Since the fall of President Suharto in 1998 and especially since the establishment of regional autonomy in 2001, there has been controversy over the practice by many Indonesian public schools to require Muslims and non-Muslims to wear symbols related to religion, like a headscarf.
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(OPINION) Katherine Stewart, Times reporter outwardly against the Christian Right, makes the surprising assertion that to understand Sen. Josh Hawley’s role in the unprecedented furies of recent weeks we must look back 16 centuries to one of the hottest theological disputes in Christian history.
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(OPINION) Nearly half (49%) of participating pastors agreed with the statement: “I frequently hear members of my congregation repeating conspiracy theories they have heard about why something is happening in our country,” revealing that QAnon conspiracy theorists are spreading from the Internet to the pews.
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(ANALYSIS) The Supreme Court recently reversed California’s discriminatory ban on indoor worship in a case brought by two churches against Governor Gavin Newsom. Here’s what the justices had to say, and what rules houses of worship must comply with during the pandemic.
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(ANALYSIS) It remains to be seen how the Biden administration will advance an approach to working together across differences, particularly between government and diverse faith-based and community-based organizations. Whatever approach the Biden administration takes, it will be building upon over two decades of bipartisan principles advancing faith-based and government collaboration.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in asks whether it’s accurate to say that Pope Francis is a “fan” of President Joe Biden, America’s second Catholic president. Plus, find links to all the week’s top religion reads.
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(ANALYISIS) Italian economist Mario Draghi is forming a new government at the president’s request after a collapse of the ruling coalition over its handling of the pandemic. How will Catholic Social Teaching factor in helping lockdown-weary Italians — from business owners to the unemployed — achieve economic stability? The answer can be found in a 2013 speech.
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(OPINION) A recent study released explained the sexual atrocities against Uyghur women in China. International bodies, such as the United Nations, have been greatly silent, with a few meaningless statements that do not follow with decisive actions to change the fate of the targeted communities.
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(OPINION) The clash between Cardinal Blasé Cupich of Chicago and Archbishop Jose Gomez was a rare example – in public – of ongoing tensions among American bishops about how to handle Catholic politicians who dissent, in word and deed, from centuries of church doctrines on life-and-death issues such as abortion and euthanasia, as well as hot-button topics such as sex, gender and marriage.
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(OPINION) About a year into the pandemic, when face masks are largely mandatory, coverings have come to signify a wide range of things. Some Muslim women in the West who wear niqabs have reported a more positive experience.
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(ANALYSIS) In the months since the election, the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family has regularly provided election skeptics with plentiful ammunition and has embraced men and women in Congress who voted to overturn state election results. Meanwhile, Focus’s partner organization in Washington, D.C., the Family Research Council, continues to claim the election was stolen, and that Antifa—not Trump supporters—may have caused the Capitol attack on Jan. 6.
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(OPINION) Imagine that Jack Dorsey contacts you, as a Christian on social media, and asks how he could improve his platform. His belief in self-government on the Internet is valid—but how does it differ from the Founding Father’s impression of self-government being directly tied to religion.
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(OPINION) After rumors and visions of “Texit” from David French, one can’t help but wonder the potential for another conflict similar to the Civil War. There is a substantial ideological divide among Americans, and liberalist, French, is leading the mission of the rumored Texas secession.
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(OPINION) After prominent racial justice discussions in 2020, Schechter amends his first column on the subject, “Are Jews White? It’s Complicated.” He says that as a White Jewish man, he does not understand the struggles of being Black in America — and works with the Temple in understanding and standing on the side of racial justice.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights efforts by Black churches to encourage members to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccines. Plus, check out all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
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(OPINION) Ostling explores the new prospective European law that could require that animals must be stunned before being slaughtered — going directly against Halal and Kosher traditions and practices.
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(ANALYSIS) Modern American prisons feature overcrowding, violence, harsh mental conditions and worsening recidivism. But new methods of correction — ones that emphasize religious freedom — are having real success.
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(OPINION) Within hours of taking the oath of office on his family’s massive Bible, President Biden signed a raft of executive orders — something that went on in the ensuing days — to undo strategic executive moves during Donald Trump’s presidency. During that process, he fan afoul of traditional Catholic teachings and, once again, placed the spotlight on his Catholic faith.
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(OPINION) The Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide of the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., published a new report that identified Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the top countries at risk for new mass killings.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in delves into questions surrounding Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey’s multimillion-dollar Tennessee company and its sarcastic response to a religion reporter’s questions. Plus, catch up on all the faith-related angle from inauguration of President Joe Biden.
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