Philosopher, author and activist Cornel West talks his latest book “Black Prophetic Fire,” which examines the impact and legacies of Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, MLK Jr., Ella Baker, Malcolm X and Ida B. Wells. Read more

[View the story “#FergusonOctober” on Storify] Read more

Preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. These words have for over two centuries bound any man undertaking the office of the President of the United States to the faithful execution of his office. In context, they form the most integral part of an oath, sworn with dignity and reverence for the indomitable, ever-shifting moral code of one’s country. And yet, every president-elect who has ever spoken the words, Theodore Roosevelt and John Quincy Adams excluded, has... Read more

The Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of the Christian magazine Sojourners and a spiritual adviser to President Barack Obama, will be one of the key speakers at an interfaith event related to Ferguson Sunday (Oct. 12) at St. Louis University. In the following Q&A; — edited for clarity and length — Wallis talks about how faith plays a role in his decision to come to St. Louis and how his past involvement in the civil rights era compares to today. Q:... Read more

by Earle FisherR3 Contributor I come from a tradition of prophetic Christianity. Within that tradition, religious extremism (or what I have come to describe as theological terrorism) has always been disturbing and counterproductive. Therefore, when I consider the impact of Amendment 1 on women’s health, I confess, the Amendment ruffles the feathers of my faith. Extreme is an understatement. Draconian is insufficient. This Amendment would limit a woman’s access to safe and compassionate abortion care, with no exemptions to save... Read more

BILL MAHER’s recent rant against Islam has set off a fierce debate about the problem of religious violence, particularly when it comes to Islam. Mr. Maher, who has argued that Islam is unlike other religions (he thinks it’s more “like the Mafia”), recently took umbrage with President Obama’s assertion that the terrorist group known as the Islamic State, or ISIS, does not represent Islam. In Mr. Maher’s view, Islam has “too much in common with ISIS.” His comments have led... Read more

This November, voters in the State of Tennessee will get the opportunity to vote on this proposed amendment to the state constitution. Proposed Amendment 1: “Shall Article I, of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated section: Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal... Read more

The Supreme Court declined to hear five same-sex marriage cases on Monday, thus opening the door to the expansion of marriage rights into 30 states. For supporters the decision represents an unequivocal victory for equality, while for critics, this “redefinition of marriage” marks a dismaying shift away from tradition. But this latest decision is simply a variation on a theme, continuing another chapter in the nation’s centuries-old argument over the definition of marriage. In her latest book, Leslie J. Harris,... Read more

What inspired you to write Redeemer? I was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Deerfield, when Jimmy Carter emerged onto the national stage. Like many evangelicals, especially those reared within the evangelical subculture, I was astonished to hear a politician speak unapologetically about being a “born again” Christian. It was a bracing moment, especially for someone who was considering a bid for elective office someday (I actually ran for a seat in the Connecticut legislature in 2004). Mark Hatfield was a... Read more

Social science has traditionally considered education and religion to be somewhat opposing forces. As societies become more educated, the reasoning goes, they will become less religious — a phenomenon known as the “secularization hypothesis.” Recent trends have complicated this understanding, particularly in the United States. Educational attainment has been on a steady rise for decades, but Americans are, by and large, just as religious as ever — if not more so. A 2002 Harvard study of 59 countries found that... Read more