News
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.
Faith Leaders Respond to Storming of US Capitol
Faith leaders began speaking out on social media as news emerged that pro-Trump protesters had broken through police barriers and stormed the US Capitol building on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Here’s what some of them told Good Faith Media.
Christians in Congress Outpace U.S. Christian Population
Christians continue to hold the majority of seats in the US Congress, a report said. In the 117th Congress, 88.1% (468 members) affiliate with a Christian faith tradition, outpacing the 65% of US adults who identify as Christian.
Pope: ‘Culture of Care’ is Path to Peace
A ‘culture of care’ must be adopted in order to create a pathway to peace, Pope Francis said, urging people ‘to become a prophetic witness of the culture of care, working to overcome the many existing social inequalities.’
Most-Read Articles, Most-Purchased Books in 2020
Since GoodFaithMedia.org launched, the site has had nearly 400,000 pages viewed. Here are the top 10 articles viewed so far since the launch date. And check out the 10 most purchased books through GFM’s online bookstore.
‘Music of Darkness’ Is Latest Nurturing Faith Books Release
Idolatry is a sin, but can music actually be an idol? And is musical idolatry only found outside the church? Those are some of the questions addressed in ‘Music of Darkness,’ the latest release from Nurturing Faith Books.
Honesty, Ethics Perception Rises for Medical Professionals
Perception of the honesty and ethics of US doctors, nurses and pharmacists increased in 2020, an annual survey found. Nurses retained the top spot, as they have for most of the past 20 years, with an 89% favorable rate.
Reaction and Response: Big Changes Needed to Meet Climate Targets
The 2030 climate targets set by the 2015 Paris Agreement will not be met without substantive changes, a report said. Faith leaders echoed that sentiment, urging Christians to lead the way in making the necessary lifestyle changes.
White Evangelical Protestants: Outliers on COVID-19 Views
White evangelical Protestants in the US are outliers when it comes to their views of the pandemic, a report said. They were the sole religious group surveyed that did not rate the pandemic as one of their top three pressing issues.
Majorities Around World Affirm Evolution; Christians Less Sure
A median of 74% of adults worldwide affirms that humans and other living things have evolved over time, a report said. With a few exceptions, Christian affirmation of evolution is below the national average.
People of Good Faith: Greg Milligan
Greg Milligan is executive vice president at Harney Management Partners, LLC in Austin, Texas. He is a member of the Good Faith Media governing board.
REMINDER: Holiday Cheers Virtual Gathering This Sunday
Mark your calendars! Good Faith Media invites you to celebrate the holiday season with us through a virtual gathering on Dec. 20 that we’re calling Good Faith Holiday Cheers! Enjoy music, comedy and good conversation.
Social Distancing Up, Public Mask Wearing Common
The number of US adults practicing strict social distancing is on the rise while most are wearing masks inside stores and businesses, two Gallup reports said, with 50% of respondents saying they practiced strict social distancing.
Pandemic Could Raise Learning Poverty by 72M Children
School closings due to the COVID-19 pandemic are projected to increase learning poverty by 72 million children in low- to middle-income nations, a report said. This would represent a 10% increase from 2019.
Good Faith Media Chooses Two New Interns
After a successful launch of the Ernest C. Hynds Jr. Internship in the fall semester of 2020 for Good Faith Media, two new interns have been selected for the spring semester. Meet Jessica McDougald and Jana Peterson.