A new hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette celebrates the variety of spiritual gifts [more]

The most frequent churchgoers have been voting Republican in recent presidential contests. However, the statistical picture of religious voters is as complex as America's spiritual landscape. [more]

As the Mars rover explores the red planet, theologian Kevin A. Lewis, on Earth in California, doesn't expect the machine to have a close encounter with an extraterrestrial. But if it does, he has a ready perspective. Lewis, who studies non-traditional religions, believes E.T. would just as likely be a creation of God as are humans. [more]

In the Hebrew Scriptures praise is a central reality of life, perhaps the central organizing principle. Even death is largely only seen as evil because our ancestors believed that it silenced the praise. Well, I don't know about you, but it is not hard for me to see that, praise is not often the central organizing principle of my life. Is it yours? [more]

The religion of Americans today is not the religion of their grandparents," says Alan Wolf in "The Transformation of American Religion." "We Americans live in a very dynamic society, an innovative society, a society that's always going through change." When religion and culture come into conflict, Professor Wolfe says, culture wins. [more]

My name is Miriam. Come back in time with me to Egypt in the days of the Pharaohs. I was born and raised in Egypt, near a city called "On" which was located on the banks of the great Nile River. Now you may wonder what an Israelite family such as our own was doing in Egypt [more]

"Younger Christians are going through an identity crisis. We know pretty well what we don't want to be, yet we have no idea what we want to be." [more]

Parker T. Williamson, editor-in-chief of "the Layman", said he's sure of one thing: he feels called by God to do the work he does, and he'll keep doing it no matter what Western North Carolina Presbytery decides. [more]

After six and a half years of cyclical debate and revision, a controversial PC(USA) policy paper on the ever-changing American family is nearing completion. [more]

Fixing a broken congregation takes patience, energy and tools [more]

Let's pause, pray, and resolve to spread care and kindness more intentionally every day, everywhere, toward everyone, in Jesus' name. [more]

Why would thousands of Europeans travel to this tiny village in southern France and camp out for a week to sing monotonous songs with Catholic monks? The answer is deep within us all. [more]

I ask policymakers in Washington not to forget the little girl in the famous photograph running down a road to escape napalm fire in Vietnam.I am that girl, and my life changed forever that day. [more]

Your toddler is having her second tantrum of the day while your four-year-old is racing around the house yelling. At times like this, remember who your children really are - spiritual beings who need your love as much as they need oxygen. [more]

Colombian churchman fights to live well despite death threats [more]

I have flown almost everywhere I have traveled this year. Taking to the air has taught me some important lessons about life [more]

Representatives from more than 100 North American church and grassroots organizations met here Jan. 11-14 January for a consultation entitled "Just trade agreements? Churches in North America discuss globalization." [more]

On Monday, the United States will celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. with a federal holiday... King became a vocal critic of US foreign policy, denouncing America's "giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism," and calling the US "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." What, then, would King make of our current war on terrorism? [more]

President Bush announced last week a dramatic expansion of his "faith-based initiatives" plan. These initiatives, which have been the centerpiece of Mr. Bush's domestic social agenda, are aimed at channeling tax dollars to faith groups who provide certain social services. Speaking from the pulpit of the Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in New Orleans, the president tried to create a link between his initiatives idea and the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. The president said, "Dr. King understood that faith is a power greater than all others." [more]

As the nation celebrates the life and work of the Reverend Martin Luther King, his widow describes how prayer galvanized her husband as he fought for civil rights--and its importance as a continuing spiritual lifeline for African Americans. [more]

Of all of Martin Luther King Jr.'s activism experiences, one of the lesser known remains one of the more compelling. [more]

After years of living under the most abject conditions in Africa, a Somali Bantu family embraces air conditioning, fast food and freedom in Phoenix, Arizona(Thanks to Harold Glad for pointing the Session to this article) [more]

More and more churches are asking how to include children in worship while maintaining a worship experience that's meaningful for adults. And they're answering it in a variety of ways: some invite children to actively participate, some provide distractions, some dismiss them during the sermon, some provide written material and some interpret the service in more engaging, artful ways. [more]

The single greatest worship experience he ever had, Gordon MacDonald says, occurred after the benediction had been pronounced and people were actually leaving the building. [more]

Scientists and creationists square off over the age of the Grand Canyon [more]

Alleviation of hunger, environmental concerns and economic justice issues will be added to the mix of issues to be explored at this year's erstwhile Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference. [more]

With Chinese Christians grappling with a clergy shortage, the Presbyterian Church (USA) is helping prepare future teachers of ministers in China. [more]

Witherspoon Issues Analyst Gene TeSelle looks at the ways the Anglican churches are trying to deal with the tensions arising from the confirmation of the Rev. Gene Robinson as their first openly gay bishop. Some of their conservatives are exploring possibilities of affiliating with more conservative Anglican churches outside the United States, and this leads to reflections on the possibility of "non-geographical presbyteries" as one way of accommodating conservative congregations in the PC(USA). [more]

So you thought that only those mega-churches were growing? Or that the religious right was predominant? Or that people were falling away from Christianity by the millions? Think again. Recent studies reveal that Christianity is growing rapidly in the US, and some of the most rapidly growing denominations are the most liberal. [more]

"The polices of the Bush administration are not helping in terms of human rights, and we want to support other ways to bring about peace," the Rev. Susan Andrews told a receptive group of reporters during a visit to Colombia. She wants more aid for development and less for the military. [more]

Heading into a presidential election year, the Republican Party faithful are already rolling up their sleeves -- and passing the collection plate. In church social halls, they are raising money for voter registration, "issue" advertising and "Christian scorecards," which rate candidates on their positions on key cultural issues such as abortion and homosexuality.By contrast, there is little activity at the other end of the ideological spectrum. Left-wing religious efforts at political mobilization -- where they exist - seem puny, aged and marginalized. [more]