North America
The Justice Department has released the first draft of a report on religious liberty following a yearlong study ordered by President Donald Trump. The wide-ranging report deals with areas such as public school, the military, and how faith-based organizations should interact with federal grants.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that schools may separate athletic teams based on biological sex, upholding Idaho and West Virginia laws challenged under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. The decision drew praise from the ERLC, Alliance Defending Freedom and West Virginia Baptists supporting protections for women's sports.
(ANALYSIS) In 1526, books appeared in England that no one had seen before: printed New Testaments in the English language. The public snapped them up. For the first time, people read now-common phrases such as “the powers that be” and “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” But religious authorities condemned the English Bible and burned the copies they could find.
(ANALYSIS) In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, faith-based filmmakers have pushed out multiple patriotic and history-themed films. This summer has seen a mix of historical dramas, war epics and documentaries — all of which are widely available for Christians (and non-Christians) to watch this Fourth of July weekend.
In May 2024, a Catholic parish in Kiambu County, near the Kenyan capital Nairobi, made national headlines when it allowed a polygamous man to marry one of his wives in a church ceremony. The marriage ceremony happened while the other wife sat in the pews. The church agreed that Ndachu had to write a will dividing his estate equitably between both families.
(REVIEW) To understand post-Christian Western culture, watch “Hazbin Hotel.” As America continues to secularize and divide along religious and political lines, our culture is rewriting how we think about human nature and redemption. With its second season, the series encapsulates our evolving post-Christian imagination — and the ways we’re worse off for it.
Tourists used to just stop in Lima on their way to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. These days, it has become a destination with trendy restaurants and restored historic buildings that tell the story of “The City Of Kings.” Founded in 1535 by Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro, Lima was once the most important city in South America.
As Independence Day approaches, this week’s Religion Unplugged podcast episode features culture critic Joseph Holmes and his investigation into the faith of our first president.
Los turistas solían detenerse en Lima únicamente de camino a Cuzco y Machu Picchu. Hoy en día, se ha convertido en un destino con restaurantes de moda y edificios históricos restaurados que cuentan la historia de la “Ciudad de los Reyes”. Fundada en 1535 por el conquistador español Francisco Pizarro, Lima fue en su día la ciudad más importante de Sudamérica.
(ANALYSIS) In the end, Vance is a work in progress — as all Christians ought to be. The Veep never quite reconciled with his father before he died. But there’s a “second chance” with his long-troubled mother, now substance-free and happily part of the family circle doting on her grandkids.
As colonists and Native nations navigated war, alliances, disease, displacement and competing claims to land, Christian missions became intertwined with politics and survival. Some Indigenous people rejected Christianity, others adapted it to their own traditions, revealing a complex history shaped by both faith and colonial expansion in early America.
(ANALYSIS) For more than two decades, the Supreme Court has issued a series of wins for plaintiffs seeking to protect their religious practices. On June 23, though, the majority delivered a defeat in this contentious area. Landor v. Louisiana Department of Public Education and Safety, a 6-3 judgment, rejected the claim of Damon Landor, a Rastafarian whose hair was forcibly shaved in prison.
(OPINION) Being an agnostic isn’t a bad thing. It’s almost unavoidable if you’re thinking seriously. There are just too many unknowns.
(ANALYSIS) When I was in graduate school our program required each student to have two majors and a minor field. I knew one of my major fields was going to be American politics — that was an easy choice. I was also made aware that it was easier to get a job teaching public administration than traditional political science because the positions were relatively plentiful and the number of grad students with training in PA were low, so I picked that up as a second major.
Bethany Christian Services has reversed its 2021 policy allowing LGBTQ couples to foster and adopt, reaffirming a traditional Christian definition of marriage. The decision raises questions about religious liberty, employment and legal challenges, media coverage and the broader struggle of faith-based organizations navigating cultural and political conflicts.
Weekend Plug-in columnist Bobby Ross Jr. is passionate about Major League Baseball. In recent years, his love for the game has inspired him to delve into the trend of MLB teams hosting faith days.
The Texas Rangers’ recent “Faith and Family Day” was not the team’s first. But for multiple reasons, the latest one became a culture war flashpoint — stirring debate across the country and on social media, sparking comments by everyone from the governor of Texas to the Catholic bishop of Fort Worth. June is dedicated to LGBTQ Pride, and other sports teams often set aside a night to celebrate.
(REVIEW) “Just One More” has its heart in the right place. But it is held back by a preachy Christian filmmaking culture that leans on telling, not showing.
(ANALYSIS) Clashing rainbow symbols recently created a storm in Major League Baseball when powers wielded by team owners clashed with the religious beliefs of players. The big question: Can the biblical rainbow coexist on the same Pride Night baseball cap with the today’s rainbow celebrating LGBTQ+ rights?
(REVIEW) Steven Spielberg’s latest film “Disclosure Day” asks how people of faith would deal with finding out aliens are real. Sadly, one gets the distinct impression that Spielberg didn’t talk to any religious people when deciding his answer. Spielberg is responsible for some of the most iconic movies about aliens and faith ever made.
A federal judge dismissed a class-action lawsuit accusing Texas megachurch Gateway Church and former senior pastor Robert Morris of misrepresenting tithing expenditures, marking a significant legal victory for the scandal-plagued congregation.
A Rastafarian lost his challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court to seek monetary damages against Louisiana prison guards who forcibly shaved his head, in a case that saw the trio of liberal justices upholding religious liberty.
The faith of Generation Z frequently draws them to church on Sunday but often fails to shape their lives during the week.
(ANALYSIS) The Kane Parsons film “Backrooms” has captivated audiences since it hit theaters in May. The movie — a horror film about liminal spaces based on internet mythology — also taps into a series of religious ideas that have existed for centuries, particularly concepts such as purgatory, limbo and salvation.
After decades of silence, Spain and the Catholic Church have agreed on a compensation deal for victims of clergy sexual abuse. For survivors, it is a long-awaited recognition—but also a reminder that justice remains incomplete.
(ANALYSIS) For decades after Supreme Court rulings barred school-sponsored prayer and Bible reading, faith remained present in public schools through student-led religious expression and community culture. Now, a series of new state laws mandating displays like the Ten Commandments are testing long-standing church-state boundaries and reigniting debate.
As we celebrate the U.S.’s 250th birthday, the question of whether or not America is a Christian nation continues to show its face. Three professors try to provide an answer in Religion Unplugged’s latest podcast.
(OPINION) In their legitimate efforts to oppose tyranny, many Iranian Christians are dangerously mixing politics, nationalism and their Christian faith. Christian leaders present Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as the best, or even the divinely appointed, option for Iran’s transition and churches are displaying the Iranian flag during worship services.
(ANALYSIS) Whether cities or villages, many communities across Europe spend the day and night of June 24 celebrating Midsummer. Congregating around bonfires, or sometimes maypoles, sporting handwoven wreaths of wildflowers or oak leaves, they’ll sing, jump, dance, eat, drink, catch up and celebrate the arrival of the longest day of the year.
On June 18, the Texas Legislature released a 115-page investigative report, based on 140 interviews. The losses at the camp, it says, were avoidable. Days later, Camp Mystic filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, court records show. Unlike a chapter 7 bankruptcy, which liquidates a business, a chapter 11 filing means that the business pays a portion of its debts and keeps operating.