Within a decade of hitting the religion beat, around 1980, it was obvious to me that the demographic collapse of the “seven sisters” of liberal Protestantism was going to create a giant hole in American life. We are talking about these flocks — American Baptists, the Disciples of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The planned execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan sparked renewed debate among Christians over capital punishment. Catholic leaders cited church teaching opposing the death penalty, while some evangelical leaders defended it biblically. Disagreement also centered on whether televising executions promotes justice or glorifies violence.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As some religious studies scholars argue, the charge that Hindus worship false gods and idols took hold in American national culture nearly two centuries ago. Nineteenth-century American schoolbooks, shaped by Protestant beliefs, sorted religions into “true and false,” treating Hindu “idolatry” as proof of moral degradation.
Read MoreSharia, often called Islamic law, is a system of religious guidelines that inform how Muslims understand their responsibilities to God, themselves, their families and society. The Arabic word — sharia — is commonly translated as “the way” or “the path.” It refers to a way of life rooted in Islamic teachings rather than simply a collection of laws enforced by a government.
Read More(ANALYSIS) From the Yazidis to the Rohingya, from the Uyghurs to other communities facing growing threats around the world, the use and abuse of AI, technology and social media must not go unpunished. Ignoring these new methods of persecution means that responses to such atrocities will never be adequate.
Read MoreThe latest grant round drew 466 applicants and includes the program’s first recipient in Arkansas, as historic houses of worship seek funding to preserve their buildings and community services.
Read MoreWall Street investment banks have discovered what Southern Baptist financial ministries long have known: Dallas is a great place to do business. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley are among the banks that have established or are considering major offices in Dallas. They join the headquarters of GuideStone Financial Resources and the Baptist Church Loan Corporation.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A significant case the U.S. Supreme Court will hear on appeal Nov. 3 evokes major elements of this century’s culture wars. This public policy clash pits claims based upon venerable religious rights against modern-day LGBT rights. It involves money and taxes, the Trump Administration, politicians of both parties, the Catholic Church and an array of national organizations.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Americans who trust science and reason more than their churches’ teachings, but still believe in God or attend services, are also more likely to believe in magic than those who prioritize religious teachings.
Read More(ANALYSIS) AI is everywhere. While it’s undeniably omnipresent, is anyone actually home upstairs? According to one researcher, the answer is yes. For centuries, religion has held a strict monopoly on the soul. Sentience, moral agency and the “image of God” have served as the sacred divide separating humanity from inanimate matter.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Political shamelessness threatens democracy by weakening leaders’ respect for ethical principles and the rule of law. Drawing on Plato’s Laws, this article explores reverence as a virtue that encourages humility, self-restraint and recognition of human limitations, arguing that responsible leadership requires accountability and respect for principles beyond personal interests.
Read MoreThere used to be only a few regionalized mainline churches to choose from and husbands were once in total control of family decisions. When the African continent started to rapidly urbanize, family dynamics changed and it has become common for marriages to form across different church denominations, sparking a trend called “two-church families.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Congregants described how belief and belonging helped them overcome challenges such as loneliness, “feeling stuck” due to their legal precariousness and being exploited at work. I heard stories of employers holding migrants’ passports hostage, or refusing to pay construction workers seriously injured on the job. Migrants told me their churches empowered them.
Read More(ESSAY) Beliefs and expectations shape our reality. Maybe nothing really spooky happened to either of us. We were just trying to explain the world with what we knew. For both of us, that knowledge was informed by Taiwanese culture, religion and superstition. Our reactions told us something about the world around us — but maybe even more so, they said something about ourselves.
Read MoreWell over half, 58 percent, of white evangelical Protestants said they approve of Trump’s job performance, with 40 percent voicing disapproval. But Trump’s approval has fallen among white evangelical Protestants since his term began, when 78 percent approved.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Journalists called Bakker a “televangelist,” but he never showed interest in being a pastor or an evangelist. His hero was Johnny Carson. Moore noted that Bakker's “goal was clearly to be a talk-show host. That was his life. ... He loved sitting behind that desk in front of the cameras.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) For hundreds of years, people from different religious traditions across South Asia have retold the “Ramayana” through dramas, narrative poems, shadow puppet plays, pageants, folk songs, comics, television shows and many other mediums. Director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming “Ramayana” film is the latest retelling of this epic tradition.
Read More(REVIEW) “Fjord” explores the tensions between religious freedom and secular society through the story of a Romanian Christian family facing accusations of child abuse in Norway. With nuanced storytelling and stark cinematography, the film challenges viewers on tolerance, cultural conflict and competing moral values without offering easy answers or choosing sides outright.
Read MoreA Lifeway Research study found 93% of U.S. Protestant pastors say they don’t plan to endorse candidates for public office during a worship service, despite the IRS saying it will allow churches to do so without losing their tax-exempt status.
Read More(ANALYSIS) You can probably guess where this post is going. The Canadian General Social Survey is fielded every year, but it doesn’t ask about religion in every wave. However, it did include a battery of questions about religious affiliation, importance, and attendance in 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2020. This gives me ample data to test the theory of a religious revival in Canada.
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