News
Support for Same-Sex Marriage Increases for Third Straight Year
A strong majority of U.S. adults believe same-sex marriage would be ‘recognized by the law as valid,’ a recent report said. This is the third year in a row that support has increased.
Report: Relationships of U.S. Adults Remain Homogenous
The close relationships of most U.S. adults tend to be very homogenous, a new Public Religion Research Institute report found. White respondents had the highest level of homogenous relationships.
Good Faith Media Welcomes Interns for Summer 2022
Libby Carroll and Kira Dewey are Good Faith Media’s Ernest C. Hynds Jr. Interns for summer 2022, beginning their internship June 1. They are the sixth group of interns since the program’s launch.
Climate Change Indicators Reach Record Levels
Multiple climate change indicators reached record high levels in 2020 and 2021, according to a World Meteorological Organization report. Sea level rise, ocean heat, ocean acidification and greenhouse gas concentrations reached record levels.
Many U.S. Synagogues Experiencing Membership Growth or Stability
Six-in-10 U.S. synagogues from two major traditions within Judaism report that they are either growing or maintaining their membership levels, according to a Faith Communities Today report published on May 17.
Look Back | Mental Illness: A Key Component in Criminal Justice Reform
Effective criminal justice reform must address mental illness as a contributing factor to incarceration and recidivism. This was the focus of a bipartisan Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in early 2016.
History or Memory? A Scholar-Activist Seeks Justice in the Public Square
What should we do with public monuments and statues that are based on problematic interpretations of events handed down through generations? One scholar in Virginia is attempting to answer that question.
Reports Show Mental Health Struggles Increased During Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the prevalence of anxiety and depression by 25% worldwide, according to a World Health Organization report. This is one of several reports noting an increase in mental health challenges in recent years.
Catholic Leaders Condemn Acts of Violence at Journalist’s Funeral
Catholic leaders in Israel issued a joint statement on May 16, condemning the violence that took place on May 13 during a funeral procession for Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
Randall Lolley Remembered With ‘Echoes of Mercy, Whispers of Love’
Echoes of mercy and whispers of love flowed as family, friends, colleagues, congregants, students and inspired younger ministers gathered in Greensboro, North Carolina, on May 14 to celebrate the impactful life of W. Randall Lolley.
U.S. Evangelicals Represent More Than One Third of ‘High Conspiratorial Thinkers’
Nearly one-in-five U.S. adults believe in the two central elements of “replacement theory,” according to a new report. U.S. evangelicals represent more than a third of those classified as “high conspiratorial thinkers.”
Talking to History: A Conversation with Lt. Col. Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse
Museums provide insight into people and events that shaped our present-day realities. There’s no substitute, however, for talking to those who made history. Recently, I spoke with one of the Tuskegee Airman of World War II.
Religion Most Common Charitable Donation Category in Florida
Religious organizations in Florida received the highest percentage of all charitable donations and the highest average amount given, a recent report found. This giving level mirrors national trends.
People of Good Faith: J. Daniel Day
J. Daniel Day is pastor emeritus of the First Baptist Church (Salisbury St.) of Raleigh, North Carolina, and former senior professor of preaching and worship at Campbell University Divinity School.
Reaction and Response | Four in 10 Worry About ‘Illegal Immigration’
Four in 10 Americans reported that they worry “a great deal” about “illegal immigration” in a recent Gallup survey. Several faith leaders offered their reaction and response to the findings.
Half of Federal Indian Boarding Schools in U.S. Involved Religious Organizations
The U.S. Department of Interior released on May 11 a report of its initial findings on the Federal Indian Boarding School System that operated from around 1819 to 1969. Religious organizations had significant involvement in the system.
Nearly Half of U.S. Disapproves of SCOTUS, Two-Thirds Affirm Legal Abortion
A recent YouGov survey asked U.S. adults to share their views on the Supreme Court and polled respondents’ views on abortion. The findings track closely with two other surveys released last week.
Social Media Platforms and Climate Dis/misinformation
Social media platforms are not doing enough to curb or counter climate change mis/disinformation, a recent Greenpeace report found. A recent UN report cited “the deliberate undermining of science” as a key issue in addressing environmental concerns.
‘Unprecedented Drop’ In Bible Engagement Among U.S. Adults
The number of U.S. adults who read the Bible saw an “unprecedented drop” in early 2022, an American Bible Society report found. This was the first significant drop in polling history.
People of Good Faith: Rachel Ain
Rachel Ain is rabbi at Sutton Place Synagogue in midtown Manhattan, New York.
Catholics Outpace National Average in Affirming Belief in Astrology
More than one-in-four U.S. adults (27%) say they believe in astrology, according to a new report. Catholics outpace the national average.
Season 3 of The Raceless Gospel Podcast Focuses on ‘Body Language’
Season three of The Raceless Gospel podcast will be released on May 5. Employing 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 as a prescriptive lens, each episode addresses a member’s issue while highlighting the need to accept all limbs.
Four-in-Ten U.S. Protestant Pastors Considered Quitting in the Past Year
Nearly half of all Protestant pastors in the U.S. have contemplated leaving full-time ministry in the last year, a report found. Job stress was the most common reason cited for this consideration.
Annual Religious Freedom Report Highlights Deterioration of Rights in Afghanistan
The Taliban’s extension of control across the country following the U.S. troop withdrawal has led to a serious deterioration in religious freedom, the 2022 USCIRF religious freedom report emphasized.
Zakat Given by U.S. Muslims Approached $2b in 2021
Muslims in the U.S. gave $1.8 billion in zakat in 2021, according to a report from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy published April 14.
U.S. Pastors See Missions as Mandate for All, Parishioners Divided
Most Protestant pastors in the U.S. see missions as a mandate for all Christians, while their parishioners aren’t as certain, a recent Barna Group report revealed.
Most of the World Breathes Air Detrimental to Health
Most of the world is currently breathing air that exceeds World Health Organization’s air quality standards. These standards are based on the negative impacts of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide on health.
Good Faith Media to Host Unique, Small-Group Amish Experience in October
A Good Faith Experience set for October 5-8, 2022, will provide an opportunity to interact with Amish families and community leaders in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Climate Report Notes Emissions Rise, Highlights Key Contributors
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its Sixth Assessment Report detailing the status of climate change mitigation progress globally. Emissions are on the rise and several groups are key contributors to the trend.
U.S. Majority Favors Several Climate Change Mitigation Proposals
Most U.S. adults support six possible climate change mitigation strategies, a new report found. Tax credits for installing clean energy in homes was the most favored proposal.