(ANALYSIS) Decades later, it’s hard to remember how much “Chariots of Fire” shocked the Hollywood establishment, with soaring box-office totals and four wins at the 1982 Oscars — including a Best Picture win for producer David Puttnam. The film’s focus on two legendary runners — one Christian and the other Jewish — also pleased believers who rarely applaud how faith is handled on screen.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As early as 1856, experts gleefully noted that one could create images of ghosts “for the purpose of amusement.” Commercial photographers began producing this spectacular phenomenon for fun and profit and – as I have found while researching early portrait photography – thereby helped feed media fascination with all things ghostly.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Some 79 countries around the world continue to enforce blasphemy laws. And in places such as Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, violation of these measures can result in a death penalty. While the U.S. is not among those countries, it also has a long history of blasphemy laws.
Read MoreA thought-provoking discussion of politics and faith highlights our first Norton Colloquium.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Behind the sensational headlines, the Sunshine State has another, far more solemn side. Not only is Florida a religious state, but according to recent rankings, it is one of the most religious states in the nation — a fact that might surprise some. Florida’s zest for the transcendent extends beyond the Bible Belt. The Cuban-American community has had an impact on the state's religious landscape.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In preparation for the many Hindu fall festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra or Durga Puja, worshipers all over the world will purchase flowers for use in ritual worship in temples, outdoor ceremonies or altars at home. Stories found in the “Puranas” describe why gods and goddesses favor certain flowers.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Earlier this month, a trial of a Dutch member of Daesh, also known as the Islamic State group, began in The Hague, Netherlands. The Dutch national, known as Hasna A., is being tried for crimes against Yazidi women, representing a pivotal moment in the global fight for justice and accountability.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I like studying an organization like the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It’s a self-selected collection of individuals who become members and pay dues because they feel it’s a good use of their time and resources. But how much do members of a group like FFRF represent the larger nonreligious group they come from?
Read MoreOnce upon a time, a MAGA-hat adorned teen at the annual March for Life — Nicholas Sandmann, by name — offered an enigmatic smile while a Native American activist pounded a drum in his face. Mainstream journalists were certain that this Donald Trump-era incident was a big news story and used oceans of digital ink while covering it.
Read MoreIn some ways, McDonald's is like a church. Nearly every town has one. And people of all kinds are welcome.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Before the final session of a Synod of Bishops that concludes at the Vatican October 27, much printer’s ink was spilled because Pope Francis removed the issue of allowing women deacons from the agenda.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In her campaign against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump — whose 2016 victory angered her — the Harris team has used Doritos as a symbol of the feisty, combative side of the vice president’s personality.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Before this month’s synod at the Vatican, Pope Francis took the question of allowing women deacons off the agenda, referring this and other hot-button issues to study groups. That distressed many Catholic activists. Leaving aside this matter of ordained ministry, sisters in religious orders and lay women could fill many influential church posts monopolized by male priests.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In the company of endless superhero comics and Japanese pirate manga lives a delightfully sizable population of religious graphic novels. This is fitting, as perhaps the oldest comics are religious. Regardless of intention, what do ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics read like if not a comic strip? Here’s a look at three stories that touch upon faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) At the current synod, whose purpose is to address “communion, participation, and mission” in the church, women’s role is on the agenda. But Catholic women have historically found ways to speak to and about their church leadership, even when they have been excluded from its proceedings.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One year ago, on the last day of the celebratory Feast of Sukkot, the unthinkable happened, and a living hell was unleashed on Israel. That was Oct. 7, a day that will live in infamy in the decades to come, a day that has still not ended for the hostages and the families of the victims.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’ve written before about the political activity of a bunch of different religious groups. But I wanted to revisit that prior work and take the level of analysis down one layer of granularity to look at specific Protestant denominations.
Read MoreIf an editor wanted to craft a headline that would ignite the telephone switchboards for conservative and Christian talk shows, this would probably be it: “Study says 32 million Christians likely not to vote.”
Read MoreWeekend Plug-in columnist Bobby Ross Jr. recounts his adventures as a roving religion reporter. Ross has covered news and features in all 50 states and 18 countries.
Read More(ANALYSIS) If you’ve spent time on Facebook, you may have noticed photorealistic images that are too good to be true: children holding paintings that look like the work of professional artists, or majestic log cabin interiors that are the stuff of Airbnb dreams. Others, such as renderings of Jesus made out of crustaceans, are just bizarre.
Read More
