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Ten Religion Stories That Went (Mostly) Missing in 2015

By Peter Laarman

…r all I know, they accomplish a hell of a lot. But we shouldn’t take their word for it. Investigative journalism, anyone? 2. The struggle of the Black Church to come to terms with #BlackLivesMatter. In some cities there has been visible conflict between Old Guard pastors (many of whom still identify with the 20th century civil rights movement) and the New Guard of fearless youth, many of whom are not shy about showing contempt for the pastors. Thi…

American Christianity Is Changing Fast: Five Stories to Watch in 2016

By Richard Flory

…ncis effect” that will draw Catholic church dropouts back, or even attract new converts. I have my doubts that a newly resurgent Catholic Church will result from the Pope’s influence. There is just too much institutional inertia in how the Church is organized and a charismatic Pope, however inspiring his message may be, is unlikely to change that. Will there be a larger “Francis effect” that results in bringing religion into the public conversatio…

No, Sunni and Shia Muslims Have Not Been Fighting Forever

By Haroon Moghul

…it helps us get past the simple headlines—check out the front page of the New York Times today, suggesting the Iranian-Saudi rivalry is embedded in and involves all Sunni and Shia—but because this reader’s question inadvertently helps us understand why so many in the West and the Muslim world keep talking past each other. Here’s the reader’s question: Can you give me any insight into the apparently undying hatred of Sunni Muslims (e.g., the Saudi…

The Bible Is Not a Diet Plan

By Rob Goodman

…, Bruce Wilkinson, urged readers to “enlarge their territory” by repeating word-for-word the prayer for success attributed to Jabez in the Book of Chronicles. Here’s how Wilkinson dispenses with all of the context around those magic words of prosperity: “You’ll find [Jabez] hiding in the least read section of one of the least-read books of the Bible. The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles are taken up with the official family tree of the Hebrew t…

Woe is Me (“Ya laytani”)

By Amina Wadud

…nt emphasis. This is the nature of the Qur’anic unfolding of these ancient stories. The stories of many Prophets known from the Torah and the Bible are retold and retold within certain contexts. For example, if the topic is about patience, the stories are told with details related more to that value or virtue. There are lots of times when the emphasis is on keeping to the truth and avoiding deception, especially the “lie on Allah.” It’s important…

‘Biblical’ Disaster in Haiti: Pat Robertson and the Curse of Unyielding Ignorance

By Matt Recla

…ink I am exaggerating here, check out the dude’s 1992 bestselling book The New World Order for a complete description of what the world would be like if Robertson ruled it. As I’ve just noted, Pat’s a good talker, but it’s no wonder we’re in such a mess—while guys like him are PR geniuses when it comes to talking the talk, they appear to be walking away from Christ’s teachings. However, since Pat’s 2005 assassination faux-pas, I haven’t seen him…

What Get Religion Doesn’t Get About “Monk” Class

By Anthea Butler

…ect readers to the actual course. Perhaps Matheson could have used another word, but that’s how she decided to construct her lede. Leaving aside the monk argument for a minute, discipline and practices are a large part of studies in religion. In our department at Penn, it happens to be an interest of several of our professors, including myself. Prof. McDaniel also taught this course at his previous institution, so he had a good sense about what ha…

ABC’s Good Christian Bitches Makes Feminists of Religious Right

By Sarah Morice-Brubaker

…, anyway, you can read an excerpt of the book here (PDF). Described by the New York Post’s Maureen Callahan as combining the “eerie ennui” of Desperate Housewives with the emotional maturity of Gossip Girl, Good Christian Bitches is being developed into a television pilot by ABC. But this cannot stand! Or so says the ever-watchful American Family Association, which has issued an alert and is petitioning ABC to drop the show: Disney-owned ABC has n…

In the Story of the New Testament We Are the Romans—No Matter Who Wins the Election

By Stephen Hinerman

…vilization-made-sacred, the church near the leader’s palace. Instead of a sword, Trump holds the Bible. Instead of looking to the sky, he looks into a camera. But the message, one that equates a book that contains the story of Jesus with military power, force and violence, is understood. Except, of course, while there’s a great deal of room for interpretation regarding Jesus and his teachings, it’s safe to say that Jesus’s story isn’t the story of…