When making small talk with a new face at a social gathering, once the banal topics of present happenings die out—what unpredictable weather we are having, the logistics of our travel itineraries, rote descriptions of the drink in our hands—and it becomes unreasonable to maintain such proximity with our torsos parallel without gleaning a single meaningful insight about the person before us, I can almost feel it coming—the inevitable question: “What do you do for work?” I shift uncomfortably in... Read more

At the end of 2024, members of the Religion News Association named the re-election of Donald Trump, along with other dynamics and demographics related to the election, the top domestic U.S. religion story. They named Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza the top international religion story of the year. These storylines are ongoing, sure to continue capturing headlines and causing conflict in 2025 and beyond. And “religious rhetoric,” Whitney Phillips at the University of Oregon wrote, “is likely to suffuse” these... Read more

In an era marked by political upheaval, societal division, and a rapidly changing media landscape, the representation of faith and belief systems has become a delicate yet urgent matter. Faith, for many, serves as an anchor during turbulent times. It provides solace, fosters community, and offers moral guidance. However, when the media misrepresents or oversimplifies faith, it risks deepening societal divisions and alienating entire communities. As we navigate a world rife with political polarization and global instability, the role of... Read more

A Feeling of Exclusion Do you feel society has shifted from coexistence to confrontation as personal or cultural values became laws and regulations? You may have felt attacked or excluded as ideological factions used the legal system or pressure campaigns to force compliance with policies that conflicted with your religious beliefs.  Or you watch television programs and movies and don’t see your values represented. Our History of Co-Existence For much of our nation’s history, our communities coexisted with mutual respect... Read more