(OPINION) For the Rev. Duane Beachey, the central miracle of the early church was its willingness to abolish racial barriers. Too often, Beachey said, although Christians “claim to take the Bible quite literally from Genesis to Revelation, they don’t take the words of Jesus literally most of the time.”
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in summary opens with an interview with Bob Smietana, author of the new book “Reorganized Religion.” Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief is a day designated by the U.N. to combat intolerance, discrimination and violence against persons based on religion or belief. Over the recent years, we have witnessed several cases of the most egregious atrocities where religion or belief have been abused as a tool of discrimination and violence resulting in atrocities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) K-pop group BTS is having its best year yet. The seven-member Korean boy band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, broke 13 new Guinness World Records hitting a total of 23 and visited the White House. The band draws on the spirituality of self-realization, psychology, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Greek mythology and more to create its fictional universe.
Read More(OPINION) The Hillbilly Thomists are a “musical collective” of Dominicans, most of whom have Bible Belt roots. The band of priests and brothers recently staged a concert in the Grand Ole Opry and over the past decade has recorded three albums of music that would sound at home at Appalachian fairs but not in most church halls.
Read MoreAfter years of persecution culminating in the assassination of its founder, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints migrated from Illinois to Utah in the mid-nineteenth century. Since then, the churchhas helped build the state into a religious and economic stronghold with Salt Lake City as its crown jewel. Now, the crown jewel is in peril.
Read More(OPINION) Anyone can pervert a symbol, but is doing so a news story? How widespread is this extremist behavior? There are all things you can’t quantify and certainly a job that The Atlantic team failed to do. The rosary has always been something the press has failed to understand or perhaps has even feared.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of the most controversial books in recent literary history, Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses,” was published three decades ago this month and almost immediately set off angry demonstrations all over the world, some of them violent. The book, “Satanic Verses,” goes to the heart of Muslim religious beliefs when Salman Rushdie, in dream sequences, challenges and sometimes seems to mock some of its most sensitive tenets.
Read MoreA political storm has erupted after Jammu-Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer Hridesh Kumar recently announced that anybody living and working or studying in the contested Jammu-Kashmir region, even temporarily, can vote in the assembly elections, likely next year.
Read More(OPINION) 29% of the adult population currently self-describes as either atheist, agnostic or — by far the biggest category — “nothing in particular” regarding religion. Americans depend on what’s called “organized religion,” actual face-to-face gatherings now weakened by both COVID and societal undertow. Organized secularism simply cannot offer a substitute for building and serving communities.
Read MoreAs church attendance numbers shrink nationwide that was made worse by the pandemic, these sister congregations in Nashville see their future under the mantra “Greater Together.”
Read More(OPINION) Religion News Service columnist Jana Riess is a reporter on her faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Given the faith’s 21st century growth alongside setbacks elsewhere in American religion, national and regional media could combine doctrine changes with how Reiss explains the church has fared during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in explores why a Texas district removed 41 books, including the Bible and a graphic novel version of “Anne Frank’s Diary,” from its school libraries. Plus, as always, catch up on the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreAs the Sept. 2 premiere of “Lord of the Rings” prequel “Rings of Power” grows closer, fans anticipate and fear what the show will bring. For many, the biggest question is how the show will incorporate Christianity — if it will at all. Tolkien’s Catholicism is at the heart of the original series, and many Tolkien scholars argue that God is the central character.
Read MoreWe visited one of the first churches in downtown Honolulu — Kawaiahao Church — that was made from white corral and dedicated in 1842. Nicknamed the “Westminster Abbey of the Pacific,” the church offers services in Hawaiian and English each Sunday. Unfortunately, my trip was from a Monday to Saturday, which meant I wouldn’t be able to visit a service. Everywhere we went in downtown and on the outskirts of Honolulu seemed infused with Houses of Worship and spiritual meaning.
Read MoreIndentured laborers from India brought their specific brand of worship under the overarching Hindu and Muslim traditions when they came to Guyana in the 19th century. Now, Guyanese people of Indian descent form a little over 44% of the country’s population. It’s no coincidence the country also has the largest population of Hindus in the Western Hemisphere.
Read MoreGlobal South Anglicans are experiencing a "volcano of growth" and remain "at loggerheads" with the shrinking churches of the United Kingdom, North America and other Western nations. While most Global South bishops serve growing flocks — roughly 75% of active worshippers in the 77-million-member Anglican Communion — many Western bishops lead what Goodhew called "micro-dioceses" with under 1,000 active members or "mini-dioceses" with fewer than 5,000.
Read More(REVIEW) Valentina Pedicini’s documentary “Faith” spends time in a sect of Christianity called the Warriors of Light, composed of former martial arts champions who live ascetic lives and train daily to fight in a coming spiritual battle. The documentary focuses on why people have faith and what sustains it.
Read MoreWith the advent of small-batch clothing lines launched easily and cheaply through websites and social media feeds rather than brick-and-mortar retail stores, many fashion entrepreneurs like Floryn C. Ajuzie are creating new clothing brands, products and strategies driven by their personal faith and beliefs. Their success raises questions about branding strategy as well as ethics of retail.
Read MoreWhen fans aren’t packing stadiums to watch soccer matches, another thing that will get a lot of attention will be Qatar’s Islamic art and culture. As is the case with any country that plays World Cup host, visitors will get a real chance to see things in person they may not otherwise ever see anywhere else. Among those things will be the Imam Abdul Wahhab Mosque in the capital city, Doha.
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