(REVIEW) “The Starling Girl” is, at its heart, a visceral reminder of what it’s like to grow up as a girl in strict religious environments. It’s also a thorough picture of the grievances made about fundamentalist and evangelical Christian circles in two recent docuseries.
Read More(REVIEW) The encore performance at Christ Cathedral of “Fiat Lux” was billed as “Pacific Symphony & Pacific Chorale in concert with Paul Jacobs,” and the opening pieces were programmed to additionally celebrate the refurbishment of the cathedral’s Hazel Wright Organ, the fifth-largest pipe organ in the world.
Read More(OPINION) In the new film, Jones confesses: "I don't believe in magic, but a few times in my life I've seen things, things I can't explain." But after a life wrestling with sacred mysteries, he concludes: "It's not so much what you believe. It's about how hard you believe it."
Read More(ANALYSIS) Sotomayor’s dissent poses an interesting inquiry, regardless of one’s personal opinion of where the court should have landed on affirmative action: Does the Constitution uphold the spiritual and religious freedom of faith-based higher education institutions to engage in holistic, race-conscious admissions practices as an expression of their sincerely held institutional religious beliefs?
Read More(ANALYSIS) After weeks of wrenching testimony, jurors delivered a guilty verdict June 16, 2023, for the gunman who killed 11 worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 – the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The next phase of the trial will focus on sentencing, and whether Robert Bowers should face the death penalty.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Minneapolis recently became the first major U.S. city to allow the “adhan,” or Muslim call to prayer, to be broadcast from mosques five times a day. In April 2023, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a change to the city’s sound ordinance, effectively eliminating time constraints that previously prevented the pre-dawn and evening prayer calls from being broadcast.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Religion in 21st century America has become an enclave for people who have done everything “right.” They have college degrees and marriages and children and middle-class incomes. For those who don’t check all those boxes, religion is just not for them.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The pope’s recent appointment of Archbishop Víctor Manuel Fernandez as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has been a very big story this month. The appointment could influence the future direction of the church and Pope Francis’ legacy. This pontiff very much wants to leave a lasting impression on the global church, in part acting through the upcoming synod, and Fernandez could help shape it.
Read More(OPINION) Many religious traditions value silence as a space where a supreme power might be experienced. “I will come to you in the silence,” promises God at the outset of David Hass’ hymn, “You Are Mine,” sung in both Catholic and Protestant churches. Some religious folk might agree with Beckett that nothing is the ultimate reality.
Read MorePatheos, a website focused on religion and spirituality, recently launched the Sacred Spaces Initiative, which explores the 100 most holy sites on earth, providing valuable insights about each site.
Read More(REVIEW) Joseph Lovett’s “Children of the Inquisition” is a feature length documentary exploring the worldwide Sephardic diaspora and recounting the history of various Jewish families seeking refuge during the Spanish Inquisition.
Read More(OPINION) I think the main problem with Christianity specifically and the whole world generally is that many people seem not to ever have comprehended how radically and unconditionally they are loved by the Lord. Musing afterward on my conversations with a young woman, it struck me we’d both arrived at our different images of God from our differing experiences with our earthly fathers.
Read More(OPINION) On the age-old but ever-debated topic of whether Jesus had brothers and sisters, The Guy would answer that — as is often the case — it depends on what church is fielding the question. From ancient times, Catholicism and Orthodoxy have said no. But virtually all Protestants since Martin Luther’s time have said yes.
Read MoreGenerosity towards religious organizations grew slightly between 2021 and 2022, despite total U.S. charitable giving declining after two record years.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A new report suggests that the Tatmadaw continues to target religious and ethnic communities. This comes years after the Tatmadaw specifically targeted the Rohingya for annihilation.
Read MoreAlliance University, a Christian college in lower Manhattan that primarily served minority students, announced it will close this year after losing its accreditation amid other hurdles.
Read MoreThis week on our Talking to Tech series, we interviewed ChatGPT on some of the Eastern religions. Like last time, the aim of the interview was to compare and contrast the core tenets and practices of each one. ChatGPT also shared a few of its “thoughts” on yoga and how it related to Hinduism.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As a professor of law who pays particular attention to First Amendment issues involving freedom of religion and speech, I see 303 Creative v. Elenis highlighting tension between two competing fundamental interests — ones that clash routinely in 21st century America.
Read MoreCatnip Connections may be a new company, but its beadwork stems from Freddie Katelnikoff’s childhood — a way to share the Alutiiq heritage with everyone. The Alutiiq are one of eight Alaska Native peoples.
Read MoreKAMPALA, Uganda — The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Uganda has nullified the election of the fourth bishop of Luweero Diocese in the central region and canceled his consecration that had been slated for July 16 over allegations of infidelity. He’s the latest in a line of clergy to be removed for such hypocrisy.
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