Russell Moore on Christians who Are Switching Churches or Hitting Exit Doors

(ANALYSIS) “Book of the Month” is certainly an appropriate label for Russell Moore’s “Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America,” released July 25 by Sentinel. I am borrowing that label, of course, from that venerable subscription club and corporate partner during The Guy’s days working with the old Time Inc.

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Infrequent Church Attenders Were Trump's Base, Right?

(ANALYSIS) I can’t point to one specific instance of this, but it’s something I see in the online discourse: “It’s the folks who don’t go to church who put Trump in the White House.” “It’s the most religiously devout Republicans who are the ones driving the MAGA train” Which one is right? Both are. Which one is wrong? Both are.

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Churches Flourish In One of Sweden’s Bible Button Cities By Caring For Neighbors

Some free churches in Sweden may be showing the way toward growth: Engagement with young families, engagement with seniors, engagement with neighbors and the world. The Church of Sweden hasn’t completely given up on this kind of engagement either. 

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Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour a Reminder the Internet Isn't Real Life

(OPINION) Online narratives distort real life more often than you might realize. Research consistently shows that a small minority of people who have social media accounts post the vast majority of content.

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Experience the Life of Jesus with ‘The Nazarene’ Exhibit: Authentic or Hoax?

While the 2,000-year-old ossuary is seemingly genuine, the underlying issue is whether its Paleo-Hebrew inscription is the real deal or a clever fake replete with ersatz patina that was planted to fool experts.

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A Catholic archbishop’s candid talk with Lutheran flock

(OPINION) Salvatore Cordileone made national headlines during the pandemic with his efforts to defend the First Amendment rights of churches holding small, outdoor rites while following social-distancing guidelines. And after years of private talks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, whose home is in San Francisco, the archbishop took a stand against her public support for abortion rights.

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Orthodoxy, Anarchism And AI: A Conversation With ChatGPT

The following is the result of the chat Religion Unplugged contributor Davor Dzalto had with ChatGPT on July 12, 2023, on the questions regarding Orthodoxy, anarchism and AI. The resulting Q&A is a fascinating journey into what artificial intelligence knows about faith, theology and religious practices.

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A Tough, Newsy ‘Theodicy’ Question: ‘If God Is Good, Why Do Animals Suffer?'

(OPINION) Do disease and devastation for innocent people argue against God’s existence? C.S. Lewis and later writers see the opposite. Without the design and purpose of a moral God and the divine aspect of each person he creates, what could explain our inherent conviction that the innocent should not suffer, that certain things are unjust and that our world is awry?

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Skipping doctrine at World Youth Day in favor of scandals and politics

(ANALYSIS) The concept of World Youth Day has been influenced by the Light-Life Movement that has existed in Poland since the 1960s, where Catholic teens celebrated a “day of community” during youth camp retreats. This has morphed into the five-day event that ended Sunday.

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Exploring Without Clarity: A Review of ‘Walking With the Spiritual But Not Religious’

(REVIEW) This book is a valiant attempt to create an ethic of deep listening, empathy and guidelines for spiritual mentorship for those who find themselves marginalized by the religious community. At the same time, the Staffords’ lack of clarity exposes the groundwork to logical fallacies, self-refuting statements and logical circles.

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Anglican Church of Uganda in Battle Over Nullified Election and Infidelity

Over the last 10 years, the Anglican Church of Uganda has been rocked by a number of grinding legal battles pitting the flock against newly consecrated clergy. Nearly all four regions of Uganda have witnessed a legal battle in which Christians have challenged the process of electing their bishops. 

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How India’s ‘Elephant Whisperers’ Overlooked Deeper Issues

(ANALYSIS) The film missed the mark in looking at the socioeconomic conditions that many caretakers and mahouts undergo, the plight of the elephants outside of conservation efforts, and the history of this bond between humans and elephants in South Asia that dates back nearly 5,000 years.

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A Redemptive Perspective on the Current Leadership Crisis in America

(OPINION) The current state of the world creates a real feeling of insecurity and uncertainty, as if everything is old and crumbling, as if nothing is stable or trustworthy, as if no one is clean. This is where we step in, not to preach religion but to preach Jesus, not to sell a product or a personality but to point people to the only One who can truly save and deliver and forgive and transform.

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Phaneroo Ministries Breaks Guinness World Record for Longest Applause

Last month, hundreds of Phaneroo Ministries International churchgoers clapped in unison for more than three hours, attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest applause by “clapping for Jesus.” It will be a few months before the record-keeping organization makes its determination.

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⚖️ Seeking Justice In Tree Of Life Synagogue Shooting: Will Killer Really Be Executed? 🔌

This week’s Weekend Plug-in starts with the death penalty sentence in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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‘Go West’ Brings Comedy Back to Comedy

(REVIEW) It’s understandable why pure comedies have fallen out of favor in the entertainment world. As Mel Brooks said, “Dying is easy. Comedy is hard,” In an action-comedy— like most superhero movies are — if not all the laughs land, you still have the action. In a social commentary comedy, if the laughs lag, you still have the commentary.

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