The rapid growth of Pentecostalism in India may be a leading factor in the mounting incidents of violence against Christians in that country, according to Chad Bauman of Butler University. Although Pentecostalism is a minority faith in India, its political influence is disproportionate to its size, leading to violent reactions among a segment of Hindus. […]
Pentecostalism espouses patriotism in China and Russia
Although Pentecostals in both China and Russia face discrimination and restrictions from their respective governments, these churches “actively and openly cultivate patriotism within their congregations” and stress how they fit into their surrounding societies, according to University of Oregon political scientist Karrie J. Koesel. In presenting a paper at the Boston meeting of the Society […]
Vietnam a model for dealing with religious freedom in Southeast Asia
From being a country showing serious violations of religious freedom just a decade ago, Vietnam has emerged as a “model nation in Southeast Asia for dealing with issues of religious freedom and law,” according to the Templeton Report (Nov. 8) of the John Templeton Foundation. While cases of religious infringement still occur in Vietnam, they […]
Turkey: the ruling party’s political identity between conservatism and Islam
Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has an Islamic background, but presents itself as a “conservative democratic” party, which can be interpreted as a strategy for legitimizing the party internationally and domestically, writes Sefa Şiımşek (Boğaziçi University, Istanbul) in Turkish Studies (September). This identity as conservative democrat has been affirmed since the founding of the […]
`Chrislam’ growing in Muslim-Christian borderlands of Nigeria, Ghana
“Chrislam,” a hybrid movement of Christian and Islamic teachings and practices, is gaining adherents in regions of Africa where these two religions are in proximity and conflict, particularly in Nigeria, according to Corey Williams of the University of Edinburgh. In a paper presented at the late November meeting of the American Academy of Religion in […]
Current Research: December 2013
01: There is a growing acceptance of gays and minorities in congregations, and a bifurcation between very large and small congregations, according to the latest wave of the National Congregations Study. The third wave of this survey of 1,331 congregations (first conducted in 1998, then 2006-2007 and most recently 2012) was presented at the early November […]
A future in the diaspora for Mandaeans?
Due to developments in Iraq in recent years, only a minority of the Mandaean population, with roots going back to ancient Gnosticism, remain there, while many more are attempting to establish themselves in Western countries as they attempt to organize themselves, reports Friedman Eissler in the German monthly Materialdienst der EZW (November). The Mandaeans (called […]
Filipinos following their own Catholic path after immigration
Immigrants from the Philippines remain highly Catholic even if they are staying in the church at a lower rate than they did in their home country, according to Stephen Cherry of the University of Houston. Cherry found that 85 percent of Filipinos have retained their Catholicism, with only 21 percent claiming Protestant affiliation. But they […]
Family transmission of religion still holds strong in US
While Americans are known for switching and shopping for faiths, family ties and influence are still the main way that religious identity, and beliefs and practices are spread. That is the argument of the recent book Families and Faith (Oxford University Press, $29.95) by Vern L. Bengston, with Noella Putney and Susan Harris. It’s probably […]
On/File: November 2013
A Continuing Survey of New Groups, Movements, Events and People Impacting Religion 01: The Sunday Assembly is the most recent effort to form an atheist “church,” providing a sense of community and secular spirituality for non-religious people. The assembly, founded by British stand-up comedians Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, started as a series of services […]
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