The term “evangelical” has broken away from its roots as a sub-genre of Protestant theology and has now morphed into a social, cultural and political term that stretches far beyond the boundaries of Christianity. In fact, the term “evangelical” is now being embraced by religious groups that do not believe in any of the tenets of an orthodox evangelicalism.
Read More(OPINION) These days the "response rates" among those in randomly selected samples are so low it's tough to tell how representative the people are. Pew's expertise often provides all-important distinctions between white "mainline" and white "evangelical" Protestants, and between white and Hispanic Catholics. Pew is changing the way it surveys religious behavior and attitudes, so the media will want to be aware of why and how.
Read MoreIncome tax authorities in India have confiscated the estate of Bishop K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia and Believer’s Eastern Church, four months after the country’s ministry of finance raided the church’s offices looking for evidence of tax fraud.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The proposed Equality Act explicitly bans discrimination in federally funded programs on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, which would require all adoption and child placement agencies to adopt to LGBTQ couples.
Read MoreThousands of Rohingya refugees settled in India’s only Muslim-majority region Jammu and Kashmir are at risk of arrest and detention after the Indian government moved 175 Rohingya to a detention center March 6, saying the Myanmar government — now controlled by the military accused of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya— asked for the Rohingya to be deported back. The move follows the BJP ruling party’s promises to deport Rohingya, ahead of elections in key states this week.
Read MoreRavi Zacharias International Ministries will change its name and remove content from late founder Ravi Zacharias from its website and social media platforms, RZIM CEO Sarah Davis said in a statement. Davis said the organization will discontinue the use of “The Zacharias Institute” brand immediately and that content to be removed includes publications and videos.
Read More(OPINION) What is more important, embodying the Gospel or the traditional image of a Southern Republican? As the Southern Baptist Church has experienced critiques for racial issues, their numbers for baptism have ominously declined as well.
Read MoreThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex caused major waves via their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Accusations of racism, betrayal and a lack of empathy dominated the talk, but one key detail dropped about the couple’s wedding has left the Church of England in a difficult position.
Read More(OPINION) The upcoming International Women’s Day should be used to rethink the impact of our everyday choices on the situation of women. This includes the way we shop. Indeed, recent research suggests that it is very likely that my power suit means enslavement, forced labor and abuse of Uyghur women.
Read MoreIn Africa, there are deep-seated traditional beliefs that life-threatening illnesses originate from a generational curse, witchcraft or as a punishment from God, and that seeps into some church teachings too. Kenyans with terminal illnesses talk to Religion Unplugged about how they’ve sought solace for themselves, and pastors and a psychiatrist weigh in.
Read More(OPINION) A filmmaker writes that none of the films he made had cursing, they didn’t have sex scenes, they didn’t have endings where everything wasn’t tied up nicely with a happy ending bow— not because he didn’t want to put them in his movies, or thought he could tell a better story without them, but instead because he knew if he did include mature content or unanswered questions in his films, they wouldn’t sell.
Read MoreIn this week’s Weekend Plug-in, top religion journalists analyze Catholic bishops’ conflicting and sometimes confusing statements on Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. Plus, find links to all the week’s top religion news and best reads.
Read MoreBeyond being one of Mahatma Gandhi’s — or Ghandiji’s — granddaughters, Ela Gandhi has become a symbol of social justice in her own right, living a life of quiet — and not so quiet — resistance over the last 80 years. A new book by Easterbooks, “My Time with Ela Gandhi,” chronicles the lessons learned and stories told by Gandhi throughout their friendship.
Read More(REVIEW) Unlike any pope of the modern era, no one has been as controversial and polarizing as Francis. This new book tries to delve into what motivates this pontiff and his mission.
Read More(OPINION) Pope Francis’ Apostolic Visit to Iraq begins on March 5, 2021. This first-ever papal visit to Iraq aims to provide moral support to Christian minorities in Iraq and the region while facilitating the Vatican’s goal of building bridges with the Muslim world. The visit comes close to seven years after religious minorities in the region, including Christians and Yazidis, have been targeted for annihilation by Daesh.
Read More(OPINION) A new survey finds that 1 in 3 young people ages 13-25 don’t trust people of other religions “very much” or “at all.”
Read MoreThe pandemic has upended and reinvented the form and shape of ministry as Churches of Christ have learned to be virtual, socially distant and masked. But perhaps no aspect of congregational life has been called to creativity more urgently than children’s ministry.
Read More(REVIEW) New true crime series “Murder Among the Mormons” tells the story of 1985 Salt Lake City bombings connected to the LDS Church.
Read MoreAfter its celebrity pastor Carl Lentz’s marital affair became public, Hillsong Church is quietly rebuilding and resetting their global mission to keep reaching more people searching for meaning in their lives and create community and worship music. Critics say the church needs greater accountability for its leadership. Rumors of Lentz, who is married, acting inappropriately with women circulated as early as 2017.
Read More(OPINION) The majority in the new 2-1 decision in Indiana regarding Christmas decor in front of the Lion’s Club argued that the "nativity scene is constitutional because it fits within a long national tradition of using the nativity scene in broader holiday displays to celebrate the origins of Christmas." This post-Christmas decision in the heartland may have been a turning point in the ‘reindeer laws’ debate.
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