From 1992 to 2021, my book reviews appeared in the magazine I edited, World. Probably about half came from Christian publishers. During the past two years, Discovery Institute has published a monthly OlaskyBooks column that emphasizes secular books. That column will continue, but I still read many religion-based books, and Religion Unplugged has an audience that cares about them, so I’ll report about those here.
Read More(OPINION) The news only seems to get worse whenever Jews venture online, even when digging into their social-media feeds, said Rabbi Sharon Brous, in a viral sermon at her progressive IKAR (“essence”) congregation in Los Angeles. If the Holocaust is the “dominant psychic reality of the Jew,” it's impossible not to view news reports through “Shoah-colored glasses.”
Read MoreThanks to our NewsMatch campaign, we have an opportunity to make your donation go even further. Through Dec. 31, NewsMatch will match your new monthly donation 12 times or double your one-time gift, all up to $1,000.
Read More(REVIEW) While “A Wonderful Day with Mabel Maclay” doesn’t reach the heights of children’s programs such as “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood” or “Sesame Street,” it is wholesome family entertainment for parents who want alternatives to what’s being offered by Disney or Netflix.
Read MoreSince the 1980s, New Hope Uganda has been serving orphaned children in Africa. At that time, Uganda was a war-torn country facing an orphan crisis, so Jay and Vicki Dangers went to try and help.
Read MoreMajority-Korean Methodist churches, which tend to be more conservative and evangelical than other congregations within the United Methodist Church denomination, are finding it difficult to disaffiliate for fear they will lose their land and leaders.
Read MoreOver the years, the Catholic church in South Africa has devoted itself to helping the poorest of the poor in this most unequal society to take on mighty entities in their quest to regain long lost dignity. The church began shepherding a class action against the country’s three major coal mining firms seeking compensation for sick former workers and their families who died as a result of lung disease and other associated illnesses.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Pope Francis wanted a media blackout at the recent Synod on Synodality. As a result, a meeting meant to inspire open dialogue was held under a veil of silence. This did not go unnoticed by those of us in the press who cover the church. But some seemed more upset than others.
Read More(OPINION) Caution is imperative by both Muslim and Jewish communities. There is no need to be added to a list of victims of these hate crimes as these lists are mere numbers to the world. It does not matter if you are pro-Palestine or pro-Israel. What matters most is humanity and being pro-peace.
Read MoreLa Catrina is a ubiquitous character associated with Day of the Dead, known in Spanish as Día de los Muertos, both in Mexico and around the world. Additionally, it has also become an icon of Mexican identity throughout the world.
Read More(REVIEW) “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is a storytelling mess, but profoundly illustrates the heart of modern fears around AI that Hollywood is presently exploring. The movie is based on the video game franchise of the same name and centers on Mike, who agrees to work a shady job as a security guard on the night shift.
Read MoreThe ongoing war between Israel and Hamas is rooted in decades of mistrust and animosity between Jews and Muslims. To get a better understanding of this war and how we got into the present situation, here are seven books about Israel and the region.
Read MoreWhat should a New Yorker do should they come across a ghost? In other words, who you gonna call? The answer is Scott Orlansky, the lead investigator of Ghost Bros.: Paranormal Research Team, that’s who! Ghost Bros. is based in the the Big Apple and is run by Orlansky and his brother Justin.
Read More(OPINION) If the sons of Judah were history’s first creative minority, and America’s renewal depends on the creative minority, and Catholic astronomers in China were the second creative minority, then I’m praying for a third creative minority. The books of Jeremiah and Daniel provide some of the details regarding becoming the creative minority.
Read MoreThe Vatican’s meeting of bishops — the second phase of a multi-year effort that began in 2021 known as the Synod on Synodality — concluded amid a growing debate regarding a number of key issues. The meetings this month centered around the future of the Catholic church and has put progressives and conservatives at odds when it comes to doctrinal issues.
Read MoreThe annual celebration of Halloween is marked by fun and frightening traditions, those that involve monsters being the most fun and frightening of them all. These representations of evil are inextricably linked with religion, used to condemn evil, find comfort in suffering and much more.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the latest religion news related to the Israel-Hamas war. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When I asked the students in my history class at the University of Michigan if they had heard of the Triangle fire, I was shocked to see almost all raise their hands. Many were familiar with how the disaster inspired the growth of labor activism and worker protections. Few of them, however, had thought about the central role of American Jewish women, the focus of my research.
Read MoreAs the war between Israel and Hamas escalates, many U.S. evangelicals are debating whether current events are related to biblical prophecy. A main factor influencing evangelicals’ views on the current conflict is their opinion of Israel. Is it merely a modern state without spiritual significance? Or, is Israel the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy that factors into end times events?
Read MoreSandro Jadon was standing in the birthplace of Christ when he got the “Tzevaa Adom” alert on his phone. That’s Hebrew for “the color red” — a “red alert” notice on the messaging app Telegram. Hamas was firing rockets from Gaza. At first, the Arab Israeli tour guide and member of the Nazareth Church of Christ didn’t think much of it.
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