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

THE QUESTION: Should hard-pressed churches want to be tax-exempt? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: “Religion Q & A” has pondered tax exemption three times already, in items posted on November 9, 2013; January 22, 2017; and then on October 25, 2019, when stripping of tax exemption from houses of worship erupted as a surprise issue in the Democratic campaign for president. The 2019 round involved CNN’s “Equality Town Hall” when anchorman Don Lemon asked candidate “Beto” O’Rourke if “colleges, churches, charities”... Read more

THE QUESTION: “Is the Worst of the Sexual Revolution Over?” THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The New York Times ran a feature last month about teens wearing shirts that proclaim  “Virginity Rocks.” This fad did not originate with those Christian “True Love Waits” crusaders but a YouTube personality who professed a “tongue in cheek” attitude but said he’s happy if teens advocate abstinence, and some actually do take the slogan seriously. A dog-eared maxim in our business says “dog bites man”... Read more

THE QUESTION FROM VINCE AND OTHERS: How can people believe God is both loving and all-powerful — for instance when a dread disease spreads worldwide? THE GUY’S ANSWER: This quandary has challenged religious thinkers and troubled suffering believers from the Bible’s ancient Book of Job through modern-day reflection on the Holocaust and Covid-19. It’s infinitely above a journalist’s pay grade, so The Guy will only skim what a few people have said and are saying about this topic known as... Read more

THE QUESTION: Is Socialism Christian? Is Capitalism Christian? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The Covid-19 crisis has produced a nearly unprecedented degree of U.S. government intervention in the economy, and more may lie ahead. This occurs at a time of surprising and rising Democratic Party fondness for more thoroughgoing socialism. Although the prime mover of  this phenomenon, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, is very unlikely to win the presidential nomination, his status as the runner-up in both 2016 and 2020 is significant.... Read more

THE QUESTION: What are the long-term trends for the world’s religions? What’s the situation in China? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Broad-brush, Christianity remains the world’s largest and most widespread religion and will still be so in 2050 thanks to steady growth in “Global South” nations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. But Islam is steadily gaining ground. Declines relative to the population have been suffered by folk religions in China, tribal traditions elsewhere, and the ranks of the non-religious. In... Read more

THE QUESTION: Are U.S. Protestant congregations facing a dangerous plunge in income? THE GUY’S ANSWER: Note the subtitle of this recent book release: “The Coming Revolution in Church Economics: Why Tithes and Offerings Are No Longer Enough and What You Can Do About It” (published by Baker). Will many churchgoers no longer be able to keep the doors of their churches open? How bad will it get? Authors Mark DeYmaz and Harry Li are evangelicals who lead the Mosaix Global... Read more

THE QUESTION: Is Europe Christian? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The intriguing question above is the title of a brief new book (from Oxford University Press) by prominent French social analyst Olivier Roy, a professor at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy, and critic of political Islam. To Roy, the correct answer is that it all depends on what you mean by “Christian.” The Religion Guy agrees. If the answer is no, that’s an epochal change. The continent has served... Read more

THE QUESTION: Can students pray in U.S. public schools? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: The Trump Administration’s education and justice departments, after work with government attorneys, issued policy guidance to public schools January 16 on this emotional-laden and oft-misunderstood issue. The answer is well settled in American law and agreed upon by a very wide range of religious and public education organizations. Yes, depending. Yes, if a student initiates prayer and does not disrupt classes. Students also enjoy other religious rights... Read more