(ANALYSIS) The group that is the most likely to attend services are not the poor, nor the wealthy. Instead, it’s people who are smack in the middle of the income distribution. This analysis points to the following conclusion: The people who are the most likely to attend services this weekend are those with college degrees. In other words, middle class professionals.
Read More(OPINION) There’s good reason to believe that at least part of the decline in rom-coms comes from the fact that a large part of the audience just doesn’t believe in romance anymore. Fewer and fewer people are getting married and increasingly people are disillusioned with dating. And this is bleeding its way into people’s viewing preferences.
Read More(ANALYSIS) An estimated 1.4 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes since the Israeli military began bombing the Gaza Strip on Oct. 8, 2023, in retaliation for a surprise attack by Hamas militants. Many of these Palestinians have sought refuge in United Nations emergency shelters in a situation the World Health Organization has described as “catastrophic.”
Read MoreOnly a few scholars and researchers have a comprehensive understanding of the religious aspects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There are not many Orthodox theologians and journalists who delve into discussions about Orthodox Christianity and its compatibility with Western values.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Senate Bill 763, enacted in September 2023, allows school officials to hire unlicensed chaplains, either as staff members or volunteers. Those who can pass background checks will be allowed to perform duties typically provided by counselors, such as mental health support. Local boards have until March 1, 2024, to choose whether to allow chaplain programs in their schools.
Read More(OPINION) As I celebrate the Rangers taking me higher “to a place with golden streets,” I can’t help but draw parallels between baseball and Christian life. The ups and downs. The perseverance required. The journey together with those of like minds. The promise of an indescribable reward at the end.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When Louisiana passed a law in August 2023 requiring public schools to post “In God We Trust” in every classroom — from elementary school to college — the author of the bill claimed to be following a long-held tradition of displaying the national motto, most notably on U.S. currency.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in delves into the faith and politics of new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Persian Version,” by falling into all the familiar cliches around non-White, non-Christian immigrant families, reminds us how Western secular pluralism is not a neutral space for worldviews — but an exclusive worldview in its own right.
Read MoreThe war between Israel and Hamas may be taking place 5,600 miles away from the United States, but the streets of some of America’s largest cities — and on college campuses in particular — have been highlighted over the past month by incidents of antisemitism. In many cases, students and professors who are pro-Palestine have made threats against Jews.
Read MoreThe journey of Kashmiri rappers began with a desire to be heard. With each rhyme, they found solace and empowerment, creating a path for future generations to follow. The verses of Kashmiri rappers unmask the harsh realities of their homeland, shedding light on the pain and resilience of its people. Their lyrics become a mirror, reflecting the struggles and aspirations of a generation yearning for peace.
Read More(OPINION) The Supreme Court soon takes up Loper Bright v. Raimondo, which has interested the Little Sisters of the Poor and the Christian Employers Alliance. Meanwhile, the court could decide this term to take up four disputes that are pending in the pipeline with religion implications.
Read MoreSince Hamas’ savage Oct. 7 cross-border assault on multiple army bases, kibbutzim, cities and a music festival near the Gaza Strip, staff at the Israel Defense Forces’ Shura Army Base have been working around the clock to identify the bodies of the 1,100 civilians and 315 soldiers, reservists and police officers massacred by jihadi terrorists.
Read MoreEvery morning, Will Speer leads prayer and worship in his state prison. He is the first death row prisoner to help lead a death row ministry in Texas’s Allan B. Polunsky Unit. Speer was scheduled to be executed Thursday — but less than five hours before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed his death pending further review of his case, Christianity Today reported.
Read MoreFrom 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.
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