Religion Watch Archives

Monitoring Trends in Religion - From February 1990 to January 2016

Iraq’s religious pluralism omen or promise?

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As Iraq undergoes reconstruction, it may be too early to ascertain the shape of Islam in that country. But there are growing divisions among the Shiite Muslims in post-war Iraq adding to a pluralism that may possibly prevent theocratic rule by any one group, reports the Washington Post (April 20). Shiite Muslims in Iraq are divided in […]

Current Research: May 2003

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01: The negative attitudes displayed by  some evangelical leaders toward  Islam since Sept. 11 seems to be shared by rank-and-file believers, according to a recent poll. The poll, sponsored by Beliefnet and the Ethics and Public Policy Center, found that 77 percent of evangelicals had an overall unfavorable view of Islam. Seventy percent also agreed that Islam is a […]

‘Free religions’ crossing art-religious border

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Do-it-yourself religions that were created as parodies of established faiths are taking on a life of their own, as members find a sense of spirituality and community through participating, reports Reason magazine (May). RW has reported on the growth of satirical religions, many of which start on the Internet, but  Jesse Walker writes that many of these so-called “free […]

Christian theater finding secular acceptance

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A growing number of  Christian-theater companies have opened across the U.S. and are finding acceptance in secular regional theater circles. The magazine Books & Culture (March/April) reports that “Across North America in select urban markets, there are new Christian drama companies, often founded by theater artists in their 20s and 30s who feel duty-bound to supply an alternative […]

A religious ministry to terrorists?

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Religious groups may be particularly effective in stemming religion-based terrorism, according to America, a Jesuit magazine (April 14). One finding of a recent Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict concerned the pivotal role co-religionists play in countering the “hateful side of the religious sword with the other side of tolerance and love for humanity.”Statements condemning terrorism […]

On/File: April 2003

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01: Chrysalis is a unique faith-based social service program that provides recipients with alternatives to the majority of programs with a Christian orientation. A key issue surrounding faith-based social services is providing recipients with enough choices to ensure that  their religious freedom is not jeopardized. Chrysalis , devised by Rev. Laurie Etter, chaplain of York Correctional Institution […]

Findings & Footnotes: April 2003

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01: The conservative evangelical newsweekly World devotes its March 8 cover story to press coverage of the world’s religions. Editor Marvin Olasky examined “several thousand” newspaper articles from January, 2000 to January, 2003 covering the world’s religions and finds two tendencies — “superficiality and syncretism.” In coverage of Islam, the press tends to portray Muslim and Christian […]

Anti-conversion laws in India spreading?

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On March 26, Gujarat’s state assembly passed a bill banning religious conversion through use of force or bribery. This expected move followed a similar law adopted in Tamil Nadu last October. While this will once again lead to criticism of India by advocates of religious freedom around the world and to protests from minority religions […]

Papal diplomacy’s bright future

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In times of international crisis or debates on key issues, it has become common to hear the voice of the Pope among those of other heads of governments — a trend that is likely to grow in the future, according to the French monthly for future studies, Futuribles (March). The Holy See is an active participant on […]

Current Research: April 2003

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01: Few Americans say their religious beliefs are shaping their views on the conflict over Iraq, and most churchgoers have not heard a clear position taken from the pulpit on the war, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center and Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, found that just […]