Science & Tech
How 5G caused a feud between a small Christian school and T-Mobile
By Bob Smietana — April 13, 2022
(RNS) — A fight over an FCC license has put a small Christian school at odds with a cellphone giant.
Evangelical scientist Katharine Hayhoe finds hope in United Nations’ climate report
By Emily McFarlan Miller — March 14, 2022
CHICAGO (RNS) — 'That's how the world changes: When individuals have the courage of their convictions and use their voices to call for change,' the climate scientist told Religion News Service.
Graduate Theological Union’s GTUx is launched to spiritually equip ‘nones,’ activists
By Kathryn Post — March 11, 2022
(RNS) — Their new online learning hub for interreligious activism aims to reach new audiences.
How Silicon Valley’s ‘Techtopia’ turned work into religion
By Yonat Shimron — March 8, 2022
(RNS) — In her new book, 'Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley,' Carolyn Chen examines how high-skilled workers have disinvested from organized religion and are instead finding belonging, identity, purpose and transcendence at the office.
Why are people calling Bitcoin a religion?
By Joseph P. Laycock — February 7, 2022
(The Conversation) — With mantras, a mysterious founder and promises of societal salvation, there are echoes of religious traditions in the cryptocurrency.
Faith in the metaverse: A VR quest for community, fellowship
By Luis Andres Henao — January 31, 2022
(AP) — Many Americans — some traditionally religious, some religiously unaffiliated — are increasingly communing spiritually through virtual reality, one of the many evolving spaces in the metaverse that have grown in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic.
List highlights the growing number of Muslim startup companies in America
By Joseph Hammond — January 31, 2022
(RNS) — The list, put together by the Center for Global Muslim Life, highlights Muslim-founded or Muslim-focused startups. This year, a plurality is based in the US, while many more target Muslims in America.
Activists urge Tesla to close new Xinjiang showroom
By Associated Press — January 4, 2022
BEIJING (AP) — American activists are appealing to Tesla Inc. to close a new showroom in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, where officials are accused of abuses against mostly Muslim ethnic minorities. Tesla on Friday announced the opening of its showroom in Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital, and said on its Chinese social media account, “Let’s […]
10 up-and-coming faith influencers we wrote about (or published) in 2021
By Paul O'Donnell — December 30, 2021
(RNS) — 2021’s rising stars in religion were those speaking as much to social concerns as spiritual ones.
Instagram ‘smash and grab’ impostors peddle fake psychic and tarot readings
By Heather Greene — December 20, 2021
(RNS) — Metaphysical practitioners are becoming increasingly frustrated with social media outlets as impersonators thrive off their accounts.
Michael Bublé, Kris Jenner part of $40M investment in Christian meditation app Glorify
By Jessica Mundie — December 2, 2021
(RNS) — An app designed to bring users closer to God has received $40 million of Series A funding supported by a number of prominent celebrity investors.
Indigenous video game streamers advocate for representation and education
By Jessica Mundie — November 30, 2021
(RNS) — On video game streaming platforms, Indigenous gamers are sharing their unique cultures and spirituality with the intent to educate and empower other content creators.
Faith groups increasingly join fight against climate change
By Luis Andres Henao and Jessie Wardarski — November 2, 2021
POINTE-AUX-CHENES, Louisiana (AP) — On a boat ride along a bayou that shares the name of his Native American tribe, Donald Dardar points to a cross marking his ancestors’ south Louisiana burial ground — a place he fears will disappear. He points to the partly submerged stumps of oak trees killed by salt water on […]
Digitizing sacred spaces: How COVID-19 fueled innovation of Hindu ritual websites
By Dheepa Sundaram — October 28, 2021
(RNS) — The pandemic has led to a boom in innovative digital ritual applications.
Zimbabwean nonprofit promotes ‘God’s way’ of farming
By Kathryn Post — October 27, 2021
(RNS) — Foundations for Farming has helped Zimbabwe experience its first food surplus in two decades.