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Is LGBT-Muslim Clash Aiding Rise of Right in Europe?

By Peter Montgomery

…ws another formal act by four tradition-minded cardinals who wrote Francis last year asking him to clarify a series of questions, or “dubbia,” they had about his 2016 text. AP notes that none of the signatories of the “correction” letter are cardinals. Germany: Right-wing party with lesbian leader gains; do results reflect Muslim-Gay clash in Europe? The far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party (AfD) pick up seats in Parliament o…

From Pastor to Harvard’s ‘Godless Church’ Planter

By Becky Garrison

…nnect with other clergy persons. Over the past 18 months, I’ve developed a number of relationships with people who contact me because they find themselves in a similar situation. They ask questions, I don’t push. I’m simply a listening ear…someone safe for them to talk to. What was the response to your coming out as an atheist? An enormous number of Christians have threatened to do physical harm to me. Many others have been kind in their response…

Presidential Debate: We Are All Socialists Now

By Louis A. Ruprecht

…y independence the first priority for the next administration, health care number two, and education number three. McCain says there’s no reason to prioritize among the three, that “we Americans” can tackle all three at once. And both men continued to promote the strengths of their own personality: McCain the long-time (maybe too long) maverick, versus Obama the thoughtful and unflappable newcomer. The first question, concerning the economy, prese…

The Religious Mourning of ‘Saint’ Kobe Bryant Continues

By Terry Shoemaker

…year’s All-Star game, one team wore Kobe’s number 24, while the other wore number 2, Gianna’s uniform number. The MVP award, given this year to Los Angeles Clippers’ star forward Kawhi Leonard, was renamed permanently for Kobe Bryant. Pregame and half-time shows centered on Kobe, his family, and his impact on the sport of basketball and society. The collective grief and bereavement displayed by fans and players alike not only demonstrate the power…

New Poll Finds “Growing Appetite” for Mixing Religion and Politics

By Sarah Posner

…from electoral politics, as they could signal to candidates that a growing number of voters are interested in hearing them talk about their faith. While the number of Americans who believe it is important for members of Congress to have strong religious beliefs has remained steady since 2010—about 6-in-10, with even more significant majorities among Protestants and Catholics—this poll shows a growing number of Americans who want to hear candidates…

The Benedict Opt-Out: Why Christian Self-Isolation Won’t Work

By Kaya Oakes

…n will help parents to keep their children faithful. Given the statistical number of Nones among Millennials and Gen X and the seemingly unpreventable increase in those numbers, these children, like Emily, or the children of many homeschooling parents, will eventually encounter peers who are not religiously affiliated. Given the way technology works, they will also inevitably find a way to expose themselves to popular culture. And the question rem…

Are Muslims Nuts?

By Haroon Moghul

…further why even when so few Muslims do resort to violent actions, a good number of their co-religionists are reluctant to entirely dismiss them. Indeed, many more Muslims protested peacefully against “The Innocence of Muslims” than did violently, even though their numbers together were still incredibly small. In his introduction to Sufism for Non-Sufis?, University of Southern California Professor Sherman Jackson notes that we cannot separate Is…

Conversion Story #643 (not a real number)

By Amina Wadud

…fore he received the first Qur’anic revelation, and then he died after the last at age 63, then historically speaking he was only Muslim for 23 years. Any person who chooses Islam and remains faithful for more than 23 years has qualified for an unconditional status as Muslim. No defense, no wordplay, and no anthropology needed. But what does it mean to ‘remain faithful’? As is evident from even this blog, if I say something contrary to a very cons…

RDPulpit: I Am Not A Number: Gays and Lesbians and Opinion Polls

By Candace Chellew-Hodge

…jority of young evangelicals support either marriage or civil unions.” The numbers remain in line with other recent polls, like one commissioned by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)—and I’ll admit my friend Debra Haffner has every right to be encouraged by these statistics—but I can’t get over my anger that my life even has to be the subject of constant polling. Why does the temperature of the populace have to be taken about…

Paul the Pluralist: Jesus’ Number Two Was Not a Christian

By Pamela Eisenbaum

In recent years, a rather animated conversation has been taking place about the apostle Paul. This conversation has largely been between those who identify with what is commonly known as “the New Perspective on Paul,” and those who wish to defend a more traditional understanding of the apostle. I can’t say for sure which side is winning the debate, but some of us who were initially inspired by the New Perspective on Paul have decided that it has…