(OPINION) For the Rev. Duane Beachey, the central miracle of the early church was its willingness to abolish racial barriers. Too often, Beachey said, although Christians “claim to take the Bible quite literally from Genesis to Revelation, they don’t take the words of Jesus literally most of the time.”
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in summary opens with an interview with Bob Smietana, author of the new book “Reorganized Religion.” Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief is a day designated by the U.N. to combat intolerance, discrimination and violence against persons based on religion or belief. Over the recent years, we have witnessed several cases of the most egregious atrocities where religion or belief have been abused as a tool of discrimination and violence resulting in atrocities.
Read More(OPINION) The Hillbilly Thomists are a “musical collective” of Dominicans, most of whom have Bible Belt roots. The band of priests and brothers recently staged a concert in the Grand Ole Opry and over the past decade has recorded three albums of music that would sound at home at Appalachian fairs but not in most church halls.
Read More(OPINION) Anyone can pervert a symbol, but is doing so a news story? How widespread is this extremist behavior? There are all things you can’t quantify and certainly a job that The Atlantic team failed to do. The rosary has always been something the press has failed to understand or perhaps has even feared.
Read More(OPINION) 29% of the adult population currently self-describes as either atheist, agnostic or — by far the biggest category — “nothing in particular” regarding religion. Americans depend on what’s called “organized religion,” actual face-to-face gatherings now weakened by both COVID and societal undertow. Organized secularism simply cannot offer a substitute for building and serving communities.
Read More(OPINION) Religion News Service columnist Jana Riess is a reporter on her faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Given the faith’s 21st century growth alongside setbacks elsewhere in American religion, national and regional media could combine doctrine changes with how Reiss explains the church has fared during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in explores why a Texas district removed 41 books, including the Bible and a graphic novel version of “Anne Frank’s Diary,” from its school libraries. Plus, as always, catch up on the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreGlobal South Anglicans are experiencing a "volcano of growth" and remain "at loggerheads" with the shrinking churches of the United Kingdom, North America and other Western nations. While most Global South bishops serve growing flocks — roughly 75% of active worshippers in the 77-million-member Anglican Communion — many Western bishops lead what Goodhew called "micro-dioceses" with under 1,000 active members or "mini-dioceses" with fewer than 5,000.
Read More(OPINION) Jesus said God’s commandments were love God with all your heart, and love other people as much as yourself. That’s it. So why do Christians so routinely miss it? Why do nearly all of us fail to obey the gospel’s very foundation?
Read More(OPINION) Grand Rapids, as much as any northern town a symbolic buckle on an established Bible (especially Calvinist) Belt outside of the South, is divided this election season. Underscoring hopes to flip the Michigan seat, House Democrats’ campaign arm horrified some party stalwarts by spending $435,000 on ads to boost John Gibbs’s name recognition, while undercutting Peter Meijer as the far stronger November opponent.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in details the latest on the fatal shootings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) While Canterbury is urging Anglicans to keep “walking together,” the 2022 Lambeth Conference demonstrated that many of the Anglican Communion’s bishops can no longer even receive the Eucharist together because of conflicts over sexuality.
Read More(OPINION) Gambling addictions are as real as drug and alcohol addictions, and in their own unique way, they can be just as destructive. That’s why the rise of sports-related gambling has gotten my attention. It really is everywhere.
Read More(OPINION) Being old doesn’t feel much different from being middle-aged. I’d always expected something dramatic. A grand demarcation. Instead, I’m pretty much doing what I’ve done forever. But when you’re old, you may have 20 wonderful years left or 20 minutes. You wake up in the morning, cross yourself (even if you’re not Catholic) and pray for the best.
Read More(OPINION) Religious and political ethics lecturer Andrew DeCort writes extensively on the issues Ethiopia is facing with the expressed interest to be a bridge-builder. While I applaud his passion for being a bridge-builder and advocating for peace, I disagree, particularly, with his bold claim that “Christian nationalism is tearing Ethiopia apart.”
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in offers five takeaways from Kansas voters’ surprising decision not to remove the right to abortion from the state’s Constitution. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines from the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) Through it all, American activist and Mennonite theologian Ronald J. Sider refused to compromise on core Christian doctrines and warned believers to be realistic about what political warfare can, and cannot, accomplish.
Read More(OPINION) Progressive Christianity may call itself Christian, may espouse many excellent causes based on the ethical teachings of Jesus, and may even reveal blindspots and failings among conservative Christians. But it is not, itself, Christian. It has progressed beyond (and outside of) the word of God.
Read More(OPINION) The preacher as political powerbroker is much more rare than many might think. In fact, one political scientist argues that most ministers from the right, left and center intentionally dodge political topics. That’s not because they fear the Internal Revenue Service but because they’re concerned about their careers and congregants.
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