Posts in Opinion
The World’s Largest Muslim Organization Just Honored Evangelicals

(OPINION) The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the world’s largest Muslim organization, recently welcomed the new leader of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). The two groups aim to further Muslim-Christian relations and counter threats to religious freedom and secular extremism.

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Any kind of turnaround for 'Mainline' Protestantism would be big news, but is it true?

(OPINION) Recent polls show that mainline Protestantism is surpassing evangelicals in the United States. However, this piece explores the complexities of this data, and the ways in which important aspects are often overlooked.

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Canada church fires: Who's behind such acts of hatred?

(OPINION) There have been fires at 10 Canadian churches — mostly Catholic ones — and multiple acts of vandalism this summer. Why? That’s the question more mainstream journalists should be asking. So why not ask it?

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Lawsuits and scarce donors: Religious colleges could be facing tough years ahead

(OPINION) A narrowly-framed Supreme Court victory — the Fulton v. Philadelphia case — will allow Catholic Charities (at least for now) to preserve religious conscience and avoid placing foster children and children available for adoption with same-sex couples, despite the city's non-discrimination statute. However, this does not settle the many similar legal disputes the media will be covering the next few years.

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Pastors and plagiarism: Why an old story is making timely new headlines

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights recent news coverage of plagiarism in the world of faith. Plus, catch up on all the week’s top religion news and best reads.

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Legal but Unethical? This Catholic School Fired a Pregnant Teacher for Sex Outside Marriage

(OPINION) An unmarried Catholic school teacher was dismissed from her position because she became pregnant through engaging in premarital sex. While religious freedom should include the right to remove an employee violating the school’s faith standards, the school could have handled the case of an unwed mother choosing life over abortion much differently.

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What Does It Mean To Be Denied The Eucharist?

(ANALYSIS) The biannual U.S. Catholic bishops’ meeting received more than its usual attention this June due to one particular item on its agenda: a proposed document on the Sacrament of the Eucharist, a ritual also known as Holy Communion. What is the Eucharist, and what does it mean to be denied it?

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Nashville 2021 redux: For Southern Baptists, sermons are how they get their work done

(OPINION) Whenever the Southern Baptist Convention gathers in times of trials and turmoil, one thing is certain – someone will preach a sermon that makes a difference. That's how Southern Baptists do what they do. These sermons may not produce as many headlines as SBC elections or fiery debates about hot-button social issues, but the sermons matter.

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Communion wars: Why does Biden take the Eucharist and support abortion?

(OPINION) What’s important to remember is that as Catholics our faith is not a set of political positions that we hold on a variety of issues. Our faith is rooted in what Jesus said about God’s purpose and his will for every person. That has been transmitted to all of us in the gospels, through centuries of church tradition and Canon Law.

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Following the Wars Inside the Southern Baptist Convention

(ANALYSIS) It's hard to follow warfare inside the Southern Baptist Convention without a working knowledge of biblical symbolism. Here is a recap of some of the images and references at play.

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A Brief History: How the Black Church Reformed American Christianity

(OPINION) After centuries of slavery and racial persecution in U.S. history, a fascinating era emerged when the Bible was used to promote peace and equality rather than strife and subjugation.

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Are Mainline Protestants Less Susceptible to Sexual Abuse Scandals?

(OPINION) Standard news judgment automatically puts the spotlight on hot disputes in the nation's two largest religious sectors — white evangelicalism and Catholicism. Meanwhile, the media consistently downplay the third-ranking religious category, "Mainline" Protestantism. Do these “Mainliners” hold insights into how to mitigate sexual abuse scandals in churches?

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A Boom In Pandemic Home-Schooling Tees Up Conflicts Over Religion, Rights and Regulation

(OPINION) The Census Bureau reports the “unprecedented environment” during the COVID-19 pandemic fueled a boom in “pandemic pods” as well as parents considering virtual schools and home-school organizations beyond the neighborhood public school. The Census Bureau reported home-schooling among Black or African Americans increased by five times to 16.1% of households last fall.

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The Exhibit 'Otherwise/Revival' at Bridge Projects Explores Impact Of Azusa Street Revival In L.A.

(REVIEW) “Otherwise/Revival” was co-curated by Cara Lewis and independent curator Jasmine McNeal. It presents the work of 31 contemporary artists exploring the impact that the Black church and, more specifically, the Black Pentecostal movement has had on their lives.

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