More evangelical churches are reciting the Nicene Creed in their worship services, a departure from their “no creeds but the Bible” position of the past, writes Daniel Silliman in Christianity Today magazine (May/June). This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed, which is considered the first creedal statement of Christianity resulting from the […]
As Pope Leo XIV’s papacy begins, there are indications that he intends to carry on the unfinished business of the Francis papacy, from finances to the abuse crisis to the reform of the Roman Curia, according to the Catholic Herald (May 27). Elise Ann Allen reports that, early on, the pope gave an official—if nominal—job […]
Close to 3 in 10 Americans make use of astrology, tarot cards or fortunetellers at least once a year, though only a small fraction rely on these practices to make major life decisions, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. About 2 in 10 Americans say they engage in these occult activities “just […]
Although known as a Lutheran country, Greenland is seeing a growing Pentecostal movement, and even a new Bahá’í presence, writes Julia Duin in Religion Unplugged (May 19). Greenland has captured the geopolitical imagination of the Western world, particularly Americans, but less is known about the emerging pluralism and growing Pentecostalism of the island nation. Lutheranism […]
The Ukraine war is leading to a fundamental shift in the way Ukrainian churches and society view women’s capacity for leadership and service, writes Olga Kondyuk (Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary in Kyiv) in the journal Religion und Gesellschaft in Ost und West (May). While traditional roles for women are still emphasized in some sectors of […]
Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, a large transnational Buddhist movement, has gradually been shifting from a globalized identity and outreach to a more localized one embracing neighborhood involvement since its founder died in 2021. The changes in practice and outreach of the movement (known as Citta) are the subject of a study by Weishan Huang […]
The unchecked proliferation of Pentecostal churches and their noise-generating activities pose environmental, health, and social challenges in Nigeria, writes Favour Uroko (University of Nigeria) in the Marburg Journal of Religion (May). Last year, RW (July 2024) had mentioned attempts by authorities in Congo to regulate revival churches due to the disturbances they were creating for […]
Much of the research interest in new religious movements (NRMs) in recent years has focused on second-generation members and former members and the effects of generational change in these groups. The current issue of Nova Religio (May/June), a journal of new religions, is devoted to the second (and third) generation of NRM members, specifically looking […]
Although he was seen as a favored candidate for the papacy, the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, as the first American pontiff in history still caught observers off guard. The singularity of the event has quelled, at least until the new pope writes his first encyclical, the usual antagonism and culture-warring […]
There has been a spate of media reports about impending religious and spiritual revivals in Europe and the U.S., but it is not clear if these reported trends will prove to represent long-term shifts in religiosity or “blips” on the screen of continuing religious decline. A much-publicized Pew study in March showed a stabilization of […]
