News
Bella Ball Is GFM’s Intern for Summer 2023
Bella Ball is Good Faith Media’s Ernest C. Hynds Jr. intern for summer 2023. Ball is studying Management Information Systems with a minor in Data Science at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
50m Enslaved Worldwide, Including 12m Children
There were an estimated 50 million people around the world in conditions of forced labor and forced marriage in 2021, according to a report published in late May by Walk Free Foundation.
Virtual Worship Gatherings Highly Rated, But Most Prefer Attending In-Person
Most U.S. adults highly rate virtual worship gatherings, according to a Pew Research Center report. Two- thirds of worshippers who participate in online services say they are extremely or very satisfied with their experience.
Support for LGBTQ+ Non-Profits Small But Growing
LGBTQ+ non-profits in the U.S. receive less than 1% of all charitable contributions, according to a report published by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. However, financial support has grown in recent years.
Few U.S. Protestant Churchgoers Volunteer in the Community
Less than one third of U.S. Protestant churchgoers do any volunteer work, even though a majority say they want to do so, according to a Lifeway Research report. Evangelism is a key motivation in the desire to volunteer.
Pope Laments Lack of Progress in Global Peacemaking
War never brings relief to human lives, Pope Francis emphasized in a pontifical message to a mid-May international conference. Rather than resolving conflicts, war results in destruction and loss of humanity.
Look Back | A Short History of Memorial Day
Decorating the graves of fallen soldiers goes back at least to the fifth century BCE. In the United States, however, the tradition originally referred to as “Decoration Day” sprang up in response to the Civil War.
U.S. Adults Embrace Change Over Tradition for Nation’s Future
The U.S. is among the advanced economies in which most adults embrace change over sticking to traditions, according to a Pew Research Center report. All but two of the 19 nations surveyed had a majority of adults affirm this view.
Overlooked Climate Concern: Municipal Landfill Emissions
Methane emissions from municipal landfills are a key contributor to greenhouse gas emission increases, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. They account for more than 14% of total U.S. methane emissions.
U.S. Homelessness Increased for Seventh Straight Year
Homelessness in the U.S. increased for the seventh straight year, according to an annual report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Currently, 18 in every 10,000 people living in the U.S. are experiencing homelessness.
Plurality of U.S. Protestants Say Churches Don’t Actively Support Fostering or Adoption
A plurality of U.S. Protestant churchgoers said their church doesn’t actively support fostering or adoption, according to LifeWay Research. No expression of support surveyed had more than 18% of respondents say their church was engaged in that manner.
White Evangelical Protestants Are Outliers in Public School Vaccination Views
Support for vaccinations for children attending public schools has declined in recent years, according to a Pew Research Center report. While most U.S. adults continue to affirm vaccination requirements, support has declined significantly since 2019.
Most U.S. Teens, Adults View Jesus Positively
U.S. teens and adults have a positive perception of Jesus, according to a Barna Group report. However, when it comes to adherents of Christianity, levels of positive affirmation drop noticeably.
Correlation Between Religious Freedom Violations and ‘Transnational Repression’
There is a correlation between nations that violate religious freedom and their engagement in “transnational repression,” according to panelists at a hearing conducted by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Biden Administration Issues Updated Guidance on Religious Expression in Public Schools
The Biden administration has issued updated guidance regarding constitutionally protected religious expression in public schools. Addressing a variety of topics related to both students and school employees, the guidance emphasizes public schools should be neutral toward religion and religious expression.
White Christian Population in U.S. Stabilizing, Religiously Unaffiliated Increasing
The number of white Christians in the U.S. is showing signs of stabilization after decades of decline, while the number of religiously unaffiliated adults continues to rise, according to a Public Religion Research Institute report.