The rise of the "nones" (those claiming no religious affiliation) has been well documented in general, and also here on this blog. Assuming the shift away from religious affiliation continues, when might the largest "religious group" in America become those without a religious affiliation? Rise of the Nones Allen Downey, Professor of Computer Science at Olin College, recently shared on his blog an extended version of an article he initially published in Scientific American Read More …
Necessary to Believe in God to be Moral? (#1710)
Is it necessary to believe in God in order to be moral? The Latest Research Last month the Pew Research Center published the results of their latest survey on the topic. The survey item asked American respondents to fill in the blank in the following statement: "It is ___ to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values." Respondents were able to chose from "is necessary" or "is not necessary." A majority (56%) chose "is not necessary" in 2017, which was up from about Read More …
A Common Dream (#1709)
Imagine a common dream capable of uniting people of varying faiths and perhaps also people who do not frame the experience of life through faith lens. I am not aware of many attempts to craft such a vision, however, I find much wisdom worthy of consideration in a benediction written by the Unitarian Universalist minister and author Gary Kowalski. The benediction proposes that our common dream is Homes and schools where children thrive, Neighborhoods that are safe and Read More …
Living the Jesus Ethic (#1708)
Robin Meyers is the type of pastor and teacher who makes good teaching great by incorporating a strong call to action. In a recent video interview on being a follower of Jesus he explained that being a follower of Jesus is always about getting out of heads and into our whole beings - so that when we are doing things in the world people see that we've integrated the thoughts that we have about the Jesus' ethic, and that we are practicing it in the world. So Read More …
Non-Profit Giving Habits (#1707)
The only annual study dedicated to analyzing the giving habits of donors worldwide was recently published. Produced by the Public Interest Registry and Nonprofit Tech For Good, the report "seeks to gain a better understanding of how donors prefer to give and engage with their favorite causes and charitable organizations" (p.3). Giving Habits The report provides considerable global insight for those tasked with leading fundraising for faith-based Read More …
4 Out of 10 Nations Favor a Specific Religion or Religions (#1706)
Earlier this month the Pew Research Center published the results of their analysis of their study of 199 countries and territories around the world. They found that more than 40% of these countries or territories (83 of 199), "favor a specific religion, either as an official, government-endorsed religion or by affording one religion preferential treatment over other faiths." Government-Endorsed Religion Only four religions have been granted the status of Read More …
World Communion Sunday (#1705)
Today is World Communion Sunday. Over the years, taking Communion / Lord's Supper / Eucharist on this day has been especially meaningful to me. Rather than seek to say something novel or new, I have collected some wisdom from posts I have written over the years. 2010: I wrote a series of blog posts sharing one big lesson I learned from each of the many denominations that have played a major role in my faith journey. In my post on the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I Read More …
Connecting with Historic Congregations (#1704)
A year ago I was in Connecticut preaching and leading a Day of Discovery for leaders of Westchester Congregational Church (founded in 1728) . Yesterday I was in Grand Prairie, Texas preaching at West Fork Presbyterian (PCUSA) Church (founded in 1870). Fifteen years ago I was preaching or assisting in leading worship at Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which claims to be the oldest continually meeting Protestant congregation in Dallas, Texas (founded in Read More …
My Many First Days (#1703)
First days are often memorable. Usually they are scheduled well in advance. Often they go according to plan. This was the case for me yesterday (September 17), which was my first day to preach in a congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 2010. First days can, however, be a bit more complicated and colorful as the last two months of my life illustrate: August 7 was officially my first day of work at the Wesley Mission Center, but my participation in a Read More …
Church Commutes (#1702)
The Baylor Religion Surveys provide some of the best recent data on American religion. The surveys consist of five waves: 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2017. Data from the latest wave was released last week, including the full 65 page report. The 2017 wave focuses on the religious, political, and ideological values of Trump voters mental health and religion in American today the intersection of technology and religion the geography of religion. Commuting As someone who Read More …