World Cup In Qatar Will Feature A Clash Of Soccer Styles And Islamic beliefs

(OPINION) The controversy at the World Cup in Qatar is largely tied to the Muslim country’s Islamic beliefs. It’s about human rights, welcoming LGBTQ fans, drinking alcohol and modest dress. It’s as much a cultural and societal issue as it is a sporting one.

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A 'Postdenominational’ Era: Inside The Rise Of The Unaffiliated Church

Between 2010 and 2020, nondenominational churches expanded by 2 million attendees and 9,000 congregations in the U.S., according to the 2020 U.S. Religion Census, which was released last week. Nondenominational churches now make up 4% of the U.S. population and constitute the third-largest religious group in the country after Catholics and the Southern Baptist Convention.

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Mike Pence’s Memoir Doesn’t Shy Away From His Faith and Trump’s Election Insanity

(REVIEW) Tell-all books have become a staple of our political conversation. They give readers a chance to see what took place in private during some of history’s most trying times. That’s the case of former Vice President Mike Pence’s new memoir about his life and time in the White House with former President Donald Trump.

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WWII Bombed Churches And Synagogues Live On In Art Glass Exhibit

U.S. Army Chaplain Frederick A. McDonald collected shards of glass from broken stained glass windows of synagogues, churches and chapels across Europe during World War II. Those fragments are now part of an art exhibit called “Remembered Light: Glass Fragments from World War II, The McDonald Windows” on display in San Francisco’s Veterans Building through Nov. 20.

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‘The Gospel Woman’ Draws Inspiration From Family, Gospel Music And A Well-Known Parable

(REVIEW) “The Gospel Woman” is a brilliant new play produced by National Black Theatre. It’s an American family drama that focuses on grief, faith and healing — and it features some incredible gospel music.

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Faith And Politics: Winners And Losers In The 2022 Midterm Elections

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the winners and losers in the 2022 midterm elections. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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Recreational Marijuana Legalization Becomes New Front in the Culture Wars Following Midterms

In a midterm election highlighted by issues such as inflation, crime, abortion and threats to democracy, it turned out that recreational marijuana use has emerged as a new hot-button issue in the culture wars following staunch opposition by Catholic bishops.

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After Oklahoma Tornado, Church Shelter Becomes Base Of Red Cross Operations

When a tornado struck this southeastern Oklahoma town on Friday night, the Bypass Church of Christ served the community as a shelter. The 100-member congregation opened its doors almost immediately to help — as the American Red Cross and news stations spread the word.

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‘Spirit of Toumliline’ Interfaith Inquiry Lives On 50 Years After Moroccan Monastery Closed

A film crew started a movement to rebuild a French monastery in Morocco after shooting the award-winning movie “Of Gods and Men” there. The monastery was closed in 1968, leaving abandoned buildings. But the “Spirit of Toumliline” did not leave.

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Pastor In Laos Tortured, Brutally Murdered

Sources close to the police investigation told ReligionUnplugged.com they believe Pastor See was killed because of his faith during a time of rapid growth in Laotian churches. The number of baptisms is causing tension in communities distrustful of a religion they see as foreign.

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Dr. Oz Campaign Part of Subtle Shift In Muslim American Voting Patterns

Republican senatorial candidate Mehmet Oz faces an uphill battle as he closes on Democratic rival John Fetterman for the title of next senator of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Yet, Oz’s surprise victory in the Republican primary and his strong showing in the campaign also signals a subtle political shift — many Muslim Americans are increasingly voting Republican.

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Excerpt From ‘The FIFA World Cup: A History Of The Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event’: ‘Hand of God’ Made Maradona An Idol

The Argentina versus England quarterfinal matchup at the 1986 World Cup will forever be remembered as the game where Diego Maradona scored twice, one of them a controversial goal he later dubbed the “Hand of God.” The game, a mix of political tension and faith, cemented Maradona’s place as one of soccer’s greatest players.

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Harlem Rev. Calvin Butts Remembered As A Man Of The People

At Harlem’s famous Abyssinian Baptist Church, the Rev. Calvin Butts III went from counseling engaged couples to counseling the U.S. president — from advising the brothers in Harlem to advising diplomats at the United Nations. That is why a long line has wrapped around the block of the megachurch over the last two days as the ordinary and extraordinary paid their final respects.

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Faith And Politics: 5 Key Religion Storylines In The 2022 Midterm Elections

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights five key religion angles in the 2022 midterm elections. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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Clergy Members Become ‘The Unbelieving’ In A New Play

“The Unbelieving,” a new play on limited run in New York, explores the lives of clergy who stopped believing in God. The play is based on a qualitative study that interviewed clergy from across faith traditions about their transition away from believing and how the change threatened to take away their families, communities and sense of self.

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LGBTQ Voices Emerging In Vatican’s Synod On Synodality

(OPINION) The “Chain of Discipleship” image showing five Catholics celebrating at a church, including a woman in priest’s vestments and a person in a rainbow-lettered “PRIDE” shirt, rocked Catholic social media — especially when it appeared on the Synod of Bishops Facebook page, linked to the ongoing Synod on Synodality that began in 2021.

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