Religion Watch Archives

Monitoring Trends in Religion - From February 1990 to January 2016

Church choirs decline, shift toward more participatory mode

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In some sectors of American Christianity, choirs are on the downturn, yet this musical form is adapting itself to the new religious landscape, writes Cathy Lynn Grossman in a Religion News Service-based article in the Washington Post (Sept. 17). Citing the recently released National Congregations Study, Grossman reports that choirs are on the downturn especially […]

Current Research: October 2014

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01: Although the Emerging Movement has been known for its promotion of diversity and inclusiveness, clergy identifying as Emerging tend to be liberal in their politics, according to a study by Ryan Burge and Paul Djupe. The writers and leaders associated with the EM, known for its postmodern approach stressing community and non-dogmatism, have often differentiated […]

Islamic finance facing new challenges, going green

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Especially since the banking crisis in 2008, Islamic-interest-free financial initiatives have enjoyed renewed interest. However, despite significant inroads over 40 years, there are still a number of difficulties on the way, explains Rebecca Schönenbach, a German expert in ethical and Islamic financing in the German journal Materialdienst der EZW (September). The oil boom and money […]

Israeli pagans face intolerance, ultra-Orthodox hostility

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In a country closely connected to its religious legacy such as Israel, Jewish-born Pagans constantly fear the perceived negative consequences of public exposure and intolerance both from Ultra-Orthodox Jews and from government, writes Shai Ferraro (Tel Aviv University) in an article analyzing the community-building discourse among Israeli Pagans from 2011-13 in the current issue of […]

Findings & Footnotes: October 2014

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01: The summer issue of the East West Church & Ministry Report is devoted to the Ukrainian crisis and its impact on the churches. Ukraine’s conflict with Russia is reshaping church relations between the two countries as well as the level of unity between and political involvement of Ukrainian Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox churches. Although evangelicals […]

Growing conflicts over Israel among mainline Protestant churches

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Mainline Protestants are facing internal and external conflicts over their position on Israel, writes Sarah Pulliam Bailey in a Religion News Service-based article in the Washington Post (Sept. 16). The recent resignation of Episcopal chaplain Bruce Shipman at Yale University over a letter he wrote to the New York Times linking growing anti-Semitism in Europe […]

Featured Story: Islamic State’s growth feeding off anti-Shia, apocalyptic sentiments

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The rise of the Islamic State can partly be explained by the fertile ground they have found for alliances with Sunnis feeling discriminated against by the Shia-dominated power that has ruled Iraq in recent years. That is the conclusion of Patrick Cockburn, the author of a newly-published book titled The Jihadis Return: ISIS and the […]

Findings & Footnotes: September 2014

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01: Questions about the knowledge of religion gathered through and derived from surveys, polls and census data are examined in ten articles of a thematic issue of the journal Religion (July). The special issue, edited by Abby Day (University of London) and Lois Lee (University of Kent), includes a good deal of statistical data. Clive D. […]

Sikhs gaining center stage in Bollywood, even as stereotypes endure

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Recently, Sikh characters have found a popular place in Bollywood films, though such portrayals tend to perpetuate the stereotype of Sikhism as an exotic and warrior-based religion, according to an article in the journal Sikh Formations (published online Aug. 21). Today, top Bollywood actors are vying with each other to play Sikh characters, and such […]

Hinduism’s appeal in religious marketplace fueling extremism in India?

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If Islamic extremism is often linked to socio-economic malaise in Muslim societies, the current wave of Hindu extremism can be attributed to India’s success, writes Shikkha Dalmia in the libertarian magazine Reason (August/September). She notes that India continues to belie forecasts about secularization, as its burgeoning Hindu revival has grown alongside a rise in prosperity […]