Christian comedy is finding a place in evangelical churches as well as “crossing over” and receiving a hearing in the secular world, reports Charisma magazine (May). The new interest in comedy is not just about humor in sermons; comedy is now intentionally used as a tool for evangelism both in churches and secular venues. Steven Lawson writes […]

The International Churches of Christ, an evangelical group known for its strict and controversial teachings, is in a state of decline and fragmentation due to a crisis in its leadership. The Boston Globe (May 17) reports that the group, once boasting a membership of 135,000 members worldwide, is facing massive defections and financial problems after its charismatic […]

Muslim activists and organizations are pressing for greater Islamic inclusion in a society symbolized by the “Judeo-Christian” model. National Muslim groups such as the American Muslim Council, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim American Society are trying to popularize such terms and concepts as “Judeo-Christian-Islamic” or “Abrahamic” (referring to Abraham) to include Islam […]

In the wake of the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, many observers forecasted that the U.S. church and particularly its bishops would lose much of  their political  influence on social issues. But, according to Notre Dame sociologist David Yamane, the bishops’ political influence has not significantly suffered since the scandals of 2002. In Commonweal magazine (May 23), […]

A growing number of Australian Aborigines are converting to Islam, according to a report by the BBC (March 31). The numbers are still small but the pattern of conversions among Aborigines appears similar to that of African Americans turning to Islam. Aborigine converts, numbering about 1,000, claim they have taken up the new religion for spiritual and […]

The growth of anti-Semitism in the Muslim and wider Arab world in recent years is now being met with growing criticism, particularly in the Arab media, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). An April 23 MEMRI report notes that in the past anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial had become increasingly common in much of the […]

The easing of restrictions against establishments violating Passover laws in Israel is revealing a new secular mood embodied in a rising political party. The Baltimore Sun (April 22) reports that while it is illegal to display or openly sell leavened products–such as wheat, barley, oat and rye–in Israel during Passover, this year secular authorities did not dispatch […]

The creation of a new French Muslim Council suggests growing unity among Muslims in France, as well as a new approach the French government may take toward religious affairs. Representatives from more than 900 mosques across France recently elected members of the new council. .The first generation of Muslim immigrants in France were immigrant workers, […]

Over the past three years, middle class Muslims in Indonesia have been increasingly attracted toward a wide range of new religious expressions, including even New Age. That was one of the findings presented by Australian scholar Julia Day Howell (Griffith University, Brisbane) at the conference of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) attended […]

Although there were widespread fears of Muslim hostility toward Christians over the American-led war against Iraq, few if any actual cases of such violence or conflict erupted. During the first two weeks of the war, The National Catholic Reporter (April 11) canvassed Christian and Muslim leaders in zones where relations between the two faiths have been the […]