God

The Rev. Lenny Duncan, here in May 2019, at the Metropolitan New York Synod Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Jesus Was Divisive: A Black Pastor's Message To White Christians

3:08pm June 12, 2020

by Isabella Rosario

Nationwide protests are forcing many Americans to think about race in new ways. A black pastor in one of Christianity's whitest denominations is asking his congregants to take an especially hard look.

An illustration of a church vanishing as people walk by.

'Things Will Never Be The Same.' How The Pandemic Has Changed Worship

9:21am May 20, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

The closure of churches due to the coronavirus could have long-lasting effects on congregations. Some people say they have become more connected with their faith, while others may be drifting away.

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Muslim women praying together in the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Religion

Creating God

9:00pm July 16, 2018

The world is full of complex religious beliefs. This week, we'll explore how religions have evolved, almost like living organisms, to help human societies survive and flourish.

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Interior of St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic.

Can Celebrity Scientists Change The Way People Think About Science And Religion?

11:44am December 04, 2017

by Tania Lombrozo

Do people like Richard Dawkins and Francis Collins impact public opinion on how science and religion relate? Tania Lombrozo considers a study on the influence of big-name scientists on the debate.

Screen shot from The Sign, a documentary in which biblical literalists claim the end is coming on Sept. 23 with a specific planetary alignment.

Is The Apocalypse Coming? No, It Isn't!

2:24pm September 13, 2017

by Marcelo Gleiser

Biblical literalists affirm in The Sign that Sept. 23 is the day the end comes as prophesied in Revelation. Fortunately, the film doesn't only present this version of the story, says Marcelo Gleiser.

What Does Trump's Promise Of A Nation 'Under One God' Really Mean?

2:57pm September 18, 2016

by Sarah McCammon

Trump is promising if he's elected, America will be "one people, under one God, saluting one flag." That worries some advocates for religious freedom.

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How 'One Nation' Didn't Become 'Under God' Until The '50s Religious Revival

5:27pm March 30, 2015

Kevin Kruse's book looks at how industrialists in the '30s and '40s recruited clergy to preach free enterprise. And under the Eisenhower administration, Christianity and capitalism moved center stage.

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World News

'Do Not Fear For Me': Remembering Kayla Mueller With Her Own Words

10:15am February 14, 2015

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon remembers Kayla Mueller by reading from a letter she sent her family in the spring of 2014. She died while being held captive by the group that calls itself the Islamic State.

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Pope Francis inaugurates a bronze statue of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo.

Religion

Pope Says God Not 'A Magician, With A Magic Wand'

12:45pm October 28, 2014

by Scott Neuman

Speaking at an assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Francis also affirmed that evolution and the Big Bang are consistent with a creator.