Millennials and other religiously unaffiliated Americans are more and more eschewing clergy involvement in their weddings, but some ministers say that may not be a bad thing.
New American religious ‘types’ revealed in survey, quiz
Religion in the U.S. is morphing so fast that observers often are at a loss for words to describe it. Terms like “nones” and “dones,” unheard of just a few years ago, are now commonly used by universities, seminaries and…
U.S. not only place where ‘nones’ on the rise
Looks like you don’t have to be American or European to give up on religion. And the same is especially true for young adults, who are becoming “nones” around the planet just as they are in the U.S., according to…
Powerful spiritual force needed to counter critical national, world challenges
Research shows that a slight majority of Americans believe religion can solve most of the world’s problems. According to Gallup, 55 percent of Americans hold that view. Broken down by politics, 71 percent of Republicans and 47 percent of Democrats express that…
That tricky terrain between angry atheists and fundamentalist Christians
Between these two disheartening poles, it’s not the muddled mush of some middle ground I’m seeking — which makes staking a claim to “free and faithful” even more difficult.
Awkward and peculiar: What the gospel calls us to be
There is an axiom among those who study world religions: In exploring other faiths, we see our own with fresh eyes. I recently returned from a pilgrimage to Israel. In a very real way, my trip enabled me to see…
Religion little more than ‘politics in drag,’ rabbi says ahead of inauguration
The lineup of ministers selected to pray at Donald Trump’s inauguration reaffirms the divisions within American Christianity. Conservatives view the selections of, say, Franklin Graham and Paula White, as affirming biblical and patriotic values and as support of unfettered capitalism….
At home in a foreign land
Last Sunday I taught a class at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., the second of a two-part conversation entitled, “Retelling the Jesus Story in a Post-Modern, Pluralistic, Post-Protestant-Privileged World: Who’s Listening?”The topic, sent in weeks earlier, was of…
‘Spiritual but not religious’ or ‘religious but not spiritual’?
I often hear people say, “I’m spiritual but not religious.” The sentiment just wearies me. I wonder if what these people are, despite their sometimes angry claims to the contrary, is “religious but not spiritual.” Let me explain. I will…