Creationism Makes Its Mark
Lauri Lebo.
Jan 6, 2009
When their son Zachary came home from science class with a cross burned on his forearm It was not the religion that bothered his parents, but the injury to their child. They sued, and brought science v. creationism back into the courts for another round.
Physicians, “Conscience,” and the Denial of Options
Wendy Cadge.
Jan 5, 2009
New federal regulations, enacted by the lame-duck Bush administration, privilege the religious or moral scruples of physicians over a patient's right to treatment. 40 million Americans have physicians who will not present them with all the options for treatment.
Amway, Religious Right Pyramid Scheme, Returns to the Motherland
Bill Berkowitz.
Jan 5, 2009
“Emerald”-level member uncovered fraud and deception before being kicked out; Charles Colson and “Redemption”; Americans United’s Top Ten Church-State stories; and more.
New Book Reveals How Faith is Like a Covert Operation for the Bush Family
Frederick Clarkson.
Jan 4, 2009
A brand new investigation of the Bush family reveals a religious narrative that strays from the official story circulated to supporters and the press. How many conversions did George W. actually have and why? How did a blue-blooded Episcopalian family come to represent the evangelicals of America?
Rest in Peace, Sam Huntington
Mark Juergensmeyer.
Jan 2, 2009
He was a lifelong Democrat, and opposed to the Iraq war, but his theory of the “clash of civilizations” helped to support the neo-con notion of a war on terror.
RDPulpit: Israel in Gaza: Right but not Smart
Rabbi Michael Lerner.
Jan 2, 2009
Israel is still using a strategy of domination in its struggle with Hamas, trying to use force to gain security. But this is a recipe for endless war.
The Most Popular Stories of 2008
The Editors.
Dec 30, 2008
The numbers are in and you, the reader, have chosen your favorite RD stories of the year; from Rick Warren to AIPAC, Sarah Palin, Creationism 2.0 and the fabled “death” of the religious right.
The Sexual Threat to Fundamentalism
Michelle Goldberg.
Dec 29, 2008
Why have homosexuality and gender-bending displaced Jews and anti-Semitism as the bogeymen of fundamentalists across the globe?
Doubt v. Predator: A Vatican II Parable
Gabriel Mckee.
Dec 24, 2008
The film adaptation of this Pulitzer Prize-winning play, set in the midst of Vatican II, pits the age-old male hierarchy against the secrecy of the recent molestation scandals. And the winner is...
RD10Q: Brands of Faith: Marketing Religion
Mara Einstein.
Dec 22, 2008
Branding is a combination of name, logo, and mythology; in a world in which we see more than three-thousand marketing messages a day, does religion have to sell itself in order to remain part of the cultural conversation?
O(Pinn)ion: Defending Obama’s Choice
Anthony B. Pinn.
Dec 22, 2008
I reject Rick Warren’s theological orientation and vigorously critique the death-dealing theologies of those like him. But my disagreement (and yours) is not the point.
By the Way: The Rove of the Religious Right, A Eulogy
Randall Balmer.
Dec 22, 2008
“Evil Genius” Paul Weyrich’s legacy of a conservative revolution may be coming to a close.
The Best Books Media of 2008
Jeff Sharlet.
Dec 21, 2008
Forget the standard litany of the best-selling books and most popular movies... This year’s list includes comics, rock bands, Battlestar Galactica, “Hava Nagila” sung to the tune of “The Twist,” and “I Am the Walrus” translated into Aramaic.
Evangelicals Fire the Future: Rich Cizik’s Resignation
Robert P. Jones.
Dec 21, 2008
The former VP of the National Association of Evangelicals was forced to resign for his acceptance of gay civil unions; ironic, given the views of evangelicalism’s future leaders.
Death Penalty, Debated (Dedicated to the Memory of Sarah Horowitz)
Bill Berkowitz.
Dec 21, 2008
The tension between an anti-death penalty activist and her conservative father, author David Horowitz, echoes the nation’s tension.
Paul Weyrich, “Godfather” of Modern Conservative Movement, Dead at 66
Bill Berkowitz.
Dec 19, 2008
You may not know the name, but you know his work.
Op-Ed: “Religion As A Wedge”: The Rick Warren Debacle
Anthea Butler.
Dec 19, 2008
With the choice of Rev. Warren to make the inaugural invocation, the president elect has proven himself tone deaf to the nuances of American religious life.
Ten of Our Favorite Top Tens
The Editors.
Dec 19, 2008
Thou shalt not ignore the Top Ten list. We, the editors, rank the top of the tops, including The Onion’s list, comparisons between Religion and Dentistry, Reality TV’s Most Memorable Christians, Top Intellectuals, and many more. Six more to be precise.
Obama’s Divisive Choice of Rick Warren
Michelle Goldberg.
Dec 18, 2008
In his zeal to appeal to all, the president-elect chose a pastor to give the invocation at his inauguration who has compared gays to pedophiles and abortion to the Holocaust. Why did he do it?
Gimme That Old Spice Religion
Frederick Clarkson.
Dec 18, 2008
The winner of Old Spice’s “Art of Manliness” competition isn’t just any Conservative Christian—he’s a card-carrying member of the theocratic Christian Reconstructionist movement that encourages women to submit to their men and to abstain from voting. Does this war on “metrosexual pretty boys” mark the beginning of a political career for Matthew Chancey?
