religion and television
To quell racism, tell more stories that welcome the stranger
By Joshua Seftel and Simran Jeet Singh — June 22, 2023
(RNS) — Next time you're channel surfing, stop to consider whether the stories about religion you see are doorways or weapons.
In ‘Ms. Marvel’, Muslim fans see a reflection of their lives
By Deepa Bharath and Mariam Fam — July 12, 2022
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The show touches on issues from surveilling mosques to what wearing head scarves means for some.
7 Muslim-positive TV shows to stream right now
By RNS staff — February 8, 2021
(RNS) — Muslims — and those interested in the Muslim experience — can stream without eye rolls.
Hollywood loves the Mormon afterlife
By Jana Riess — December 31, 2020
Stories like 'Soul,' 'Coco' and 'The Good Place' depict core Mormon ideas that are alive in the popular imagination about the afterlife—and the “before life.”
Millennial morality lends ‘The Good Place’ its theology — and popularity
By Tara Isabella Burton — October 2, 2019
(RNS) — Eleanor and her fellow millennials on CBS' afterlife sitcom would rather change the rules for getting into heaven than submit to traditions that don't fit their best selves.
A TV God for the age of anxiety
By Cathleen Falsani — November 2, 2018
(RNS) — The surprise success of the CBS show 'God Friended Me' has some media watchers wondering whether the small screen is on the cusp of a religion renaissance.
CBS hopes viewers will want to watch, if not live, ‘Biblically’
By Kimberly Winston — February 28, 2018
(RNS) — The network enlisted the aid of actual clergy to make 'Living Biblically' more realistic and, hopefully, more funny.
Bigger mysteries, fewer answers in ‘The Leftovers’ finale
By Kimberly Winston — June 4, 2017
(RNS) Was the "Sudden Departure" an act of God? Is there a God? If there is, why does he let bad things happen to people in the series? These, and other theological "big ones," formed the heart of the HBO series, but went unresolved.
‘Game of Thrones’ returns, and so do its religions
By Kimberly Winston — April 22, 2016
(RNS) Considering where some of "Game of Thrones" stories left off, religion may come further to the fore in the new season, which starts Sunday (April 24).
Long road for Reza Aslan’s ‘Of Kings and Prophets’ from Bible to TV
By Kimberly Winston — March 15, 2016
(RNS) It's time Hollywood treated Bible believers like adults, Aslan says.
‘Of Kings and Prophets’ like ‘Game of Thrones’ minus the dragons
By Kimberly Winston — March 4, 2016
(RNS) This ain’t no Sunday school Bible filmstrip, and that's the point, say creators of the series, which portrays events from the biblical book of 1 Samuel.
Oprah’s ‘Belief’ series, a seven-day exploration of faith
By Adelle M. Banks — October 14, 2015
(RNS) The new series follows the trajectory of Winfrey’s career -- encouraging people to explore their own faith journeys.
‘The Jim Gaffigan Show’ mixes comic’s humor and religion
By Kimberly Winston — June 11, 2015
(RNS) Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan, two lifelong Catholics behind "The Jim Gaffigan Show," say their faith is such a part of their lives that not including it in the show would be dishonest.
Pope Francis hasn’t watched TV since 1990. Here are some key moments he missed
By Kimberly Winston — May 27, 2015
(RNS) Here are seven television shows the pope might want to catch up on before his September U.S. trip.
The ‘Splainer: Don Draper’s good vibration
By Kimberly Winston — May 18, 2015
(RNS) Was the finale of AMC's "Mad Men" really a lesson of American religious history in disguise? Let us 'splain.
Page 1 of 2