Meet the Authors Douglas Jacobsen and Rhonda Hustedt Jacobsen have been married for more than three decades, and both serve as professors at Messiah College. Douglas is distinguished professor of church history and theology (I have reviewed his most recent work: The World's Christians). Rhonda is professor of psychology and director of faculty development. Together they have co-authored three books: Scholarship and Christian Faith: Enlarging the Read More …
religion
Religious Confidence Reaches All Time Low (#0802)
Americans' confidence in religion has been declining for decades. According to the latest Gallup poll, religious confidence has reached an all-time low. So What? Comparing the responses from 1975 to those of 2012 offers a sense of the significance of the shift: % of Americans with “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in “the church or organized religion" Then: 68% Now: 44% Rank on the list of 16 organizations included in the poll Then: #1 Now: #4 Read More …
Review of The American Bible (#0779)
Meet the Author Stephen Prothero is professor of religion at Boston College, senior fellow at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, and bestselling author of two books: Religions Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know -- and Doesn't (2008) and God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World – and Why Their Differences Matter (2010 - read my review and/or see this book's inclusion on my top 10 books of 2010) . Read More …
Is Technology Good for Religion? (#0768)
In a recent Washington Post article Lisa Miller argues that technology is good for religion. Building her argument primarily on the views of adherents rather than experts, she focuses on the value of apps to support rather than replace religious practices. In short, she believes: Technology can greatly enhance religious practice. Groups that restrict and fear it participate in their own demise. So What? Religion involves connection with the divine and with other people following Read More …
American Belief in God (#0767)
Americans have long been some of the world's most religious people. Wayne Baker, sociologist on the senior faculty of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, recently blogged about research that confirms America remains near the top of the list of countries when it comes to the percentage of people who believe strongly in God without any doubts. More specifically, of the 30 countries included in the International Social Survey Program, the United States 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 Religion for Atheists (#0680)
Meet the Author Alain de Botton is the founder and chairman of the School of Life and creative director of Living Architecture. He is the author of numerous essays on a variety of topics as well as multiple best-selling books, including The Architecture of Happiness (2006) and How Proust Can Change Your Life (1997). (I recently blogged about his TED talk on Atheism 2.0, which focuses on the theme of his latest book: Religion for Atheists.) Book Read More …
Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus (#0610)
In less than a week a 4 minute video, Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus, by spoken word artist Jefferson Bethke has received over 10 million hits. It is a video with an important message that is worth watching, sharing, and discussing. So What? Organized religion has many strengths, but must not be blinded by its weaknesses. In listening to the poets words over and over again, I hear a prophetic call to put Jesus first in all contexts (including that of institutional Read More …
Your Unique Story (#0521)
Every person I have ever met who is seeking to follow the way of Jesus has a unique faith story -- an account of her or his life to date and how it has been impacted by one or more religious traditions. Some of these stories begin with or feature a moment of conversion (often an event on a specific day), but many more explain the transition to becoming a Christian as a long term process. Reflection on one's own journey to date is an important aspect of knowing one's own Read More …
Should Religion and Business Mix? (#0500)
When I was a young adult, I learned that religion and business were independent spheres. Since that time, I have, thankfully, learned that any such division is necessarily artificial. One does not cease being guided by one's faith because one enters the marketplace any more than one is only guided by it while on the campus of her or his religious gathering space (e.g. mosque, synagogue, church, etc.) or in some other space set aside for religious purposes. A person must, Read More …