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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (RNS) The night before the Diocese of South Carolina announced its secession from the Episcopal Church two weeks ago, the Rev....

As Hurricane Sandy bore down on the barrier islands of New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie gave stubborn residents one more thing to worry about....

Anti-Jewish incidents in the U.S. dropped by 13 percent in 2011, according to a recently released report by the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks assaults and other attacks on Jews....

I've mentioned before that some of the language in the administrative screens for Drupal—the open-source software that runs this website—always makes me laugh.

How could I help but notice? She flapped her fingers in front of her face as the choir sang, waving her hands spastically, tilting her head to the tune....

New today from the Century: John Buchanan on gratitude, Laura Kelly Fanucci on people-watching at church, more.

Stedman, the assistant humanist chap­lain at Harvard, grew up in a secular family. He had a conversion experience in an evangelical setting, but this foundered when he came out as gay....

Scholars traveling to Chicago for the joint AAR–SBL meeting will have to make hard decisions—beginning with where to lay their heads.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (RNS) U.S....

Hindu Americans have run America's major companies and universities, won Nobel prizes and Olympic gold medals, directed blockbuster movies, and even flown into space....

My sister went to St. Olaf; I went to Wheaton. The differences are many--she chose Olaf after hearing both orchestras--but one that's always struck me is the fact that she was able to study world religions with tenure-track professors who actually practice them. I was not, because Wheaton requires faculty to sign a statement of faith--a model that has upsides but also pretty serious downsides. I have no problem with people of faith who maintain, in a pluralistic world, that their particular tradition offers something crucial and unique. I am one. But when it comes to learning about another faith tradition, given the option why would you want to learn from someone who isn't personally invested in it?

Earlier this year, the Century published a piece by an environmental scientist on just how radical the current shift in CO2 levels are—from the perspective of 50 million years. As I was working with that scientist, Lee Vierling, on the piece, we struggled to find a language that he and I and readers of the Century could share. He wanted something that was fluid and scientifically absolutely accurate. He also wanted to be certain that he was not using scare tactics.

New today from the Century: Lillian Daniel on AAR-SBL and the Hyatt boycott, Bruce Epperly reviews Living the Questions, more.

On more than one occasion, pastors and laypersons from progressive congregations have confided in me, “We are a little weak in our theology; we know what we don’t believe but have trouble articulat...

This is the third time I've said goodbye to a congregation. I should know how by now, but I'm still overwhelmed by the emotional awkwardness.

TOLEDO, Ohio (RNS) While the presidential candidates have been discussing values and downplaying their personal religious beliefs, faith is front and center in the race for Ohio's 5th Congressional...

LOS ANGELES (RNS) Unshaven and wearing a black hoodie and cap, Omar Elba looked out from the lectern, surrounded by a gold cross and organ pipes....

Five hundred years ago, on October 31, 1512, Pope Julius II led an evening prayer service to inaugurate the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s newly finished vault frescoes....

The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to consider whether to grant review of the Defense of Marriage Act. This follows the recent appellate court decision declaring the 16-year-old law unconstitutional. Judges in New York and Boston have now said DOMA violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause and interferes with a state’s right to set marriage eligibility requirements. But the final word will come from the Supreme Court.

Recently I was having a conversation with someone and I said that a certain author was too conservative for me, but that his material could certainly be adapted to other uses, and they responded th...