Halos And Horns: Dolly Parton’s Spiritual Journey

(ANALYSIS) Celebrating the country music legend is an honor “mixed with absolute pride and great sadness,” stressed Bryan Seaver, the son of Parton's sister Cassie Parton, in the family’s announcement of her death.

In Bangladesh, An Indigenous Buddhist Revival Takes Root Again

Buddhism is experiencing a revival in northern Bangladesh as thousands of Indigenous Oraon people have embraced the faith since the mid-1990s. Supporters see it as a return to an ancient religious heritage, though the movement faces challenges, including a shortage of monks and criticism from some religious leaders.

Nepal Floods Disrupt Pilgrimage To Sacred Mount Kailash

(ANALYSIS) Hundreds of pilgrims traveling to Mount Kailash were among those affected by devastating floods that struck the Nepal–Tibet border on Aug. 26. The floods destroyed the border crossing most commonly used to reach what is arguably the most revered holy mountain in the world, which sits in the Tibet autonomous region of China.

Crossroads Podcast: Dolly Parton’s Songs Reveal Her Faith, Heart and Soul

This week’s podcast argues that Dolly Parton’s songs, philanthropy and Appalachian roots reveal far more about her faith, character and worldview than her polished public image. By examining songs like “Coat of Many Colors,” “I Am Ready” and “Horns and Halos,” it challenges conventional obituaries to listen more closely.

Why We Don’t Really Know What America Believes

(ANALYSIS) Let me start by stating a fact that seems incomprehensible to even type out, but it undergirds almost every single graph that I produce: We don’t actually know the religious composition of the United States with any real precision. I know that sounds bizarre. The truth is that we are relying on a whole bunch of “best guesses” based on sound methodology and replication.

Before Greek Myths Reached Movie Theaters, They Were Weapons Of Political Satire

(ANALYSIS) Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has brought Homer’s epic tale back to the big screen. The film is the latest retelling of a story that is almost 3,000 years old. But why do these ancient Greek stories continue to captivate new generations? Nolan aside, Stephen Fry’s retelling of Greek myths in 2017 and Disney’s “Hercules” film, for example, are part of a much longer tradition of repackaging the ancient world for contemporary audiences.

Why The Coolest Job In Kenya Is Being A Catholic Priest

As many dioceses in Europe and North America continue to contend with declining numbers of priests, church leaders in Kenya face the opposite problem. So many young men want to become priests that seminaries have to waitlist applicants, build more dorms and look for spots at seminaries in neighboring countries.

Generating Good Karma: Why Buddhist Life Looks Different In Thai Temples

(TRAVEL) I recently returned from leading an educational program in Thailand focusing on how Buddhists practice the religion in their day-to-day lives. The participants — Buddhist practitioners from North America and Europe — wanted to deepen their understanding and practice of the religion.

Do Religious Families Actually Have More Kids?

(ANALYSIS) Confession time: My wife and I watch a lot of reality TV. I’ve always loved it, really. Even back to “The Osbornes” and “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica” on MTV. When I was in college, we had “Survivor” night. It was always Thursday. We would gather around in someone’s apartment, watch the show, complain about who got eliminated, then walk to the Vespers service across campus.

Analysis, Data, Marriage, News, North America, Religion, Religion News, Society, Women, womenRyan BurgeAugust 25, 2026Ryan Burge, analysis, news, children, religion, families, womenComment

Muslims Have Been Part Of The American Story Even Before 1776

(ANALYSIS) The earliest reference to Muslims in America is the account of an enslaved African Mustafa Zemourri. He arrived in 1527 on the coast of Florida as part of a disastrous Spanish expedition.

Analysis, History, Islam, News, North America, SocietyNick GierAugust 24, 2026Nick Gier, analysis, news, Islam, Muslims, American history, history, Secondary featureComment

10 Ways To Recognize Consumerism In Your Church

(ANALYSIS) I’ve recently been with believers from another part of the world, and I was again reminded that our brothers and sisters around the world often pay a heavier price than we pay to follow Christ. I don’t want to overstate the case here, but much of North American Christianity seems to be what I call “Convenience Store Christianity.”

Why Nepal’s Political Mood Has Become Religiously Charged

(ANALYSIS) Nepal underwent major political upheaval just a year ago, toppling the government in a fashion few could have imagined. An even more dramatic development followed. Voters handed a near-supermajority to the Rastriya Swatantra Party, which was founded only four years earlier. Its senior leader, Balendra Shah, became the youngest prime minister in Nepal’s history.

Birmingham Bombing Wasn’t Isolated: Black Churches Were Attacked Across The South

(ANALYSIS) This Sept. 15 marks the anniversary of an infamous terror attack: The 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. On that Sunday morning, members of the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group, planted dynamite on the east side of the brown brick building. The bomb went off in the midst of Sunday school, at 10:22 a.m., murdering four girls.

Water Filters And The Gospel: Inside The Mission Trip That Sparked A Global Ministry

A 2012 mission trip to the Amazon inspired Christopher Beth to found The Bucket Ministry, providing water filters worldwide while sharing the Gospel. The ministry has since expanded globally, completing major projects like Kibera, Kenya, and combining clean-water access with evangelism, discipleship, transparency, and measurable impact.

‘A Sacred Land’: India’s Religious Pluralism Has Deep Historical Roots

(ANALYSIS) India’s religious diversity has deep historical roots, reflected in the experiences of Hindu soldier Sitaram Pande and Muslim poet Mirza Ghalib. Their writings portray sacred landscapes shaped by multiple traditions while revealing identities that crossed religious boundaries, challenging contemporary claims that religious purity justifies anti-minority rhetoric or violence.

Pastors And Churchgoers Say Their Congregation Is Multigenerational

Almost 4 in 5 pastors (78%) and 9 in 10 churchgoers (91%) believe their church is multigenerational, with a good number of active members from all generations, according to Lifeway Research.

Murders And Theological Debates: Ranking The Anglican Priests Of ‘Grantchester’

After 11 seasons, PBS’s “Masterpiece Mystery!” series “Grantchester” has come to an end. For more than a decade, viewers returned to the quiet village of Cambridgeshire to watch an unlikely crime-solving duo: Anglican vicars and Det. Inspector George “Geordie” Keating.

From Vance Law To Mark Grace: What Baseball Can Teach You About The Gospel

(ANALYSIS) Our family’s love of baseball has taken us from the Oakland A’s to the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners. Along the way, baseball cards featuring Vance Law and Mark Grace sparked a powerful gospel illustration: God’s law exposes our sin, while His grace brings redemption through Jesus.

‘Peak Of Permissiveness’: Is America Really Morally Bankrupt?

(ANALYSIS) To believe a lot of the commentary, especially on the right, you would think America is headed, if not already sinking, into a bottomless moral abyss. But a recent report tells a rather different story. If America was on an immoral path, it is now slowly correcting course. Emphasize slowly.

Crossroads Podcast: The Missing Faith Angle In The WNBA’s Culture War Debate

To say the least, Indiana Fever star Sophie (“Do the Sophie”) Cunningham’s quotes about trans athletes and women’s sports has ignited a firestorm in sports, politics, social media and the elite press. In this case, the sports world includes the small, struggling WNBA.

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