(ANALYSIS) Letâs start with the top line finding for me from the 2024 Cooperative Election Study. I continue to double and triple down on a statement that I made about a year ago: The rise of the nones is essentially over, for now. Let me show you what I mean.
Read MoreOver the past decade, Passion Plays have become a feature of U.K. life. Over the past few years, the London Passion Play has lead the way when it comes to such re-enactments. The idea, however, dates back to the Middle Ages, when individual scenes would be performed at different sites around a city or town by the local guilds.
Read More(REVIEW) Data shows that organized religion is better for society than disorganized spirituality. Whether itâs mental health, building social bonds, fighting toxic masculinity, creating safety nets to avoid poverty or creating social change (just remember the Black churchâs important role in pushing forward civil rights), thereâs no doubt that the house of worship has more power than cloves of garlic to ward off the evils that plague us.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Although the Ayatollahs have responded with bullets, prison cells, and executions, sheer force can only do so much against an idea whose time has come. The regime is losing its grip. The Islamic Republic has long ruled through force and fear. Yet, as disillusionment spreads, hope takes root. In this context, Christianity is not just a religion. It is an act of defiance.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Research from Scheitle and Cornell found that thereâs often a significant mismatch between what the clergy say that they are speaking about and what is actually received by the congregants. Are they receptive to politically charged messages from the pulpit?
Read MorePresident Trumpâs nominee for ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, is one of the GOPâs most prominent âChristian Zionistsâ â a phrase often associated with conservative evangelicalsâ support for Israel. But Christian Zionism is much older than the 1980s alliance between the Republican Party and the religious right.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For many modern Christians, Sunday School is primarily seen as a childrenâs ministry â a place where kids are taught Bible stories while their parents attend the main worship service. Yet historically, Sunday Schools played a far greater role. They were not only centers of religious education but also powerful tools for evangelism and church planting.
Read MoreThe Texas House passed a bipartisan bill banning nondisclosure clauses in sexual abuse settlement agreements April 8, championed on the House floor by Rep. Jeff Leach, a Southern Baptist who is among the billâs five authors. Known as Treyâs Law, the bill outlaws the use of NDAs in settlement agreements regarding sexual abuse, regardless of the age of the abused.
Read More(REVIEW) This is why a crowdfunded series ended up reaching box office heights. People donât watch this series because they love it. They watch it because they love Jesus. The show, through its artistry and creativity, helps people see Him more clearly. It succeeds because film has a unique power: It can offer pure experiences that go beyond words.
Read MoreAs always, the annual U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom report focused on trends in nations known for bitter religious conflicts and the persecution of religious minorities, including Christians. The list of offenders of âparticular concernâ included China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia and others. The commission pushed to add Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Vietnam to that list.
Read MoreReligion Unpluggedâs readers see Clemente Lisiâs stories all the time. Here are seven facts to help the audience get to know him better.
Read MoreEver since the repeal of the FCCâs Fairness Doctrine in the 1980s, AM radio has maintained a reputation as the domain of free market capitalist advocacy. But now that automakers such as Ford and Tesla have been removing AM radios from some new models, many groups are fighting to save the format through government regulation.
Read More(OPINION) At a professorâs nudge, I first attended a conference in the early 2000s. I donât remember what city it was in, or even the exact year. I do remember how awkward it felt. I stood shyly by myself â away from the religion reporters I admired so much â when I should have been networking.
Read MoreAttempting to determine which American city is the âmost Christianâ is no easy task. The outcome of a new study came with some surprises. The survey, out in time for Easter, has determined that the urban center with the highest religious engagement for Christians, using a variety of metrics and factors, is New York.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Shakespeareâs works are, and have always been, profoundly theological â not because they provide answers but because they compel us to confront fundamental questions of existence. Is there justice in the universe? Do our actions have eternal consequences? Can the worst among us be saved? These questions not easily answered, if they can be answered at all. These are questions that still haunt us.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The bottom line: Religion events and trends draw intense news coverage when they are directly or indirectly linked to politics. This is especially true during tense elections.
Read More(OPINION) Every year at Passover, when Jews around the world recite the Four Questions, we begin by asking, âma nishtana halaila hazeh me kol halaylotâ â âwhat makes this night different from all others?â As we approach this yearâs seders, I think that itâs also appropriate that we ask what makes this year different from all others.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Zenger Prizes each year come from a Christian foundation, Zenger House, that honors feature stories based in on-the-ground reporting. Iâm the chairman and one of the five judges, all veteran journalists. We like Christian journalism but give awards to journalists of any religion from around the world who write deeply reported stories consistent with a biblical ethic.
Read MoreFive cases addressing religious liberty ranging from parental rights to age verification on pornographic sites will be decided when the Supreme Court announces its decisions in the coming months.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Why empower a small group of unelected, perhaps unrepresentative, people from some religious communities with official privileged access to the governor? Why treat seven people as if they could speak for the millions of religious believers in Texas? Can a Baptist properly reflect Catholic concerns, or an Orthodox Jew reflect Muslim concerns?
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