Despite numerous scandals involving finances, several leading televangelists continue to make fundraising a key part of their ministries,  according to the Christian humor magazine The Door (July-August). Writer Doug Peterson conducted a unique experiment to test the degree to which  televangelists ask for money. Letters were sent to 29 televangelists making a simple request for information on how to […]

In the past few months Catholic publications have been featuring reports on a possible new doctrine involving Mary as co-redeemer that may soon be publicly proclaimed as an official doctrine of the church. Newsweek magazine (Aug. 25) reports that there is an  influential movement throughout the world that is petitioning Pope John Paul II to take such […]

As the boom of spirituality continues its course through church life and personal devotion, such a resurgence is also finding a growing presence in advertising and sales — two areas of the business world long considered hostile or indifferent to such expression. According to writer Andy Cohen in Sales and Marketing Management magazine (August, 1997) an increasing […]

Over the past summer, several mainline Protestant denominations committed their constituencies to important ecumenical and gender-related policies, matters currently in the forefront of  conflict in American religious institutions in general. The General  Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (2.7 million members) attempted to take a major step in reconciling the long-standing conflicts within its ranks over whether […]

Over the course of the past year, liberal Russians and international observers alike have watched with growing concern as the government of the Russian Federation has taken an increasingly hard line with New Religious Movements (NRMs) of both domestic and foreign origin. A new law restricting such religious organizations that was recently passed by the […]

A syncretistic folk religion is finding revival and new public recognition in Vietnam, according to an Associated Press report (June 28). The once banned Caodai religious sect is a hybrid of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Vietnamese spiritism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. The movement, started in the 1920s,  has more than 3 million followers despite the Vietnamese government’s religious regulation. […]

As Hong Kong comes under Chinese control, Christian leaders are preparing for a changed environment for religious freedom, despite the assurances by China that they will continue to enjoy independence of state control, according to several reports. Chinese officials have recently told Catholic church leaders that they will not set up offices of the Religious Affairs […]

The younger generations in Pentecostalism are making progress in mending an 80-year split between “oneness” Pentecostals and the majority of trinitarian believers, although they are receiving little encouragement from denominational officials, reports Charisma magazine (June). Oneness or “Jesus only” Pentecostals, representing approximately 17 million believers in the world, broke off from other Pentecostals in their refusal to […]

While many devotional publications have appeared and disappeared over the last several decades, the 75-year-old  Daily Word continues to reach new readers. Sponsored by the Unity Church for Christianity, it is now being sent to 1.2 million readers, with another 6.5 million connected through pass-along. According to the report in the Washington Post (June 21), the appeal of […]

American Muslims are turning to Islamic law to help them run their businesses, according to an Associated Press report (June 22). The cornerstone of Islamic business transactions is the religion’s ban on interest payments, or usury. The Koran  is specific in requiring Muslims to share the risk of an investment while sharing the profits from it and prohibits […]