(BOOK EXCERPT) In the late 1970s, the San Francisco Bay Area sportswriters labeled the growing group of born-again Christians on the San Francisco Giants the "God Squad." When the God Squadders helped propel the team to a strong 1978 season, challenging the Dodgers and Reds, they often gave God the credit in post-game interviews. The press raised no objection. In 1979, when the Giants' fortunes faded, sportswriters were quick to blame the born-again players.
Read More(ANALYSIS) To many, George Berkeley is little more than a bishop — a distant historical figure whose name happens to adorn the University of California at Berkeley. A polymath of epic proportions, he sought to dissect reality itself. While Elon Musk pursues a future of technological transcendence, Berkeley strived for clarity in the present, reducing reality to its bare bones.
Read More(ANALYSIS) After two years of thinking and writing, Cameron DeLaFleu and Joe Wilson have posted their full, final version of “The Official List of 100 Movies Every Catholic Should See.” They never took a week off in this process. The goal was to put a spotlight on “films which truly reach for the Good, True, and Beautiful in their themes as well as in their technical artistic prowess.”
Read MoreDisgraced Gateway Church Founder Robert Morris has been indicted on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, according to a press release by the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office.
Read MoreSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has long warned about antisemitism on the right — from neo-Nazis in Charlottesville to white nationalist conspiracy theories on the campaign trail. But in his new book, set to go on sale Tuesday, he argues that the antisemitism coming from the left can be just as insidious — and, in some ways, harder to fight.
Read MoreEgg prices typically increase every spring as Easter nears, largely due to demand. However, already-high prices have caused many to forgo eggs altogether this Paschal season. And it isn’t just Christians who are impacted by the high cost. Jews who are preparing to celebrate Passover look to eggs as a special part of their Seder meal. Not this year.
Read More(OPINION) My counselor and I never did agree about whether I was mad at God, but our ongoing discussions forced me to ponder anger as a principle — anger toward the Lord, anger toward difficult circumstances and anger toward my fellow pilgrims. Here’s what I think today.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The recent trends of religious conversion have not rattled Kosovo’s politicians. Kosovo has been long seeking membership into the European Union, selling itself to the world as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious place. These conversions are building a political premise for them to prove that Kosovo is closer to Europe by trying to establish Catholicism as central to their identity given Europe’s strained relationship with Islam.
Read MoreThe Vatican on Sunday released the first photo of Pope Francis in the hospital since he began treatment for double pneumonia, in which the 88-year-old pontiff appeared to be breathing unaided.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, an important aspect of their faith is their role as stewards of God on Earth. One way Muslims do this is through the practice of Zakat, an obligatory kind of charity that’s one of the five pillars of Islam.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Sudan has filed an application instituting proceedings against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regard to a dispute concerning alleged violations by the UAE of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) in relation to the Masalit group in Sudan, most notably in West Darfur.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Only about 30% of Americans can correctly answer basic questions about government institutions, public policy, etc. In other words, it’s a miracle that democracy works at all given just how little the average voter knows. But what happens when we throw religion in the mix?
Read MoreThis week marks the five-year anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdown. Mostly, life has returned to normal. But in some ways we still seem to be struggling, our columnist notes.
Read MoreDuring a typical week, readers (or podcast listeners) send me emails or messages through various social-media platforms. Often, these people are frustrated or even angry. Most folks are not upset with me. More often than not, they are ticked off about something they have seen — or failed to see — in mainstream press coverage of the news.
Read MoreOver the years. as a film critic, I’ve sometimes been asked to change my reviews so that my criticism wouldn’t prevent people from seeing the movie and being impacted by its message. This question came to mind while watching the movie “The Last Supper” and reading the passion with which the filmmakers talked about making such a film. The filmmakers clearly had a lot of love for making it, but it is not a good film.
Read MoreThe Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind the Project 2025 blueprint for the second Trump administration, launched “Project Esther” to combat antisemitism. It was drafted largely by evangelical organizations. At the same time, Texas schools adopted a Bible-based curriculum that gives Esther a starring role in lessons about historical courage alongside Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks.
Read MoreAll Saints Church has a long history of supporting oppressed groups. In the 1940s, their chief pastor protested the deportation of Japanese Americans; in the 1960s, their White clergy stood alongside Martin Luther King Jr. at the Los Angeles “Rally for Freedom. In the 1970s, the church spoke out against the Vietnam War. Today, they are speaking out against Trump.
Read MoreMinisters who regret opting out of Social Security may soon get to reverse that decision. In a move lauded by evangelical leaders, U.S. legislators have reintroduced the bipartisan Clergy Act. The act offers a way out for clergy experiencing buyer’s remorse after taking advantage of a special exemption in the tax code.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Justice informed Southern Baptist Convention lawyers on Wednesday that its investigation into the SBC and its entities was closed. No sexual abuse-related charges were filed.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In the chaos, journalists have struggled to confirm statistics about fatalities, while waves of social media videos claim to show crucified Christians, Alawites and other members of religious and ethnic minority groups being beaten, militants firing machine guns into houses and committing other atrocities.
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