Jonathan Merritt
Jonathan Merritt is senior columnist for Religion News Service and a contributing writer for The Atlantic. He has published more than 2500 articles in outlets like USA Today, The Week, Buzzfeed and National Journal. Jonathan is author of "Jesus is Better Than You Imagined" and "A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars." He resides in Brooklyn, NY.
All Stories by Jonathan Merritt
What Jesus’ encounters with women teach us about God, life, and gender
By Jonathan Merritt — March 24, 2015
"Jesus absolutely treated women differently than the prevailing religious authorities of his time," author Mary Demuth says.
Why a Muslim actor plays Jesus in Bill O’Reilly’s ‘Killing Jesus’ TV special
By Jonathan Merritt — March 23, 2015
Ridley Scott said he couldn't make a film starring "Mohammad so-and-so from such-and-such." But when his adaptation of "Killing Jesus" debuts this week, a Lebanese-born Muslim will star as Jesus.
Predictions of evangelical concessions on LGBT rights are premature (COMMENTARY)
By Jonathan Merritt — March 19, 2015
(RNS) If you follow the headlines, it feels like an invisible finger has flicked the first domino in a long row of tiles. But don’t be fooled.
This author says you may be a “poser” Christian and not even know it
By Jonathan Merritt — March 19, 2015
Blogger Jarrid Wilson's new book doesn't pull any punches in its criticism of mainstream Christianity. He claims many Jesus-followers merely have a religious outer shell.
Evangelicals are shifting on same-sex marriage, but it’s no avalanche
By Jonathan Merritt — March 18, 2015
To hear some commentators talk, debates on LGBT issues are over and conservatives have lost. But such predictions are premature.
A case for church from a self-described “commitment phobe”
By Jonathan Merritt — March 16, 2015
Erin Lane is stuck in a lover's quarrel with the church, but she hopes to inspire other Millennials to keep searching for a place to belong.
Q&A: Rachel Held Evans on the ills of American Christianity, and leaving evangelicalism
By Jonathan Merritt — March 10, 2015
(RNS) "If you try to woo us back with skinny jeans and coffee shops, it may actually backfire. Millennials have finely tuned B.S. meters that can detect when someone's just trying to sell us something."
Rachel Held Evans defends exit from evangelicalism, calls Christians to celebrate sacraments
By Jonathan Merritt — March 9, 2015
The wildly popular Christian writer offers an exclusive sneak peek into her new book and its pointed message.
White Christians now a minority in 19 states
By Jonathan Merritt — March 5, 2015
(RNS) You might be surprised to learn that Texas and Georgia are not mostly white Christian.
White Christians are now a minority in these 19 states
By Jonathan Merritt — March 3, 2015
The notion of America as a mostly white, mostly Christian country is rapidly becoming a fact for the history books.
5 things missing from Southern Baptist leaders’ letter on ISIS to Obama
By Jonathan Merritt — March 2, 2015
Seventeen presidents of America's largest Protestant denomination call on Obama to put an end to ISIS. But their public letter lacked five critical components.
Why technology didn’t (and won’t) destroy the church
By Jonathan Merritt — February 27, 2015
Former Newsweek religion editor Lisa Miller once warned that advances in technology could demolish the Christian Church. But new data indicates that technology has become an empowerment tool for both pastors and parishioners.
How to access the spiritual power of poetry–even if you “just don’t get it”
By Jonathan Merritt — February 26, 2015
New York Times columnist David Brooks called Christian Wiman's "My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer" the "best modern book on belief." Here Wiman shares how people of faith can begin accessing the spiritual power of poetry even if, at first, they "just don't get it."
Following Jesus sometimes feels awkward, but should it be?
By Jonathan Merritt — February 24, 2015
Following Jesus in a secular or pluralistic context can feel a little bit like getting stuck in adolescence. But author Ken Wytsma says this weirdness is actually quite normal.
This filmmaker set out to win Sundance and got ‘saved’ instead
By Jonathan Merritt — February 20, 2015
"When I started, I was using these people in Korea to fulfill my aspirations to go to Sundance, but I found something much great" says Brian Ivie, director of "The DropBox." His critically-acclaimed movie has made him a major player in a burgeoning faith film industry.
