history
Why Hagia Sophia remains a potent symbol of spiritual and political authority
By Anna Bigelow — July 24, 2020
(RNS) — The Hagia Sophia has shifted identity with every change in power and will likely continue to do so.
What Cotton Mather would tell the ‘Jesus is my vaccine’ crowd
By Peter Manseau — April 30, 2020
(RNS) — When smallpox hit Massachusetts, the Puritan clergyman began to rethink his theology of catastrophe, even when doing so meant breaking ranks with his country’s religious elite.
On Israel-Palestinian conflict, Mike Huckabee tells a partial story
By Jonathan Merritt — December 8, 2015
This long-standing conflict has created many tragedies, and someone running for president should recognize all of them.
Brothers and sisters, you are not professional journalists
By Jonathan Merritt — July 28, 2015
When Christians speak ignorantly about journalism, they compromise their credibility on more important matters.
After gay marriage, expect conservative amnesia
By Jonathan Merritt — July 2, 2015
Often the losers knit together a version of past events that disposes of the more damning details and casts their side in a more favorable light. But when it comes to history, forgetting the facts is a most dangerous delusion.
Are Christians dead wrong about the execution of Jesus Christ?
By Jonathan Merritt — April 29, 2015
"Jesus did not teach that God’s wrath burns against us but that God loves us," says theologian Tony Jones. He argues that the traditional Christian view of atonement was largely a medieval invention.
How to read the Bible: An interview with legendary theologian Harvey Cox
By Jonathan Merritt — April 14, 2015
The longtime Harvard Divinity School professor says, "There is no single 'correct' way to read the Bible." But, he argues, some ways are more helpful than others.
How Frank Bruni misunderstands Christians—and why it matters
By Jonathan Merritt — April 6, 2015
The New York Times columnist argues church leaders should be “made” to abandon their views on same-sex relationships. If liberals want to energize their opposition, this is exactly the kind of thing that will do it.
‘Christian America’: Corporate invention or founding fathers’ vision?
By Jonathan Merritt — April 3, 2015
A Princeton historian says the idea that America is a "Christian nation" is a modern invention fueled by corporations, clergy, and politicians.
God as a wild dog…and the Bible’s other surprising divine metaphors
By Jonathan Merritt — March 25, 2015
Bestselling author Lauren Winner explores provocative and often overlooked metaphors for God, such as a laboring woman and the "one who smells."
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.
Which U.S. Presidents were the most religious?
By Jonathan Merritt — February 16, 2015
Almost all U.S. commander-in-chiefs have been Protestant Christians and only three were religiously unaffiliated. Who were the most fervent in their faith?
Obama was right: It’s time for Christians to reflect
By Jonathan Merritt — February 12, 2015
The president's comments at the National Prayer Breakfast infuriated some conservative Christians, but most of their denunciations ignore or even twist the facts. When our anger burns against others we should pause to reflect on our own evil impulses and behaviors.
Seeing the Gospels through a Jewish lens: An interview with Amy-Jill Levine
By Jonathan Merritt — January 2, 2015
A historian at Vanderbilt University says modern Christians may be missing the point of some of Jesus' most popular parables.
How Christians forgot Jesus’ Jewishness, and why they should recover it
By Jonathan Merritt — December 29, 2014
Jesus was not the first Christian; he was a faithful practicing Jewish person. According to one Catholic historian, forgetting this fact has severe consequences.
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