(OPINION) During the centuries, Christians have held widely different views on their relation to the political order. Some have taken the attitude that they should have nothing to do with civil government. At the opposite extreme, others have identified the church with the state. Between these positions, different groups have made various combinations.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’ve been trying to think of a way to better understand how female pastors experience their job compared to men. There just aren’t that many surveys of clergy out there, so this is not an easy task. The other day I remembered that there was a dataset out there that I hadn’t done a lot with — the National Congregations Study.
Read MoreFueled by donations from two conservative billionaires, the leading Republican Jewish political action committee is pouring millions of dollars into a swing-state advertising blitz supporting former President Donald Trump in the final weeks of the campaign.
Read MoreOn the eve of a potentially historic presidential election, Natasha Sutherland is tired. The born-and-raised Floridian and senior advisor to the Yes on 4 campaign has been fighting to expand and protect abortion access in her home state for years, but that fight hit a fever pitch after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Read MoreAt church, churchgoers are surrounded by people who share their religious beliefs, but that doesn’t prevent them from having friends who believe differently.
Read MoreSee any link here? God, guns and "deplorables." Now we have "garbage" voters.
Read MoreSince 1979, Joni and Friends, the organization started by Joni Eareckson Tada after a diving accident left her a quadriplegic, has advocated for those living with disabilities and their families. Part of its thriving global ministry includes the Wheels for the World program that has donated over 235,000 wheelchairs.
Read More(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 MoreWitchcraft, a term loaded with fear and kitsch, dredges up images of pointy hats and bubbling cauldrons. But for an increasing number of people today, witchcraft is not just a spooky movie or costume. For some, it’s a religion, a community, a spiritual journey and a daily practice.
Read MoreOne by one, Catholic dioceses in key presidential swing states are putting out unusual statements: Newspapers whose titles include the word Catholic that are showing up in people’s mailboxes aren’t what they seem and aren’t connected to the church. With a classic typeface and traditional newspaper design, the mass-mailed Catholic Tribune newspapers carry signposts of legitimacy.
Read MoreAlong the Hudson River, about an hour north of New York, is a church perched atop a hill in a village called Sleepy Hollow. When Washington Irving immortalized the Old Dutch Church with its Headless Horseman in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” it became a literary mainstay. For 300 years, the ghost who haunts the churchyard has frightened people. These days, a new force distresses the locals.
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 MoreThe role of Jewish delis in American politics took a turn that gave some of its Jewish voters indigestion. Some Jewish Democrats said they would never again eat at Hymie’s Deli, a popular spot in the Philadelphia’s suburbs for nearly 70 years, after an ad for former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was filmed there.
Read MoreThe Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has urged the U.S. government to intercede for the American families and Chinese orphans caught in limbo by the end of China’s international adoption program.
Read MoreNick Saban — who adopted two children, Nicholas and Kristen, with his wife, Terry, and “adopted” hundreds more as a coach — drew a sellout crowd to Faulkner University’s annual benefit dinner, which celebrated heroes of adoption and foster care. Saban, a college football legend, retired from coaching and now works as a TV analyst for ESPN's “College GameDay,”
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(OPINION) I can’t do justice to these responses in full here, but they all go back to that same fundamental point: Abortion snuffs out a real, human life, a life with unknown potential, however tiny and still-developing it may be.
Read MoreWhile many Jews don’t celebrate Halloween, that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own share of spooky, scary skeletons scattered throughout our day.
Read More(OPINION) Every day when I read or listen to the national news, I want to drive over to the public square and shout, “You kids stop it! Stop it right now!” So, before things get any further out of hand, let me offer up some thoughts on the election for all of us who are civically involved but not fanatics.
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