THE QUESTION: Whatever happened to U.S. “Mainline” Protestantism over the past half-century? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: What’s known as “Mainline” Protestantism was pretty much America’s culture-defining faith till well after World War Two. Fifty years ago, these church groups still maintained high morale and together boasted at least 28 million members. But by the latest available statistics they’ve shrunk 45%, to 15.5 million. During those same decades, the U.S. population increased 61%. Across U.S. religious history, nothing like this has... Read more

THE QUESTION: “Would America Be Better Off Without Religion?” THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: That provocative big-picture question is the title of an article by grad student Casey Chalk, which we’ll turn to after some ground-clearing. Atheism (or its cousin, agnosticism) isn’t what it used to be. Folks who didn’t believe in God used to mostly downplay  it while polite public debate engaged certain thinkers like Bertrand Russell (“Why I Am Not a Christian,” 1927) or J. L. Mackie (“The Miracle... Read more

THE QUESTION: What is “biblicism”? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: This question is the title of an article this month on patheos.com by Michael Bird, an Anglican priest who teaches theology at Australia’s Ridley College and is also a visiting professor at Houston Baptist University. See www.patheos.com/blogs/euangelion/2020/08/what-is-biblicism. More on Bird in a bit, but first let’s lay some ground. The dictionary definition of biblicism is adherence to a literal interpretation of the Bible. Merriam-Webster dates the first known use of this... Read more

THE QUESTION: What does Islam teach about seizing Christian churches to become mosques? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The bitterly contested Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”) in Constantinople (the city now named Istanbul) was the grandest church in Christendom across nine centuries. Then Muslim conquerors under Mehmed II confiscated the church in 1453 and converted it into the Aya Sofia Mosque. In 1935, Turkey’s government secularized it to be an interfaith museum, but three weeks ago turned it into a  working mosque... Read more

THE QUESTION: Do we have a Mother in Heaven as well as a Father? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The answer is yes, according to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (long and universally nicknamed “Mormon” though church authorities now seek to erase that label). Feminists continually criticize this religion for limiting all of its governing posts to men except for women’s and educational auxiliaries, yet church defenders can argue that this doctrine ennobles the female gender. Belief in... Read more

THE QUESTION: Was Jesus white? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: No. But in these racially anxious times for America, there’s more to be said. In a biblical dream-vision, presumably not meant to be taken literally in racial terms  (Revelation 1:15), the feet of the triumphal Jesus Christ are bronze in color. In terms of actual 1st Century history, it makes the most sense to think that Jesus was neither north European white nor African black. As a man of the Mideast,... Read more

THE QUESTIONS: What was “The Bible Code”? Was it valid? Did it prove anything about God, or the Scriptures, or world events? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Time for a nostalgic look back at “The Bible Code” sensation upon the death last month of journalist Michael Drosnin, who scored big with his 1997 best-seller of that title and  two sequels that inspired imitators, though Hollywood’s film version never got off the ground. Drosnin’s titillating claim was that the Hebrew Bible’s text... Read more

THE QUESTIONS: Why are there so many Bible translations in English on the market? Should there be? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The Evangelical Textual Criticism blog is an international forum where conservative Protestant experts chew over what’s stirring with ancient manuscripts and translations of the Bible. See https://evangelicaltextualcriticism.blogspot.com It’s esoteric stuff for the most part, but some items carry broad interest. This week’s top posting, worth pondering by everybody, begins with this biblical bang: “It’s time for someone to stand... Read more

THE QUESTION: What enduring values unite Americans of all religious outlooks? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The Fourth of July 2020 will be a sober as well as socially-distanced observance amid the COVID scourge, resulting economic devastation, and cities’ racial unrest. Nonetheless, it provides an opportunity to reflect not only on the nation’s sins and sufferings but permanent values these United States have upheld through it all. The American Revolution was first and foremost about ending dictatorial rule so that government... Read more

THE QUESTION: With lockdowns in place, should U.S. churches do baptisms, and how? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: American religious congregations are implementing all sorts of accommodations during the COVID-19 crisis. Most are streaming services online to replace in-person worship till reopening is allowed. Under these conditions, many Protestant groups are allowing viewers to take Communion remotely by themselves at home during streamed services, which is not feasible for Catholic Mass. Catholic priest Tim Pelc of St. Ambrose Church in Grosse... Read more