Some Christians, particularly younger adults, are reacting against secularism and contemporary Christianity by embracing "anti-modern" Christianity, with its sacramentalism, liturgies, and ancient theologies. They prize Christianity in all its "weirdness"--that is, its mind-blowing supernaturalism--and call themselves "weird Christians."
Modernists assumed that science will answer all questions, even as it "disenchants" the physical world. But science has come so far that it keeps disclosing new mysteries. Some people's faith in science has been shaken by the coronavirus, but they need to realize that science has specific limits.
Ideas for the next round of coronavirus bailouts include paying virtually every American $2,000 per month; paying 80% of company payrolls; and paying everybody's mortgages or rent for a year.
Does singing in church risk spreading the coronavirus by projecting respiratory particles in the air? Two German scientists have found that singing only sets air in motion for half a meter, making it highly unlikely that it could infect people practicing social distancing.
Our state, Oklahoma, is "opening up" from the coronavirus shutdown so we were able to go to church for the first time in seven weeks. Despite the social distancing protocols, it was wonderful. Relaxing the restrictions is controversial, but we may have to learn to live--or die--with the virus.
Religion waxes and wanes in a culture and throughout history. It can fade away, but it can also suddenly come back again. That is a takeaway from the American Enterprise study of American religion. The low point in American church involvement was in the 1780s, but that was followed by the Second Great Awakening.
According to the new American Enterprise study of American religion, the decline in church membership and attendance cannot be reversed by switching to contemporary music and worship styles. This is shown by a case study of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
The American Enterprise Institute study of American religion finds reasons why societies become less religious. Among them is that when churches exercise political power--as in state churches and government-sanctioned religious discrimination--the public comes to resent religion, thus contributing to periods of secularization.
The American Enterprise Institute has released an important study of American religion. It finds that though religion is in a state of decline today, the low point of church affiliation and attendance was in 1780.
Highlighting two profiles of Weird Al Yankovic, known for his parodies of iconic pop songs and their videos, such as "Eat it!" "Like a Surgeon," "Another One Rides the Bus," "Amish Paradise," and "Smells Like Nirvana." One of the profiles discusses Weird Al--a professing Christian--in terms of vocation.
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