Italy is experiencing its own kind of “culture war” with a new breed of Italian “neo-conservatives” battling over questions of secularism and religious pluralism. Religion in the News (Fall) reports that the new “Italian culture warriors” call themselves “religious atheists” and “secular anti-secularists,” as they press for a greater public role for religion, even if they are […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

As suicide bombing has become a principle means of terrorism, specialists are trying to second-guess those who perpetrate such violence. But how predictable is terrorism, especially when it is motivated by religion? There is no one answer to that question as social scientists approach this new field. Science & Theology News (October) reports that researchers’ attempts to […]