Posts in Religion
Memoir of a Missionary Kid: Being Lesslie Newbigin's Daughter

(REVIEW) A new book about Bishop Lesslie Newbigin’s family – by his feminist daughter – exposes the collateral damage of ministry and questions Christian duty to the church over one’s family.

Read More
Young people are living in a 'digital Babylon'

(OPINION) Religious leaders have been slow to catch up to the ways that technology is changing the lives of people in their communities. The consequences are evident.

Read More
New poll looks at Catholic voting trends ahead of the 2020 presidential election

With less than a year before the 2020 presidential election, a new poll puts the spotlight on American Catholics and what candidates and issues matter to them most.

Read More
India's energized Hindu right is set on claiming more mosques

After a Supreme Court ruling that allows Hindus to rebuild a temple over an illegally demolished mosque, Hindu nationalists are looking to claim another Mughal-era mosque in one of Hinduism’s holiest cities.

Read More
Shinto festival carries on centuries-old tradition in Japan

The Chichibu Night Festival, famous for its elaborate floats, has roots stretching more than 1,000 years, with roots in an older tradition of villagers giving thanks to the nearby mountain god for helping them during the planting and harvesting season.

Read More
'A Very British Muslim Activist' tells story of Islamist-turned-peacemaker

(REVIEW) Ghayasuddin Siddiqui founded a handful of Islamist organizations in the U.K. and feels responsible for attitudes that may have inspired London’s Islamic terrorist attacks. By the nineties, he recanted his Islamist views and today leads social justice and assimilation efforts in the British Muslim community.

Read More
Why God Continues To Have A Place At The Thanksgiving Day Table

(ANALYSIS) Thanksgiving has endured over the centuries through waves of immigration and wokeness, even though the way the holiday is taught in American classrooms has changed in recent years. The reason may be that this uniquely American tradition has a universal meaning to everyone, regardless of one’s faith or lack of it.

Read More
Vatican's semi-official newspaper may be suffering from a 'fake news' problem

(OPINION) For those who have never heard of it, L’Osservatore Romano is a daily newspaper that reports on the Vatican. It is printed in Italian with weekly editions in six languages, including English, and once a month in Polish.

Read More
'The Two Popes' is a film in need of a reality check

(REVIEW) What happens when you get a pope and a cardinal together? In real life, you’d get some interesting discussion. In the movie “The Two Popes,” you get lots of made-up conversation cloaked as a behind-the-scenes look at the current state of the Catholic church.

Read More
Does Thanksgiving Teach Gluttony or Gratitude?

(OPINION) Gratitude is often regarded as the parent of all virtues, but it can be difficult to cultivate in day-to-day life. Even the holiday of Thanksgiving tends to lean more toward gluttony than gratitude. A look into the historical and Biblical roots of the practice of thanksgiving shines light on the heart of the holiday.

Read More
U.K. Foreign Office goes red for world’s Christian martyrs

(ANALYSIS) Rehman Chishti, a British Muslim and conservative born in Pakistan, will address the event on behalf of beleaguered Christians, who number 80% of all those in the world who are attacked for their faith, according to the FCO. At least 120 public buildings and 30 cathedrals across the UK will also light red.

Read More
Google searches for patron saints reveal spiritual needs

(OPINION) It’s hard to say why certain patron saints are more frequently searched than others, but search rankings give us some ideas.

Read More
Cheering for Notre Dame football still matters to American Catholics

(OPINION) College football is celebrating its 150th season this fall. As a result, there have been many retrospectives looking back at some of NCAA’s best teams and players. You can’t look back at the last century and a half without mentioning Notre Dame.

Read More
The Spiritual Journey of a Modern Witch

Since the 1990’s, interest in witchcraft has grown exponentially but not necessarily in Wicca or organized occult practice. Modern witches like this Brooklynite are more individualistic.

Read More
The OSCE Produces Guidance On Freedom Of Religion Or Belief And Security

(OPINION) A new report discusses the issues in 57 countries, including registration and de-registration of religious or belief communities and security, “extremist” speech and literature, security in places of worship, restrictions on conversion and limitations on religious or belief community activities that have a foreign connection. 

Read More
Venezuelans turning to prayer, not politics

Thousands of Venezuelans flocking to church each year at this time traditionally ask for help overcoming illness or conceiving a child. But many faithful say the economic crisis driving the exodus of millions has made them ask for something bigger than themselves.

Read More
The right to eat eggs in India's most malnourished state

India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party is fighting a state’s proposal to provide eggs to government daycare centers, where many of the women and children come from tribal backgrounds not adhering to vegetarian or Hindu diets.

Read More