Posts in Society
Measuring Life Satisfaction Across America’s ‘Nones’

(ANALYSIS) One of the most important questions we are trying to answer in The Nones Project is: Do non-religious people have feelings of self-worth and satisfaction that are similar to traditionally religious Americans? In many ways, this may be the most important issue to address when talking about the rising share of nones in the United States.

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Beyond Plymouth: Recovering The Many Thanksgivings America Forgot

(ANALYSIS) Nine in 10 Americans gather around a table to share food on Thanksgiving. At this polarizing moment, anything that promises to bring Americans together warrants our attention. The emphasis on the Pilgrims’ 1620 landing and 1621 feast erased a great deal of religious history and narrowed conceptions of who belongs in America — at times excluding groups such as Native Americans, Catholics and Jews.

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South Africa Creates Controversial Religious Oversight Committee

Hundreds of Christians from various churches in South Africa came together recently to march to the Union Buildings, the seat of the national government, to protest the establishment of a statutory regulatory body that they say is a violation of their right to freedom of religion. It came after the government passed a law regulating the activities of churches.

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How Big Is The Political Divide Between Mainline Clergy And Laity?

(ANALYSIS) A majority of mainline Protestant Christians voted for Donald Trump in 2024. They also supported him in 2020 and 2016. In fact, even during Barack Obama’s landslide election in 2008, the mainline was evenly divided at the ballot box.

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A ‘Living Memory’ Church Evolves Alongside Bolivian City’s Past

It’s been occupied twice by military forces; it’s been expanded to house Franciscan friars, and these days, it’s part museum, part sacred space. The Church of San Francisco’s building tells the history of its host city, La Paz. Founded in 1549, the church is best known by the name of the founder of the Franciscans, which was one of the first orders to arrive with the Spanish conquerors. 

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La Basílica De San Francisco: Memoria Viva E Identidad De La Paz

La Basílica y Convento de San Francisco, fundados en el siglo XVI, son un símbolo fundamental de la identidad paceña. Reconstruida tras el colapso de su primera estructura, la actual iglesia barroca mestiza se erigió entre 1743 y 1800. A lo largo de la historia, el complejo fue ocupado por fuerzas independentistas y remodelado varias veces, siendo declarado monumento nacional en 1967.

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The World Is Full Of Irrational Hatred: Here’s How You Can Choose Peace

(OPINION) Among humanity, the opportunities for offense are endless. But if you don’t want to get trapped in this habit of spreading bile, you don’t have to. Pastor Paul Prather gives practical tips to have more peaceful, loving relationships.

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‘Simulation Theory’ Brings An AI Twist To Ideas Mystics Have Voiced For Centuries

(ANALYSIS) In the most talked-about film from the final year of the 20th century, “The Matrix,” a computer hacker named Neo finds that the world he lives and works in isn’t real. It’s a virtual reality, created by artificial intelligence.

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More Than Weekly: Understanding America’s Most Devout Religious Attenders

(ANALYSIS) OK, so there’s this response option to a single survey question that has intrigued me for a very long time. It’s about religious attendance. Across different surveys, the number of response options can vary. The standard is typically six increments, but others — like the General Social Survey — use eight.

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How To Turn Shopping Stress Into Purposeful Giving During The Holidays

(ANALYSIS) Every fall I anticipate the winter holidays with almost childlike joy. I look forward to familiar traditions with friends and family, eggnog in my coffee, and the sense that everyone is feeling a little lighter and more connected.

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Crossroads Podcast: Bishops’ Election Highlights Division Over Culture Wars

Once again, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gathered for debates and votes with serious implications for the current occupant of the White House and his supporters.

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‘The Carpenter’s Son’ Trades Orthodoxy For Creative Freedom In Taking on Jesus

(REVIEW) “The Carpenter’s Son” is a horror-spun story following Joseph, played by Nicolas Cage, as he tries to raise Jesus. The film claims to ask hard questions about the biblical narrative — but it just ends up merely recapitulating simplistic modern narratives.

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What Does It Mean To Be ‘Pro-Life’ In 2025?

(ANALYSIS) It would be a mistake to assume that everyone in these movements adheres to one viewpoint, or is interested only in stopping abortion. In reality, there are many motivations that lead to people using the phrase “pro-life.” When reporters asked Pope Leo, he said, “It’s important to look at many issues that are related to the teachings of the church.”

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Woman’s Church ‘Baby Formula Test’ Goes Viral, Exposing Compassion Gap

A Kentucky woman who was turned down by dozens of churches of various denominations and sizes in the Bible Belt in donating formula to her hungry baby has created a TikTok sensation. Fortunately, a few said yes.

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In Bangladesh, Intra-Muslim Conflict Results In Death And Destroyed Shrines

The shrine, once crowded day and night with devotees, now stands eerily deserted. For weeks, it has remained sealed as a crime scene after a mob attack left one of his followers dead. Since August 2024, more than 100 shrines have been attacked or vandalized, according to rights groups.

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How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Bible Translation

An estimated 3,300 languages have their own translation of the Scriptures. In order to improve the speed and accuracy of Bible translations into more rare languages, Avodah Connect is using AI technology. The organization recently held a webinar for those interested in learning more about how artificial intelligence is being utilized to speed up translation projects.

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Archbishop Paul Coakley Elected USCCB President: Is It Really All About Trump?

(ANALYSIS) Elected on Tuesday during the bishops’ fall meeting in Baltimore on the third ballot, Coakley, who turned 70 this past May, succeeds Archbishop Timothy Broglio, promising a leadership style that balances moral conviction with pastoral sensitivity in a time of deep political and cultural polarization.

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High On Heresy: Exposing The Biblical Cannabis Myth

(ANALYSIS) Some cannabis proponents baptize modern drug culture in ancient authority. This isn’t the first effort to combine cannabis with Christianity — and it won’t be the last. Proverbs warns again and again: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler.” And Ephesians drives the point home: “Do not get drunk with wine… but be filled with the Spirit.”

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Bad Bunny And Puerto Rican Muslims: What It Means To Be Boricua

(ANALYSIS) Bad Bunny is more than a global music phenomenon; he’s a bona fide symbol of Puerto Rico. The church choir boy turned “King of Latin Trap” has songs, style and swagger that reflect the island’s mix of pride, pain and creative resilience.

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The Religious Freedom Case That’s United Both Sides Of Church-State Divide

(ANALYSIS) In recent years, litigation on certain types of religious freedom lawsuits have been practically run of the mill: prayer on school premises, for example, and government funding for students at faith-based schools.

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