(ANALYSIS) The hit Netflix series âStranger Thingsâ has consistently woven religious symbolism into its supernatural horror storytelling. Nowhere is this more striking than in the way the villain Vecna functions as a dark, inverted reflection of Jesus â especially in the showâs fifth and final season.
Read MoreZohran Mamdaniâs swearing-in at City Hall highlighted the full diversity of New York City and included a striking display of Jewish presence and pride during a historic change in leadership. In a scene rich with symbolism, Sen. Bernie Sanders administered the oath of office to the cityâs first Muslim mayor as Mamdani placed his hand on a Quran.
Read More(ANALYSIS) With 2025 now behind us, it was a year filled with significant developments in religion, faith and spirituality â and 2026 is likely to be just as eventful. Here are five key religion-related issues and trends to watch for over the next 12 months in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For members of the Religion News Association, this was the kind of dramatic appeal that made the Chicago native the top Religion Newsmaker of 2025. The runner-up was Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who was elected as New York City's first Muslim mayor. The assassinated evangelical activist Charlie Kirk placed third.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Regular mindfulness practice has been linked to many positive health benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, better sleep and quicker healing after injury and illness. Mindfulness can help us to be present in a distracted world, especially as we start a new year, and to feel more at home in our bodies and in our lives.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Many characteristics of Shaker life and belief set them apart from other Protestants, but their name derives from one of the most obvious. Early Shakers manifested the holy spirit they believed dwelled within them by shaking violently in worship. The film âThe Testament of Ann Leeâ brings this movement to life for modern audiences.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Boy, do I have a treat for you all today! Do you ever wonder how the partisanship of people who work for religious organizations varies compared to folks who work in other industries?
Read MoreThe Dec. 25 attack may have been more a shot across the bow, according to a PBS interview with J. Peter Pham, the U.S. special envoy to the Sahel region during the first Trump administration. The places hit by U.S. military, he said, were not where the genocide against Christians is taking place.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Faith and politics collided as a U.S.-born pope emerged, Donald Trump returned to power, immigration crackdowns intensified across the U.S. and churches faced violence. At the same time, a Muslim mayoral win stirred debate, while antisemitic attacks surged. Hereâs a recap of the past 12 months.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The U.S. airstrikes against ISIS militants in Nigeria on Christmas Day represents an escalation in an insurgency that their military has struggled to contain for more than a decade. The political and strategic significance is hard to miss: Washington appears willing to take a more direct role in a conflict once treated largely as a regional problem.
Read MoreIn a special year-end edition, Weekend Plug-in counts down the Top 10 most popular Religion Unplugged stories from the past 12 months.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Thereâs no doubt that faith-based films blew up in 2025. Whether thatâs in the faith-based film industry putting out record-breaking theatrical releases of âThe Chosenâ and other Jesus movies or Hollywood exploring religion with a newfound earnestness in the horror genre or blockbusters, faith was everywhere this year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Because questions about a Christmas Eve service come up every year, here are my thoughts to consider if your church is planning a Christmas Eve service this year. I published many of these thoughts last year but have added a few for this year.
Read More(ANALYSIS) For the first time since 2022, a giant Christmas tree glows over Bethlehem. Its red, green and yellow lights shimmer above Manger Square, casting warm light on the West Bank city. As thousands flood the area this time of year, the scene looks like a return to normality. The last time Bethlehem held a public Christmas celebration was before the 10/7 attacks.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Why do I think Christian families should have a âChristmas movieâ tradition in which there are a few (very few) wonderful flicks that they watch as part of its âtraditionalâ (small âtâ) festivities linked to Christmas?
Read MoreâReligion is more than simply attending services; it is in the way we behave towards others,â Youngman said. âShowing religion in action and how it has affected culture, art and life around the world is important. My articles for Religion Unplugged show it at work quietly within the communities across Europe, and those stories can inspire others.â
Read MoreNear the border with Mozambique lies Mount Darwin, a rural community 125 miles north of the capital Harare. The countryside doesnât have much besides agriculture, but it is known as home to one of the famous hospitals in the country. Karanda Mission Hospital, operated by the Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe, has emerged as a beacon of hope.
Read MoreCzechia was once a harbinger of the Protestant Reformation, but now pastors face an uphill battle as the Protestant population drops below 2%.
Read More(ANALYSIS) âA Charlie Brown Christmas,â the beloved animated television program, turns 60 this year. It is hard to imagine that it almost did not air. Network executives thought it moved too slowly for a Christmas special. They also were convinced that the absence of a laugh track, a staple of 1960s-era comedies, would be the kiss of death.
Read More(REVIEW) The film follows the real-life story of Ann Lee, who in the 18th century was the founding leader of the Shaker Movement and was proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers. âThe Testament of Ann Leeâ is an example of why Hollywood is interested in stories about faith. Itâs also an example of why itâs hard for them to capture the experience in a way that resonates with believers.
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