A new peer-reviewed study suggests that, in one of Europe’s most secular countries, a growing number of young men are finding Christianity compelling because it offers what the researchers describe as a fuller framework for identity, meaning, stability and belonging.
Published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, the article by theology scholars Kati Tervo-Niemelä and Pietari Hannikainen examines why young men in Finland are apparently showing more interest in the Christian faith.
What Went Wrong for American Religion
Christian Smith’s provocatively titled Why Religion Went Obsolete should attract a large and wide readership. Smith, the former William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology and founding director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame, is known to many Christian readers who have no particular relationship to the social sciences. If you have heard (or used) the apt descriptor “moralistic therapeutic deism,” you have already been exposed to Smith’s earlier, influential work on the religious experience of emerging adults.
When the Tribe Eats the Church
Exhausted by looking inward to discover and express who we are, we now look around desperately for the affirmation of others—the sense of identity that comes from drawing close to those who share our affinities and outlook.
10 principles for revival that lead to a changed society
Throughout church history, God has moved in distinct ways that must be properly understood if we are going to posture ourselves for genuine transformation. We often use words like revival, awakening, renewal, and reformation interchangeably, but Scripture and history show that these realities are not the same. Each expresses a unique dimension of the Spirit’s work.
Hegseth’s removal of top Army chaplain raises ‘troubling questions’ from Black denomination
‘Our nation must be careful not to allow partisan agendas to undermine institutions built on merit, sacrifice, and service,’ said the president of the historically Black National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc.
White House and Vatican relations reportedly strained
Even though Vice President JD Vance is a convert to Catholicism, relations between the White House and the Vatican may be at the lowest point in modern history, according to a report in The New Republic.
At issue now is the Trump administration’s penchant for war and the pope’s preference for dialogue and peacemaking instead.
Also See: Pentagon-Vatican meeting latest flash point in Trump's clash with religious leaders; Vatican official spills secrets of MAGA goons' bullyingDo the Ten Commandments apply to Christians today?
The helpful website, gotquestions.org, has over 10,000 answers to frequently asked Bible questions, such as this one: "Do Christians have to obey the Old Testament law?"
After briefly explaining some of the laws that were given to God's people, (Ten Commandments, civil, ceremonial) their website states, "None of the Old Testament law is binding on Christians today."
Do you see any problem with their answer?
According to the historic Anglican formularies, the 1571 Articles of Religion and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the Ten Commandments are binding on Christians today. Article VII states that "no Christian...whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral." The recitation of the Ten Commandments form a part of the 1662 Holy Communion service and the 1662 Catechism contains a section on the Ten Commandments. The preface of the 1662 Confirmation service mandates knowledge of the Ten Commandments as one of the requirements for Confirmation.When the Pastor Stops Feeling God: The Spiritual Burnout No One Talks About
There is a tension for some at the center of pastoral ministry that few congregations ever see and even fewer pastors feel safe to name. It is not primarily scandal, nor moral failure, nor even burnout—though all of those are real. It is something more fundamental: the private erosion, or at least destabilization, of a pastor’s own faith while he or she is tasked with sustaining the faith of others.
Bible reading declines as openness to Scripture rises in US, new State of the Bible report finds
A newly released national study by the American Bible Society finds that while Bible reading and engagement in the United States have declined from last year’s levels, openness to the Bible has grown significantly, with 9 million more Americans expressing interest in its message since 2024.
3 Spiritual Habits That Will Change How You Read the Bible
When it comes to the Bible, most of us have one gear: we open it, read a passage, maybe journal or pray, and close it. That’s a fine starting place. But it’s a bit like having a library card and only ever reading the same chapter of the same book.
Scripture rewards three distinct kinds of engagement, and each requires its own habit: breadth, depth, and internalization.
How Do Older Adults Invest in Young Adult Ministry?
When senior adults intentionally invest in young adult ministry leaders, the impact extends far beyond one ministry area.
3 Strategies for Cultivating a Congregation That Lives Sacrificially
Our spiritual growth is evident as we learn to daily choose to obey God and sacrificially deny our own desires and wishes.
Also See: 6 Arguments Satan Uses to Tempt You and 6 Responses to Use When He Does
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