While one would hope that Americans hold informed, respectful, and tolerant views of persons of all religious traditions (including those who have opted to not follow a religious paths) numerous studies indicate that most people have very limited levels of religious literacy. Sadly, one recent study found that there is a religious double standard regarding religious violence. More specifically: when people claim to be a Christian and commit violent acts in the name Read More …
Pluralism
Review of Sacred Ground (#0848)
Meet the Author Eboo Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core, a nonprofit that seeks to make interfaith cooperation a social norm. He is the author of Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, in the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation (2010), and is a regular contributor to the Washington Post, USA Today, and the Huffington Post. He served on President Obama's inaugural Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Read More …
Mosques in America Growing Rapidly (#0686)
The number of mosques in America is growing rapidly. Lauren Markoe's Religion News Service article explores the recent growth through the lens of "The American Mosque 2011," a recently released report that overviews the findings of a survey produced by "a coalition of Islamic civic groups and Muslim and non-Muslim religion scholars." Notably: Total number of mosques: 2016 Growth in number of mosques since 2000: 74% Most mosques take an approach that is other Read More …
Review of A Public Faith (#0445)
Meet the Author Miroslav Volf is the Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School. He was born in Croatia, and studied at Evangelical-Theological, Osijek, Fuller Theological Seminary and received his doctoral degree from the University of Tübingen, where he studied under Jürgen Moltmann. As “a member of the Episcopal Church in the Read More …
Theology on Tap / Theology Pub Discussion Starters (#0344)
Adam Walker Cleaveland is Minister for Youth and Young Adults at Asbury United Methodist Church in Livermore, CA. At 31, he is among the younger voices of note in the emerging church movement and a co-founder of Presbymergent. Adam is a candidate in the Presbyterian Church (USA) ordination process as well as a prolific and thoughtful blogger, writing primarily on his sites: PomoMusings and DazedDad. To connect with him, view his flickr stream, follow him on Read More …
The End of Mary (#0343)
Philip N. Cohen, professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, recently wrote two posts (A and B) on his blog about the declining popularity of the name Mary. To put the trend in perspective he offers these remarks: For the first time in the history of the United States of America, the name Mary is not in the top 100 given to newborn girls. Mary was the #1 name every year in the Social Security name database from 1880 — it’s first year — to 1961 (except Read More …
Review of To Change the World (#0153)
Hunter, James Davison. To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780199730803. Meet the Author Since 1983, James Davison Hunter has been teaching at the University of Virginia and researching American culture. Currently, he is the LaBrosse-Levinson Distinguished Professor of Religion, Culture and Social Theory as well as the Director of the Institute for Read More …