Judaism appears to be attracting a growing number of gentile converts who are drawn to the faith for its teachings and practices rather than because of intermarriages. There has been a longtime debate in Jewish circles about whether synagogues should seek converts (apart from seeking the conversion of partners of interfaith marriages), but it seems that […]

In the face of perceived and real declines in the importance of denominations among American churchgoers, church bodies and congregations are attempting to reassert their identities, whether through public relations campaigns or reviving older traditions. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Nov. 4) reports that  two of the nation’s largest Protestant denominations, the United Methodist Church and the Evangelical Lutheran […]

Even if Muslims are gaining more recognition in American society, they are underrepresented when it comes to books about their faith. Publisher’s Weekly (Nov. 13) reports that the bookstore shelves do not fully reflect U.S. religious diversity when it comes to Islam, but “signs of change are evident.” Most Muslim books continue to be published by […]

It is not unusual for politicians and the media to speak of discrimination and intolerance toward Muslims, but there is little evidence of such prejudice, writes Daniel Pipes in Commentary magazine (November). Using figures and information provided by Muslim organizations, Pipes writes that in education and the professions Muslims are near the top among ethnic and religious […]

Do the voting patterns from the U.S. presidential elections show a religious divide or new common ground in America? Just as the final election results remained uncertain long after November 7th, the impact of the “religious factor” in voting is still under debate. This much is clear: White Protestants, who comprise 54 percent of the […]

Over the past three months, three major mainline Protestant denominations, the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church, held their scheduled national conventions, and, as in previous years, issues of sexuality and gender drew the most controversy and publicity. But there were also signs, particularly in the United Methodist Church, that these […]

Conservative churches and renewal associations in mainline bodies, particularly Anglicanism, are increasingly pressing not just for evangelical doctrine, but also the right to plant their own congregations unfettered by denominational control. This trend can be seen in The First Promise movement, where evangelical activists seek alternative means of leadership from that of their liberal bishops […]

The faith movement, known for promoting prosperity teachings, is growing rapidly around the world, and although the movement may have started in the U.S., it is finding its own expressions, particularly in the Third World. In the Journal of Contemporary Religion (October) Stephen Hunt writes that while the faith movement was once a strand of the Pentecostal […]

Religion and how it is applied to social problems is attracting widespread attention as well as foundation funds. As reported in the Los Angeles Times (Oct. 8), applied religion is “a hot field of inquiry,” though it was considered dying if not dead by academic specialists until recently. The interest is found in three general areas. Major […]

The portrayal of witchcraft and magic in the popular media is more realistic today, and suggests a greater acceptance of these alternative religions. That is the main conclusion of the fall issue of PanGaia, a Neopagan magazine.  From the best-selling Harry Potter books to popular TV shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, Xena, and Sabrina the […]