In a profoundly positive appraisal of the Protestant Reformation, high-ranking Vatican officials are championing the Augsburg Confession — a pivotal Lutheran text — highlighting it as a shared basis for Christian unity, as the 500th anniversary of the document approaches in 2030. It would be a profound shift should Pope Leo decide to embrace the centuries-old document.
Read MoreFred Rogers’ legacy continues to resonate in 2026, from Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl tribute to church celebrations, global music tours and educational initiatives. His timeless message of kindness, peacemaking and “looking for the helpers” remains a source of comfort and connection, inspiring new generations to practice neighborliness during uncertain times.
Read MoreWhile most “Crossroads” podcasts focus on religion angles in major news stories, this week’s episode focused, you guessed it, on a short news “brief.” The problem is that we are talking about a brief about a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod story that, if the details had been accurate, was worthy of an A1 feature.
Read MoreMost U.S. Protestant churchgoers regularly confess their sins and try to avoid temptation, according to Lifeway Research’s State of Discipleship study. Many say they quickly turn from sin and seek to obey God, though fewer report fully surrendering personal goals. Overall, respondents show a consistent desire for spiritual growth and obedience.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It’s become my hobby horse at this point — non-denominational Protestant Christianity. I swear, it’s somehow gotten more legs than the “nones” in the larger cultural discussion about religion.
Read MoreThe Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon and a protege of Martin Luther King, Jr., died Tuesday at the age of 84 following a long fight with a rare brain disorder known as progressive supranuclear palsy. Jackson, a Baptist minister, was seen as the primary leader of the Civil Rights Movement following King’s murder in 1968 and was known for using his Christian faith to fuel his political protests.
Read MoreThe Anglican denomination continues to reject gay marriage, a decision it affirmed in 2023 while instead voting to pursue blessings. The vote to end the pursuit closed three years of work in the broader Living in Love and Faith initiative regarding identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, that the church launched nine years ago.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Former Irish President Mary McAleese argues that infant baptism violates children’s human rights by imposing church membership without consent. Critics respond that parents possess religious freedom in child-rearing, note historical and biblical defenses of infant baptism, and compare similar birth rituals across Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As Christian clergy across the United States participate in ongoing protests against harsh immigration enforcement actions and further funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, many are still pondering the words of Rob Hirschfeld. On Jan. 18, 2026, Hirschfeld, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, encouraged clergy in his diocese to “prepare for a new era of martyrdom” and put their wills and affairs in order.
Read MoreMost U.S. Protestant churchgoers say they value and regularly engage the Bible, but only 31% read it daily. Lifeway Research found that Bible engagement supports spiritual growth and faith retention, yet many believers fall short of consistent Scripture reading despite recognizing its importance.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When we’re asked, “Are you religious?” There are a number of different ways someone might justify an affirmative answer. It could be that they attend a house of worship regularly or pray frequently. It could be that they hold specific beliefs about Jesus Christ or Muhammad. Those would be behavior and belief measures of religion. But there’s a third dimension that often gets overlooked: Belonging.
Read MoreAs Super Bowl Sunday approaches, the focus is fixed on the New England Patriot and Seattle Seahawks. Beyond the game, the Super Bowl is a cultural touchpoint. Watched by millions, it remains the most-viewed event on American TV. While commercials and the halftime show are all big draws, faith once again plays a part in the biggest football game of the year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’m a bit enamored recently with the life of Ernest Hemingway. He was obviously a tremendous writer, maybe one of the finest in our country’s history. But he also lived a life that could charitably be described as “chaotic.”
Read MoreDelegates from 17 congregations of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America heard five hours of argument in a church outside of Pittsburgh on Jan. 24. They determined Samuel Ketcham, a self-described “race realist” who says white supremacy is a historical fact, is guilty of “serious sin … and to the profession of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.”
Read MoreOn Jan. 22, pastor Carlos Nzolameso received a call from a member of his congregation who was searching for a roommate. Evaristo Kalonji had not shown up to work. Several congregants also reached out to Nzolameso, concerned that Kalonji, an asylum seeker from Angola, was missing. Nzolameso, who leads Maine’s Rehoboth Christian Church, said Kalonji, is like a son.
Read MoreWhen the Pew Research Center asked Mainers what religions they followed, the most common answer wasn’t Catholicism or Evangelical Protestantism. It was “nothing in particular.” But there’s more to the story.
Read MoreThis past Dec. 18, on International Migrants Day, participants in an interfaith prayer group gathered at Winton’s statue with Jewish children. In freezing weather and amid the noise of passing trains, the refugees were remembered by the people who had helped them.
Read MoreMicah Waldman ranks each denomination in four categories after attending a Sunday service: Worship, sermon, hospitality and overall environment. He has no desire to change denominations himself — but instead to experience them himself and educate others about the differences in practice.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Sam Kinison, the famed comedian, is remembered for his intensity, volcanic punchlines and the wild nights that carried him far beyond the boundaries most people never cross. But long before the fame, he lived in a world far more holier. Born into a family of Pentecostal preachers, he grew up where faith was the structure around which life revolved.
Read MoreCatholic affiliation is declining across much of Latin America, while the number of religiously unaffiliated adults is rising sharply, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Despite these shifts, belief in God, prayer and the personal importance of religion remain widespread throughout the region.
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