01: The main factor in the growth of megachurches over the past three decades has more to do with economics than theology or even changing demographics, according to sociologist Mark Chaves. In a lecture at the early November meeting of the Religious Research Association in Rochester, N.Y., Chaves said that the standard accounts of megachurch growth […]
Faith-based job recruitment gains acceptance
A small but growing number of private companies are finding that religious groups can “recruit, screen and even help manage larger numbers of new employees, especially at the entry level,” reports the New York Times (Nov. 6). The new church involvement in job counseling and screening has been helped by the growth of government involvement in faith-based […]
Preachers and evangelists turn to podcasting
Always on the lookout for new ways of spreading the Gospel, Christian evangelists have discovered the iPod. This is especially attractive since users of iPod players are primarily young people, i.e. the age group most difficult to reach. Phil Lewis writes in The Christian Post (Nov. 21) that Podcasting allows a preacher to make his sermons available […]
Christian-Jewish relations — warm and cold
On November 3, the director of the Anti-Defamation League, Abraham Foxman, warned about “attacks on church-state separation” by groups attempting “to implement their Christian worldview” and “to Christianize America.” Foxman explicitly mentioned Focus on the Family, the Alliance Defense Fund, the American Family Association and the Family Research Council. Two weeks later, the president of […]
Findings & Footnotes: November 2005
01: The new book, T.D. Jakes: America’s New Preacher (New York University Press, $30) by Shayne Lee, is part biography and part social critique of one of the rising stars in the black church, or what has been called the “new black church.” Jakes’ wide-ranging ministry personifies the new black church movement– charismatic, prosperity-oriented and focused on […]
Religion and politics new bedfellows in Australia
Australians are taking a page from American politics, judging by the way the nation’s two political parties are courting religious voters. The Australian Christian quarterly Zadok Perspectives (Spring) reports that as the Federal election approaches, John Howard of the Liberal Party and politicians from the opposing Labor Party have made pitches for the conservative Christian vote, making […]
Current Research: November 2005
01: Coalitions of “unlikely bedfellows” on issues such as poverty and the environment do not generate much support among religious Americans, according to a recent study. There has been journalistic speculation that Americans can break free from rigid stereotypes of staunch antagonists locked in culture wars in order to join hands on common issues of concern. […]
Peer ministries growing on college campuses
Traditional college chaplaincy programs are making room for “peer ministry,” which consists of college students who help their fellow students on spiritual matters, reports the New York Times (Oct. 15). Modeled on campus resident assistants who help their fellow students with day-to-day life, peer ministers add a spiritual dimension to their work and are more often appointed […]
Meditation finding place in the college curriculum
There is growing interest and even involvement among educators in adding the practices of contemplation and meditation to the college curriculum, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education (Oct. 21). Contemplative practices are now found in a range of college courses and programs–from economics to art history and music. As neuroscience has recently discovered the mental and physical […]
Congregations emerge as ‘first responders’ after Katrina
Hurricane Katrina revealed the efficiency of churches and other congregations in their role as “first responders” in the midst of local, state and national government delays and stalemates in providing relief. The swift response of congregations was noted by newspapers across the U.S. and Britain, with the New York Times headlining an article, “A New Meaning for […]
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