Recent papal appointments of American bishops show a pattern of center-right Catholic leadership emerging, writes John Allen in the National Catholic Reporter (March 6). The appointment of Archbishop Timothy Dolan to the New York see in late February is part of a pattern of Pope Benedict’s choosing prelates who are “basically conservative in their politics […]

Evangelical scientists are having a significant impact on many evangelicals and their views on environmentalism, writes Mark Pinsky in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin (Winter). The American evangelical rank and file have been divided on such environmental issues as climate change, with both sides using scientific authorities to help defend their positions. But Pinsky writes that […]

Linked to an increasing emphasis on counter-ideological work as part of efforts against radical Islamic groups, several countries are developing “terrorist rehabilitation programs.” On Feb. 24–26, RW attended an international conference on the topic in Singapore, organized by the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR). For jailed terrorists and extremists, prison can […]

In the ongoing issue of the unity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the (autonomous) Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate is asserting its role as an independent actor, write two Russian Orthodox theologians, Priest-Monk Savva (Tutunov) and V.V. Burega, in an article translated into German in the monthly G2W (January). Orthodoxy in Ukraine is […]

A recent survey reveals a level of distrust toward Protestantism in South Korean society, reports the Union of Catholic Asian News (Nov. 27). The survey was conducted by the Christian Ethics Movement of Korea, a group that has been involved for years in promoting church reform and renewal (and thus is not entirely “neutral”). More […]

Different religions are competing in Singapore, although only a segment of the nation’s population is open to conversion, according to recent research. Pointers (December), the newsletter of the Christian Research Assocation of Australia, cites research from the recent book Rationalizing Religion that shows that members of mainly the Chinese population of Singapore have converted to […]

Contrary to predictions, belief in UFOs has not significantly declined in the 60 years since such claims have been made, but it has changed, with a major split occurring between “New Age” and “scientific” UFOlogists, writes Robert Scheaffer in the Skeptical Inquirer magazine (January/February). Scheaffer, a skeptic regarding UFOs, writes that UFO belief has come […]

There is a growth of devotion to bodhisattvas, or Buddhist gods and goddesses, among American converts to Buddhism, particularly the Chinese figure Kuan-yin. In the Journal of Contemporary Religion (October), Jeff Wilson writes that supernaturalism has not held a significant place among the large segment of converts in the US. But partly because of a […]

While blacks have been following whites in fleeing cities for the suburbs for several decades, it is only recently that African-American churches been following their members in their exodus from urban areas, according to research by Michael Emerson of Rice University. Christianity Today (January) cites Emerson’s research as showing that the change is most evident […]

The controversies and excitement surrounding the US election season have obscured trends and issues that are unfolding in world Catholicism—from the rehabilitation of the Jesuits to the growing concerns over the issue of identity in Catholic charitable organizations, writes John Allen in the National Catholic Reporter (Dec. 26). Allen cites such neglected news stories as […]