1978 something awakened my interest again. That was the campaign in Santa Ana, Calif., to run the Rescue Mission out of town. I realized that a lot of land use law in our country is based on a not very Christian concept of who is “undesirable neighbors.”
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in celebrates the most popular — and most unsung — journalism produced by Religion Unplugged in 2020.
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(OPINION) The issue of genocide outside of the U.S. borders has been persisting for years in countries like Cambodia, Bosnia and Rowanda. There is a blatant disregard in the U.S. to understand and get involved, leading to very little preventative action before the genocide begins.
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(OPINION) Terry Mattingly analyzes the Religion News Association’s Top 10 religious beat stories list. He believes that the most important COVID-19 related story should be specifically about the issue of 1st Amendment Rights as they relate to having in-person church services.
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(OPINION) Metzger analyzes the time period between Advent and Lent, known as “secular,” and explains its importance to the extraordinary nature of life—not just the year 2020.
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(OPINION) In some countries, the lack of religious freedom and the threat of Christian persecution casts a dark shadow across Christmas festivities and celebrations. It is not unusual for fanatical, iron-fisted governments to make the Advent season a time of intensified fear and real danger. Many Christians, despite their faith and devotion, have little opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
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In a special year-end edition of Weekend Plug-in, the nation’s top religion writers share their top stories of 2020.
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(OPINION) Ongoing fights about the First Amendment and religious liberty are likely to prove the most newsworthy, but two other themes deserve attention as well.
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(OPINION) Evaluating Catholic nuns and their projects to help the poor dampened the cynicism of a skeptic and lapsed Episcopalian who studies religion. Sister Rosemary is one such nun who has devoted her life to sheltering and empowering women and children who fled violence in Uganda.
Read More(OPINION) Rather than preparing for a joyous Christmastide, believers are making tough decisions about how to celebrate during a season some call COVID-tide. No one knows what will happen, especially in Protestant flocks where holiday traditions are more flexible and evolve from year to year.
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