(OPINION) What ails the United States of America? Why have some serious thinkers even talked about a second civil war? Both journalists and religious leaders should be pondering that on July 4. Consider some recent media coverage.
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(OPINION) On June 2, the AP editorial team issued an updated “Transgender Coverage Topical Guide” that’s very timely, and not just because June is Pride Month. This latest update is yet another step to embrace changes linked to the sexual revolution. Meanwhile, the Public Religion Research Institute released a poll showing U.S. opinion is getting more conservative on these matters.
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(OPINION) North America’s Christian and Jewish leaders have long been active, politically and legally, in taking differing sides on same-sex and transgender issues. Authorities in Islam are comparatively disengaged. That changes in dramatic fashion with a new declaration of alarm from a broad group of 59 authorities, quickly joined by 150 further endorsers from Muslim organizations and local mosques.
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(OPINION) In nationwide polls, Donald Trump has defied multiple legal snarls to pad his already healthy margin over potential challenger Ron DeSantis for the Republican nomination. So far, those two swamp all other possible names, such as Nikki Haley. But might some or many evangelicals eventually turn against Trump?
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(OPINION) There’s long-established history behind the practice of Christians during their earthly life praying to benefit fellow believers who are dead. This was commended by revered theologians of the early church.
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(OPINION) Since the media and the internet are crazy over lists (is this David Letterman’s doing?), how about a well-reported article — not about our American era’s top 10 religious celebrities but which ones exercise the most influence, seen or unseen?
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(OPINION) Though TV gets the glamour, radio has arguably been more important in building the U.S. evangelical subculture and shaping its substance since World War II. The Guy has yet to see a comprehensive, knowledgeable look at this industry — so there’s a feature well worth developing by an enterprising reporter.
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(OPINION) Despite what some conservatives think, former President Donald Trump maintains a huge sway over a large segment of the U.S. electorate. What that means for religion in the United States, once the Trump years come to an end, remains to be seen.
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(OPINION) What do world religions believe on polygamy, pro and con? With religion, age-old issues such as polygamy versus monogamy never disappear, and a recent Jerusalem Post article discussed Jewish practices, which we’ll examine.
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(OPINION) As Iran protests persist, what women’s clothing does Islam require? There’s always been vigorous discussion of the complexities about exactly what attire is properly modest and thus faithful to Islam.
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(OPINION) Author Katelyn Beaty’s new book “Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits are Hurting the Church” diagnoses a problem that’s pretty much absent in mainline Protestantism, Black Protestantism (there are some glaring exceptions in the health-and-wealth world), Catholicism and other U.S. religious bodies. Why is celebrity culture so magnified in White evangelicalism?
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(OPINION) A balanced coalition of leaders in the large United Methodist Church developed a treaty for mutually respectful separation that’s currently degenerating into a wasteful fight like other groups have suffered. The current maneuvers by the North American UMC establishment may well limit the number of dropouts joining the Global Methodist Church.
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(OPINION) Both the Hebrew Scriptures — Christians’ “Old Testament” — and the New Testament are full of admonitions that believers in God insofar as able must help the poor and needy. However, that does not necessarily tie Jesus to socialism, since believers can practice charity in a capitalist context just as readily, if not more so.
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(OPINION) The 2020 election was a landmark for the Hispanic American community with an estimated 16.6 million voters, a record proportion of the electorate. But columnists on the left and right have noted that President Joe Biden and his party have lost some of the more culturally conservative Latinos that were among former President Barack Obama’s coalition.
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(OPINION) If Russian invaders continue their current aggression, how much of Ukraine will be turned to rubble, and how many innocent civilians will be dead by Aug. 31? That's opening day for the 11th Global Assembly in the 74-year history of the World Council of Churches planned to begin in August.
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(OPINION) New religions appear all the time — nowhere more than in the United States — but very few ever achieve prominence and permanence. Christianity is a rare and dramatic case of a faith that triumphed.
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(OPINION) In this, the 50th anniversary year of the 12.9 million-member United Methodist Church’s fierce debate over the Bible and sexuality, a late summer General Conference was set to settle how to split. But a March 3 bombshell announcement canceled this all-important meeting, already postponed twice due to COVID-19.
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(OPINION) The latest bid to shape public perceptions of the concept of Christian nationalism is a 63-page “Report on Christian Nationalism and the January 6 Insurrection,” issued last month by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
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(OPINION) As U.S. Protestant evangelicalism copes with internal divisions and problematic status in the broader society, along with the usual brickbats from the left, nonpartisan journalists and evangelical strategists alike should carefully monitor the thinking of knowledgeable insiders who are not wedded to customary loyalties and assumptions.
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(OPINION) Along with assorted financial and moral scandals, Warren Cole Smith of MinistryWatch.com has been examining what he calls the “Bible translation industry.” This is a very popular cause among U.S. Protestants, with revenues of around $500 million a year. The biggest group, Wycliffe Bible Translators, took in $227 million in 2020.
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