“I hate Mr. Balfour’s pronouncement. … To my mind it’s a wholly artificial scheme divorced from all relation to facts, and I wish it the ill success that it deserves.” — Gertrude Bell One of the many entirely valid…
United Methodism two years after 25% of churches disaffiliated
The United Methodist Church’s experience with the disaffiliations of a number of its congregations has received widespread coverage in church media and in some secular media outlets. Because the polity of the UMC differs from that of many other denominations,…
How bad theology has set us up for sexualized AI deepfakes
Given the research I conduct for writing, the ads my algorithm sends me can be all over the map. Nothing ever surprises me. But after looking into the recent story about 62 million visits to a website that contained instructions…
In new book, Oord makes theology about God’s love
When I hear the words “systematic theology,” I can’t help but think of Wayne Grudem — an altogether unpleasant association. Maybe a different systematic theology book comes to mind for you, but Iʼd bet it has the same driving force:…
How American religion inspired Cole Allen’s violence
During the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last Saturday, Cole Allen breached a Secret Service checkpoint and fired shots at agents in an attempt to assassinate the president of the United States and other high-ranking officials. About 10 minutes prior, from…
With Adam Hamilton eyeing Senate race, Kansas GOP suddenly cares about church-state separation
Kansas Republicans suddenly care about separation of church and state now that Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton is weighing a U.S. Senate bid. The state GOP has a long track record of supporting the MAGA version of religious liberty that seeks…
Nazi ideals reimagined as ‘remigration’ politics
The journey of the word “remigration” from secretive meetings of Europe’s fascist fringe to President Donald Trump’s social media posts reflects the growing influence of white nationalist Martin Sellner on the administration’s immigration policy. Sellner, a native Austrian and rising…
Remaking the UMC brings ‘aura of hope’
When The United Methodist Church was formed in 1968, eminent theologian Albert C. Outler preached an opening sermon in which he extolled “an aura of hope” for the new denomination despite its challenges. Facing new challenges today, United Methodist leaders…
When it comes to religion, question everything
Surrounded by FBI agents attempting to coax them into their vehicles, five of Samuel Bateman’s underaged wives huddled tightly. With trembling arms around one another, they sang, “And he will come again, and one by one we’ll rise, to praise…
The Seeing Stones and the surveillance state
There is something almost too on-the-nose about a company named Palantir releasing a manifesto that reads like a love letter to centralized power. Palantir Technologies does not exist in isolation from American political power. It is one node in a…
What’s the real story with Gen Z and religion today?
Last week, we released the latest PRRI Census of American Religion. Our 2025 data show religious affiliation in the United States has remained largely unchanged since 2024, with 28% of Americans identifying as religiously unaffiliated. Church attendance also has not increased….
The burden of saving everyone
“You can believe whatever you want. Just don’t force it on me.” I’ll be blunt: This take is popular, but it doesn’t work. I understand why people say it, and I agree it sounds reasonable. It assumes something most of…