Posts by Jillian Cheney
A Post-Falwell Liberty: A Large Christian College Returns to its Roots

Inside the latest changes rocking Liberty University: the unconventional replacement of longtime board chairman Allen McFarland came on the same day that Liberty filed a lawsuit against its former president and founder’s son, Jerry Falwell Jr. As the school works to remove Falwell Jr.’s influence, it shows signs of returning to its foundational roots.

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From 'The Unholy' To 'The Exorcist': A Closer Look At Religious Horror

(REVIEW) Horror movies have long been influenced by religious tradition, often involving evil spirits and possession. These are some of the most notable horror movies with religious themes, including new movie “The Unholy” — which follows a girl after she believes she’s been visited by the Virgin Mary.

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‘Resurrection’ Brings Family-Friendly Gospel Story to Streaming in Time for Easter

(REVIEW) “Resurrection,” which will premiere on streaming service Discovery+, tells the story of the Gospels from Jesus’ trial to the start of the early Christian church. If successful, it will pave the way for more family-friendly faith-based content.

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How Kanye West’s 'Jesus is King' Grammy Win Redefines Contemporary Christian Music

Kanye West’s 2019 album “Jesus is King” won Best Contemporary Christian Music Album at the 2021 Grammys. Here’s how the album fits into his career as a whole and what the win means for the genre.

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A Guide To Faith Communities Booming On The Clubhouse App

Clubhouse, the new audio chat app from Silicon Valley, is a booming spot for faith groups hoping to supplement weekly worship and grow their communities. Here are the best ones to check out.

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In True Crime Series 'Murder Among the Mormons,' LDS Church Reckons with Rewritten History

(REVIEW) New true crime series “Murder Among the Mormons” tells the story of 1985 Salt Lake City bombings connected to the LDS Church.

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‘Joker Jesus’ Follows Overt Religious Symbolism in Superman Movies, Sparks Predictions for New ‘Justice League’

A photo released this week depicting popular comic book villain the Joker dressed as Jesus Christ is circulating social media. Fans speculate on what it means for the soon-to-be-released Justice League and reflect on the director’s past work — which heavily uses religious symbolism.

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U.K. Churches Viewed More Positively Since COVID-19 Pandemic, New Survey Shows

A February survey shows that non-Christians in the U.K. have developed a more positive view of the church since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

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Texas church partners with Jeep club to shelter elderly during winter storm

Volunteers with the North Texas Jeep Club are partnering with OpenDoor Church in the Dallas-Forth Worth metroplex to provide transportation, food and shelter to the elderly as Texas faces widespread power outages.

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PBS Documentary 'The Black Church' Paints Unique and Spiritual History Through Gospel Music

(REVIEW) New PBS documentary “The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song” gives a complete history of the church — from slavery to the modern Black Lives Matter movement — and focuses on charismatic worship and Gospel music.

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‘Minari’ Finds Faith in Fertile, Arkansas Soil

(REVIEW) “Minari” is the story of a Korean American family that moves from California to a stretch of farmland in the Ozarks to start over. What they encounter there grows their family through trial and brings them closer to the land they tend to.

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Documentaries on Race and Christianity Explore Slavery, Offer Modern Solutions

Streaming service Amazon Prime contains three documentaries by Black creators that delve into the history of racism in the church, back to the origin of slavery in the U.S. and often further. Each takes a different focus, whether White Jesus, BLM or the structure of worship services.

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Bishop T.D. Jakes Hosts Dr. Fauci And Experts To Combat COVID-19 Misinformation

The COVID-19 vaccine is one of the greatest subjects of confusion — and misinformation — in the U.S. Bishop T.D. Jakes, from Dallas megachurch The Potter’s House, hosted a “Conversations with America” panel about the vaccine to help combat this misinformation.

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Mike Lindell Falsely Claims New Election Fraud ‘Proof’ on the Eric Metaxas Show

Mike Lindell, MyPillow CEO and now-popular Trump supporter, appeared on the Eric Metaxas Radio Show to discuss more “proof” he’d discovered about widespread election fraud. “God’s got his hand in all of this,” he said.

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5 Meditation and Prayer Resources to Start the New Year

Many take the start of a new year as the chance to renew themselves physically and spiritually. Explore the use of meditation in major world religions and see some of the best tools for reflection and prayer in 2021.

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Is This The Way? 'The Mandalorian' Questions Religious Tradition

(REVIEW) The second season of “Star Wars” spin-off television show “The Mandalorian” deals heavily with the protagonist’s religious creed that prevents him from removing his helmet. When he chooses to take it off for the sake of saving his child and companion, it’s sure to change the way he views his creed.

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U.S. Human Rights Commission Calls Nigerian Violence ‘Genocide'

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan Congressional caucus, held a panel on Dec. 17 to discuss religiously-motivated violence in Nigeria. Hundreds of Christians and Shia Muslims have died or suffered other violence at the hands of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen. The committee and panelists discussed what the U.S. should do to help in the future.

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