CHARLOTTE (RNS)—The host city for the Democratic National Convention is not a particularly political place. Charlotte is known for three things: banking, NASCAR and religion. And when it comes to religion, Billy Graham’s spirit looms large. America’s most famous evangelist…
Is work a punishment from God?
(RNS)—On the first Monday of September, America honors working stiffs by taking a paid day off. But does Labor Day celebrate an enterprise that God intended to be a punishment? In a recent New York Times essay on the frenetic…
Is work intended to be a punishment from God?
(RNS)—On the first Monday of September, America honors working stiffs by taking a paid day off. But does Labor Day celebrate an enterprise that God intended to be a punishment? In a recent New York Times essay on the frenetic…
Will candidates’ Mormon faith repel or attract voters?
WASHINGTON (RNS)—As the first Mormon selected by a major political party as its presidential candidate, will Mitt Romney’s barrier-breaking faith be a boon or bane to his White House campaign? Two studies on the question come to contradictory conclusions. In…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Blessed are the church leaders who make peace in their own congregations: Part 3
Church leaders have a responsibility not only to effectively manage conflict when it arises, but to promote peace and good congregational health. Stated one way, church leaders seek to prevent conflict. Stated more positively and forcefully, however, church leaders need…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Churchgoers believe in sharing faith, but most never do
When it comes to discipleship, churchgoers struggle most with sharing Christ with non-Christians, according to a recent study of church-going American Protestants by LifeWay Research, a unit of LifeWay Resources of the SBC. The study found 80 percent of those…
TRENDING: The future of creativity, part 3: Plussing
Jonah Lehrer’s book, Imagine: How Creativity Works, is a “popular science” approach to how we foster imaginative environments for complicated problem-solving. One, use groups—you need the friction of a variety of perspectives. But two, don’t brainstorm with a goofy, positive, “every-idea-is-great”…
HERITAGE: Life goes on
Life goes on at Careby Hall, the old house built by William E. Hatcher “upon the brow of a noble hill” overlooking the village of Fork Union, Va., about 35 miles west of Richmond. It was Hatcher’s summer home, which…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Blessed are the church leaders who make peace in their own congregations: Part 4
In three previous articles, we examined characteristics of Jesus that made him ideally suited to make peace and sought in the life of the early church examples of dealing with conflict. In this final article in the series, we will…
OUT LOUD
“I’ve never seen more irresponsible personal attacks, mean-spirited slander and flat-out dishonest attack ads, and I don’t expect that tone to change before the election.” Rick Warren The megachurch pastor was explaining to the Orange County Register why he canceled…
Mormons’ relationship with America: It’s complicated
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS)—When it comes to flag-waving, some Mormons may outdo their neighbors to express their outsized patriotism. Love of America, they believe, stretches beyond appreciation and gratitude. It is theological, prescribed in holy writ. When it comes to…
Mormonism: Mainstream values, unorthodox theology
Nearly 200 years after religious zeal prompted a young convert named Joseph Smith to found a movement called the Latter-day Saints, the once-despised minority “cult” increasingly is going mainstream. With a Mormon running for president, a hit Broadway musical titled…