Eastern Orthodox theology is undergoing a renaissance , but it is largely taking place outside of Orthodox institutions and is propagated by converts to the faith, reports First Things magazine (December). An older renaissance of Orthodox theology in Europe was largely the province of émigré scholars arriving at newly established seminaries, such as Georges Florovsky, […]

The protest movement against slickwater hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” to release natural gas from the earth draws on a range of symbols and concepts related to eco-feminist spirituality, according to Leah Schade (Lutheran Theological Seminary), who presented a paper on the subject as the SSSR conference in Phoenix. Eco-feminist spirituality links social justice and women’s […]

While Christian Zionism has long claimed a special link with the Jews and the state of Israel, the identification with Israel has crossed over into a form of “ethnonationalism” among some evangelicals, according to Matt Westbrook of Drew University. Westbrook, who presented a paper at the SSSR conference, argued that “contemporary Christian Zionism seems to […]

Although megachurches are portrayed as the quintessential suburban—or post-suburban—religious organization (see book review on pages 10-11), in other parts of the world they are flourishing in the “relatively recent dense urban areas, often with a new and/or rapidly growing Christian population,” according to Scott Thumma and Warren Bird. These researchers presented a survey of global […]

While historically seeking to downplay religious differences between Sunnism and Shiism and rather to emphasize Islamic unity, the Muslim Brotherhood has been showing concerns about the spread of Shiism in Egypt, writes Jacques Neriah in Jerusalem Viewpoints (No. 591, Sept.-Oct. 2012). According to estimates, there might be one million Shiites in Egypt (one percent of […]

Lutheranism may be institutionally weak in Germany, but its ethos of moral responsibility and sacrifice may be a significant factor behind the nation’s economic resilience and stability, writes Harvard University historian Steven Ozment in the New York Times (August 12). Although religiously diverse and politically secular, the current German emphasis on frugality and responsibility in […]

Both diversification of religious life and a growth of unaffiliated people have been the main changes in the religious life of the Canton of Fribourg (Switzerland), according to a report by Religioscope Institute that was publicly released on September 24. Being headquartered in Fribourg, Religioscope Institute was commissioned last year by the cantonal government to […]