Meditation has been around for thousands of years, used as a religious practice to achieve mindfulness. Today, many Christians report practicing meditation at some level of frequency in their lives, but Christians as a whole disagree on what it means,…
Pew reports on how faith communities were treated during first year of COVID worldwide
Religious groups in nearly 25% of the world’s countries were subjected to government force to prevent in-person gatherings during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and even more endured social hostilities and conspiracy theories blaming them for the spread…
Yes, global warming remains dangerous, but the evidence shows human action does make a difference, leading climatologist contends
As dire as the global climate crisis is, human action to mitigate disaster actually has made the future less bad than it would have been, according to one of the world’s foremost climate scientists — who also happens to be…
Only one-fourth of Republican parents say children should be taught the legacy of slavery still affects Black people today — and other findings from a new Pew survey
Parent eruptions at local school board meetings over the past couple of years are based in real and dramatic differences of opinion about what should be taught in America’s public schools, according to new data from Pew Research. For example,…
Most Americans believe in heaven or hell, but their ideas aren’t always biblical
What do you believe about the afterlife? According to the Pew Research Center, most adults in the United States believe in heaven or hell. Specifically, 73% believe in heaven and a few less, 62%, believe in hell. Three religious categories…
Religion, race and politics are key factors in attitudes on welcoming refugees
Research into American attitudes about welcoming Afghan, Ukrainian and other refugees into the nation confirms how closely religion, race and politics have become intwined in the United States. “For instance, Hispanic evangelicals, Black Protestants and white nonevangelical Protestants are all…
Christians could be a distinct minority in America by 2070
If current trends continue, Christians will become a distinct minority in America and the “nones” will make up more than half the population by 2070. “Nones” are those people who when asked their religious affiliation reply, “none,” although most are…
‘Reverend, they ain’t ever coming back’: Confronting churchly realities 2022
Early on in the COVID crisis, I had a long conversation with a close pastor friend about changes in American church life occurring before our eyes. We talked about what I call “the changing sociology of Sunday,” a demographic-cultural reality…
American attitudes on transgender persons remain conflicted and highly partisan
Widening acceptance of gay and lesbian people in American life is not as easily translating to understanding of transgender persons, a new national survey by Pew Research shows. Despite the rapid change in American attitudes on same-sex attraction, the fundamental…