Clearly the Atlantic Monthly is onto something in its coverage of men, women, and relationships. First it was “The End of Men,” the provocative cover-story article by Hanna Rosin back in July 2010. And now it’s “All the Single Ladies,” the November cover splash by Kate Bolick that’s gone stratospheric in reader attention before we’re even halfway through October. I argued last February in a Slate article that if the former title holds true, the second one will no doubt... Read more
Do you know about Research on Religion podcasts? If not, you should. Anthony Gill, a political scientist puts together a fascinating array of speakers about many aspects of religion. He’s also a talented, funny interviewer. His recent podcasts include how to start a church really fast, anti-Mormonism and Mitt Romney, and religion and Haitian immigrants, with our own Margarita Mooney. Check it out! Read more
Recently, several news outlets have made a modest effort at remembering significant contributors, namely Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and Professor Derrick Bell to the Civil Rights Movement who passed away at around the same time as Steve Jobs. Their passing reminds me that while the label “Christian” appears more often in association with conservative politics, a persistent voice remains on the progressive end of the spectrum as well, that of the Black Church. For those who are less familiar, the Black Church... Read more
Here’s an interview in Christianity Today with Glenn Stanton on his book ‘The Ring Makes All the Difference.’ In it he “explores the many downsides” of living together. I think this book will make a solid contribution to the discussion of living together for Christians. Read more
As I understand the Bible, we’re supposed to love others unconditionally. I understand this to mean not only regardless of what others might have done to us, but also regardless of who they are. I’ve heard countless sermons on this, and, frankly, I probably need to hear–and enact–many more. Social psychologists have studied altruism–helping other people in need–and it turns out that there is systematic variation in who we are willing to help. One of the factors has been termed... Read more
Writing in the Wall Street Journal opinion page on September 16, 2011, Religion News Service journalist David Gibson asked, who is stronger in the faith, Converts vs. ‘Cradle Catholics?’ This question is one that often comes up in ordinary conversation among Catholics and sometimes among sociologists. Many prominent sociologists of religion of the last half century, such as Peter Berger and Rodney Stark, have emphasized that choice of a faith rather than ascription makes one more sure of one’s beliefs,... Read more
Mark Chaves, of Duke sociology, has written this very interesting paper about what he calls religious congruence (or, more appropriately, religious incongruence). He uses “‘religious congruence’ in three related senses: (1) individuals’ religious ideas constitute a tight, logically connected, integrated network of internally consistent beliefs and values; (2) religious and other practices and actions follow directly from those beliefs and values; and (3) the religious beliefs and values that individuals express in certain, mainly religious, contexts are consistently held and chronically... Read more
In support of his new book, More God Less Crime, Byron Johnson, of Baylor, has put up a wonderful website about the relationship of religion and crime. Years ago, an undergraduate student and I published a meta-analysis of this literature, and we found an overall negative correlation between religion on crime. (I.e., religious involvement and affiliation corresponded with less criminal behavior). Our abstract: Do religious beliefs and behaviors deter criminal behavior? The existing evidence surrounding the effect of religion on crime... Read more
I was talking to a friend last night when he let drop a most interesting fact about his upbringing… he grew up in New Hampshire living next to a Shaker community. While they numbered only in the thousands in their heyday, and there are only three left now (three people, not three thousand), they’ve left quite a mark on American culture. In fact, the physical therapy place that I go to has a sign in their lobby “hands to work,... Read more
The other night, I watched the movie Fireproof. It came out in 2008, and it’s a story of a fireman whose career is going well but his marriage is falling apart. The movie presents his feelings and efforts as he tries to save his marriage. What makes this movie unique are its explicitly Christian messages. Specifically, at several points in the film a character presents the gospel message to another. Also, the film emphasizes the importance of marriage as a... Read more
Black, White and Gray
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