News
New GFM Podcast on Race, Religion and Politics Drops in March
Starlette Thomas is a womanist in ministry and the host of “The Raceless Gospel” podcast. Thomas and guests talk about that taboo trinity — race, religion and politics.
People of Good Faith: Rob Marus
Rob Marus is associate vice president for communications at the Association of American Universities in Washington, D.C. He serves on the Good Faith Media governing board and is an active member of The First Baptist Church of the City of Washington.
Fewer Protestant Churches Meeting in Person
The number of Protestant churches in the U.S. meeting in person declined in early 2021. Around three-quarter were doing so in January 2021, down from 87% in September 2020.
Majority of Black Americans Attend Predominantly Black Congregations
A majority of Black Americans who attend religious services do so at predominantly Black houses of faith, a report found. Nearly two-thirds of all churchgoers in the U.S. believe congregations should be more diverse.
Stephen Reeves to Lead Fellowship Southwest
Native Texan Stephen Reeves will become the executive director of Fellowship Southwest in mid-March. He comes to the organization from CBF global, where he served as associate coordinator for advocacy and partnerships.
People of Good Faith: Cynthia Holmes
Cynthia Holmes is an attorney in St. Louis, Missouri. She is an active leader in several faith-based organizations, including Good Faith Media where she serves on the governing board.
Springsteen Jeep Ad Echoes Themes He’s Sung about for Decades
The central message in Bruce Springsteen’s Jeep ad reiterates themes he’s been singing about for decades. It calls us to have faith that the ties that bind us, for all our faults, fears and shortcomings, are ultimately stronger than the walls others build to divide us.
White Evangelical Protestants Hold Divergent Religious Liberty, Discrimination Views
White evangelical Protestants in the U.S. hold views on religious liberty and discrimination that often diverge from the rest of the nation, a report found. Nearly three-quarters say religious liberty is being threatened, compared to only 42% of all adults.
People of Good Faith: Renée Owen
Renée Lloyd Owen is a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship-endorsed healthcare chaplain with more than 20 years of experience meeting the unique spiritual, religious, and cultural needs of patients, their families and healthcare providers.
Satisfaction with Organized Religion, Moral Climate Declines in U.S.
Perception of organized religion and the nation’s moral climate is declining among U.S. adults, a report found. Less than half are satisfied with organized religion’s influence, while eight-in-ten are dissatisfied with the country’s moral / ethical climate.
Look Back | Panelists Urge New Covenant Baptists to Fight Institutional Racism
The church’s struggle against racism is no longer primarily about skin color, but institutions that bestow privilege on some and penalties on others, panelists emphasized at the 2008 New Baptist Covenant gathering. We live in a racialized society.
Baptist Theologian Becomes Interim President at UCC Seminary
Molly T. Marshall, a retired Baptist theologian, will become the interim president of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities on March 1. Established in 1962 and located in St. Paul, Minnesota, the school is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
Safety Net Programs Have Reduced U.S. Poverty, Disparities Remain
Social safety net programs in the U.S. like SNAP, SSI and TANF have significantly reduced poverty levels, a report found. Yet, racial and ethnic disparities remain, which could increase further as a result of the pandemic.
White Evangelicals More Likely to Say Online Harassment Due to Faith
Nearly one-third of white evangelicals in the U.S. say the online harassment they have experienced resulted from their religious affiliation, a report found. This is the most of any religious group.
People of Good Faith: Jana Peterson
Jana Peterson, a self-described “homeschooling homemaker” for 15 years, is pursuing a master of divinity at the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. She is a GFM Ernest C. Hynds Jr. intern for the spring 2021 semester.
US Prison, Jail Population Dropped Sharply in 2020
The U.S. inmate population declined in 2020, driven by a yearlong drop in prison inmates and a partial year decline in jail inmates. Still, the nation incarcerates more of its residents than any other nation.
Reaction and Response: US to Re-enter Paris Climate Agreement
An executive order signed on Jan. 20, 2021, set the U.S. on a path to re-enter the Paris climate agreement. Several faith leaders offered their reaction and response to the decision.
Reaction and Response | Conspiracy Theories Common in U.S. Protestant Churches
Conspiracy theories are heard frequently in nearly half of U.S. Protestant congregations, a report found. Four Protestant leaders shared their reaction and response with Good Faith Media.
People of Good Faith: Jessica McDougald
Jessica McDougald is a third-year master of divinity student at Campbell University Divinity School and youth minister at Millbrook Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. She is currently serving as an Ernest C. Hynds intern at Good Faith Media.
Pandemic Strengthened U.S. Faith More than Other Nations
U.S. adults were more likely than citizens of 13 other advanced economies to say that their religious faith, and that of the nation as a whole, has been strengthened during the global pandemic, a report found.
Climate Change Mitigation Vital to End Global Hunger
Climate change is threatening three decades of progress to curb global hunger, a report said, with as many as 100 million people entering into extreme poverty due to climate impacts unless we enact sufficient mitigation efforts.
Reaction and Response: US Blacks’ Sense of Political Powerlessness Increases
Blacks in the US feel more politically powerless now than they did two decades ago, a report found. Several Black faith leaders, however, questioned the survey’s conclusion that Blacks actually feel more politically powerless.
White US Protestants Least Likely to Link Violent Language, Acts
White Protestants are the least likely religious group to affirm a link between violent rhetoric and violent actions, a report found. Only 39% of white evangelicals affirmed a strong link between violent rhetoric and actions.
Affirmation of Marriage Importance Continues to Drop
The number of US adults who affirm marriage as very important continues to decline, a report found. For example, 31% said it is very important for couples to marry when they have children together, down from 49% in 2006.
People of Good Faith: Jack Glasgow
Jack Glasgow is the pastor of Zebulon Baptist Church in Zebulon, North Carolina, a church he has served for 43 years. He is married to Barbara, and they have a son and daughter, both educators married to educators.
Reaction and Response | Fewer Protestants Want Sermons on Race
Fewer US Protestants seem interested in sermons about racial reconciliation, a report found. Asked if their churches would welcome a sermon on the topic, 74% of pastors somewhat or strongly agreed, down from 90% four years ago.
Death Sentences at All-Time Low; Fewest Executions in Decades
Death sentences and executions reached ‘historically’ low numbers for 2020, a report said, despite President Trump’s reversal of a 17-year hiatus on federal executions. Eighteen death sentences and 17 executions had taken place.
Polling US Religiosity: It’s a Complex Matter
Is the US less religious than previous data suggested, or does current data underestimate US religiosity? A Pew Research Center report seeks to answer such questions with a deep dive into its polling methodology and data sets.
Christian Percentage of Global Population to Increase
The number of Christians as a percentage of the global population is expected to increase over the next few decades, with the percentage increasing slightly to 32.5% by 2025 and rising to 35% by 2050, a report said.
Lott Carey Podcast Explores Black Pastoral Leadership
A new podcast series drawing from the wisdom of Black pastors premieres Wednesday. ‘Pilgrimages of Striving and Thriving’ explores how Black pastoral leaders in the US flourish in their various ministerial contexts.