In a country known for its spices, yoga, the Taj Mahal and Hinduism, a movement is taking place to show the world that Christianity came to India as early as the first century CE. Indian Christians believe their history and heritage can be traced back to Saint Thomas the Apostle.
Read More(OPINION) Back in 2023, I wrote that I was “both frustrated and mesmerized” by the first season of this docuseries. “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” was a behind-the-scenes story of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their children, the stars of the TLC hit television series “19 and Counting” and a number of spin-offs.
Read More(ANALYSIS) International lawyers from a U.K.-based Doughty Street Chambers and Howard Kennedy raised the dire situation of Iranian journalists globally, with several of them being subjected to serious threats. According to their statement, over the past six weeks, Iranian authorities have intimidated and threatened 45 journalists and 315 of their family members.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The first 100 days of a U.S. president’s term are a widely recognized milestone, often scrutinized for signs of momentum, direction or policy implementation. But the same metric, when applied to a newly elected pope, serves a very different purpose. A pope, however, enters office without the expectations of an electoral mandate — yet still under the global spotlight.
Read More(ANALYSIS) When someone says the term “Culture War,” the first issues that usually come to mind are access to abortion or same-sex marriage. These are two of the most well-known ‘social issues’ in American religion and politics over the last several decades.
Read More(ANALYSIS) This summer’s “Superman” is more than just another superhero movie. James Gunn's latest, starring David Corenswet, offers something different: A return to the character's core — not just as a cultural icon, but as a figure imbued with spiritual and moral gravity. Because Superman has always been religious. Maybe not explicitly, but unmistakably.
Read MoreLegendary journalist Jerry Mitchell reflects on faith and journalism. “The church is supposed to take care of sin,” Mitchell says. “We’re not supposed to wink at it or cover it up.”
Read MoreThis old-school journalism issue loomed over this week’s “Crossroads” podcast as we discussed a new essay in The Atlantic — “Why Marriage Survives” — by sociologist Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia.
Read More(ANALYSIS) There is an ongoing push to make chaplains available in public schools across the United States. Chaplains, also called spiritual caregivers, are religious professionals who work in secular institutions and can be of any tradition or none at all. Indiana is currently considering a bill that would allow chaplains in public schools to provide “support services.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) By reevaluating the Samson narrative, readers can move beyond the one-dimensional portrayal of him as an overly masculine brute. His story is not just one of strength but also of longing and deep emotional vulnerability. His riddle may not be a challenge meant to humiliate his enemies, but an expression of personal connection.
Read More(ANALYSIS) While Stephen Colbert retains a faithful congregation, some fans who loved his sly blend of satire and progressive Catholicism mourn his decision to preach to only half of America, said media scholar Terry Lindvall, author of "God Mocks: A History of Religious Satire from the Hebrew Prophets to Stephen Colbert,” published in 2015.
Read MoreThe roots of Ferragosto date back over 2,000 years to ancient Rome. The name itself is derived from the Latin phrase Feriae Augusti, meaning “Festivals of Augustus” — a holiday instituted in 18 BCE by Emperor Augustus. It later became a Christian holiday and is celebrated throughout Italy to this day.
Read MoreMore than 250 people packed the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center in Moscow, Idaho, last Friday evening for a live recording of “Sons of Patriarchy,” a podcast dedicated to exposing what its producers describe as abuse within Christ Church Moscow and Pastor Doug Wilson’s broader religious movement.
Read More(REVIEW) The book presents a Christian framework for everyday life that may resonate with readers of various faiths. However, the writing quality is uneven; while some chapters are accessible, others use complex language that may be challenging for some readers. Despite its limitations, this collection is worth reading in an age marked by AI, anxiety and burnout.
Read MoreFew pastors leave the pulpit each year, but those who do mostly say it was a personal decision. According to a Lifeway Research study of former senior pastors in four Protestant denominations who stepped down before retirement age, four in five (81%) felt sure during most of their ministry at their last church that they could stay there as long as they wanted.
Read MoreMost U.S. adults (52 percent) said they had a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the church as an institution in 2019, the last year a majority held that belief. In 2018, confidence levels fell below 40 percent for the first time. They edged above that mark in 2020 — only to drop back below in 2021 and even further in 2022.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A coalition of civil society organizations announced the launch of the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan, an initiative to address the impunity for the dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Among the little-noticed aspects of the 2024 U.S. election is Muslims’ substantial 33% vote for Donald Trump — with a remarkable 42% backing from those who attend mosque weekly. That’s an increase from past elections.
Read MoreA customer service representative can be central to carrying out a religious organization’s mission in the same way a pastor is, a federal appeals court ruled, shielding the employer from federal nondiscrimination statutes.
Read MoreA June terrori attack, the deadliest in recent memory, sent shockwaves through Syria's dwindling Christian population, communities that have endured in this ancient land for almost two millennia. Now, many fear they are witnessing the final chapter of one of Christianity's oldest continuous presences anywhere in the world.
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