Despite criticism for being tolerant of  anti-Catholicism, George W. Bush has gathered a small group of Catholic advisors around his campaign and readily employs Catholic terminology in his discussions of social policy, reports the New Republic magazine (June 5). Bush’s speech to fundamentalist Bob Jones University last spring led to wide criticism that he took a hands-off position […]

Educators and special interest groups are increasingly in conflict about the role of teaching the Bible in public schools, reports the Washington Post (June 4). While courses on the Bible are not yet widespread, they are growing in popularity, particularly in the southeastern U.S. The National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools, which is leading the […]

Although Japan is among the least Christian countries in Asia,  the music of J.S. Bach appears to be doing what few evangelistic crusades or missionaries have accomplished. Going far beyond a cultural fad, Bach’s music has conveyed Christian teachings and concepts to a large and growing following, particularly among  the nation’s elites, writes Uwe Siemon-Neto in First Things magazine […]

There have been few reports of growth and conflicts over “cults” or new religious movements in the Islamic world, but these groups are present in the region and even seem to be tolerated more than might be expected. In Nova Religio (Spring), a journal on new religious movements (NRMs), Mark Sedwick writes that just as most Western […]

Although America’s prestigious private schools have by and large abandoned their religious heritage, there is a growing movement seeking to reinvigorate such institutions with spiritual values. In Commonweal magazine (May 19), Michael McGough writes that most schools have abandoned chapel services, and have eliminated the position of chaplain. But religion is returning through the back door by […]

Computer games built around the character of an all powerful god or deity are hitting the market. The online magazine Feed (April 28) reports that these games, such as The Sims and Black & White, allow users to play God where they “can create people, cities…gamers divine everything from weather to manna for groups of tribal villagers, […]

The growing commercialization of  Contemporary Christian music (CCM) is dividing the industry and leading its top musicians to speak out against recording companies that seek to tone down the Christian content of their work. A cover story in the evangelical newsweekly World  (May 13) reports that the $500 million Christian music industry continues to grow an average of […]

As the political temperature continues to rise this summer as the elections approach, sociologist Robert Wuthnow points to the little known but increasing strength of  mainline Protestants in the political arena. Writing in the American Prospect magazine (May 22), Wuthnow writes that  such social causes as ministries for AIDS victims, alcoholics, the homeless, low income workers, and gay/lesbian programs […]

Over the last few years, Wade Clark Roof writes, major changes are unfolding in small group ministries, both Catholic and Protestant. A well-known scholar on recent American religious life, Roof writes on the religion web site Beliefnet.com that across the country more people are involved than ever before in small groups — anywhere from 33 percent to […]

Millennial groups and others forecasting apocalyptic scenarios have scaled back their predictions since Jan. 1, though they’re not necessarily out of business, reports the Skeptical Inquirer (May/June). As might be expected, those groups and individuals who closely tied their forecasts of apocalyptic events to the year 2000 have revised their views significantly as time has passed. Software […]