The protest movement against slickwater hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” to release natural gas from the earth draws on a range of symbols and concepts related to eco-feminist spirituality, according to Leah Schade (Lutheran Theological Seminary), who presented a paper on the subject as the SSSR conference in Phoenix. Eco-feminist spirituality links social justice and women’s […]

While Christian Zionism has long claimed a special link with the Jews and the state of Israel, the identification with Israel has crossed over into a form of “ethnonationalism” among some evangelicals, according to Matt Westbrook of Drew University. Westbrook, who presented a paper at the SSSR conference, argued that “contemporary Christian Zionism seems to […]

Although megachurches are portrayed as the quintessential suburban—or post-suburban—religious organization (see book review on pages 10-11), in other parts of the world they are flourishing in the “relatively recent dense urban areas, often with a new and/or rapidly growing Christian population,” according to Scott Thumma and Warren Bird. These researchers presented a survey of global […]

While historically seeking to downplay religious differences between Sunnism and Shiism and rather to emphasize Islamic unity, the Muslim Brotherhood has been showing concerns about the spread of Shiism in Egypt, writes Jacques Neriah in Jerusalem Viewpoints (No. 591, Sept.-Oct. 2012). According to estimates, there might be one million Shiites in Egypt (one percent of […]

Lutheranism may be institutionally weak in Germany, but its ethos of moral responsibility and sacrifice may be a significant factor behind the nation’s economic resilience and stability, writes Harvard University historian Steven Ozment in the New York Times (August 12). Although religiously diverse and politically secular, the current German emphasis on frugality and responsibility in […]

Both diversification of religious life and a growth of unaffiliated people have been the main changes in the religious life of the Canton of Fribourg (Switzerland), according to a report by Religioscope Institute that was publicly released on September 24. Being headquartered in Fribourg, Religioscope Institute was commissioned last year by the cantonal government to […]

In reviewing the state of evangelicalism in Canada in the last two decades, theologian John Stackhouse finds patterns of both stability and change, especially the emergence of fundamentalism. Writing in the Evangelical Studies Bulletin (Summer), Stackhouse notes that evangelicals still represent about 10 percent of the Canadian population since two decades ago, while the percentage […]

Judging by the October issue of Charisma magazine, prayer and politics are being increasingly joined for many charismatic Christians as they enter the election season. The issue is devoted to the topic of praying for America, but it is noteworthy how prayer is linked with political concerns relating to the 2012 elections. While publisher Stephen […]

Buddhist, Muslim and Christian groups are finding new ways to overcome government restrictions and obstacles as they expand in urban China, according to scholars speaking at a session of the August meeting of the Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR) in Denver, which RW attended. A paper by Yuting Wang of the American University […]

Singapore’s recent adoption of liberal causes—from stem cell research to gay rights and gambling—is leading to conflict with its increasingly influential Christian community, although it is unlikely to lead to American-style culture wars, writes Peter T. C. Chang in the journal Religion, State and Society (June). Since the early 1990s, Singapore’s one-party government has been […]