(REVIEW) Are humans really all that different than primates? Harvard primatologist Christine Webb blends science, philosophy and legal developments to challenge humanity’s presumed supremacy over nature. Drawing on evolution, animal cognition research and Indigenous worldviews, she argues that consciousness extends beyond humans.

(REVIEW) Shahbaz Bhatti united religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan to bring about greater equality in the nation — until he was assassinated for his work. A new graphic novel about him is tragic and moving, but it also lacks narrative depth and character development.

(OPINION) I invite you to see biblical stories more metaphorically, mythically — guilt-free even. You may discover surprising, more expansive visions of how God works with humans — and through humans — to expand our understanding of our place in the world God is still creating.

(REVIEW) At a time when religious differences are frequently portrayed as sources of division, a new book — featuring a collection of pieces from various authors — provides a thoughtful and hopeful alternative grounded in education, justice and, more importantly, mutual respect.

(ANALYSIS) In 1526, books appeared in England that no one had seen before: printed New Testaments in the English language. The public snapped them up. For the first time, people read now-common phrases such as “the powers that be” and “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” But religious authorities condemned the English Bible and burned the copies they could find.

(ANALYSIS) Blaise Pascal, born in 1623, showed that being intelligent doesn’t solve the problem of being human. He was a great scientist and mathematician. Yet he knew neither discipline could explain purpose, meaning or death.

(ANALYSIS) Ten years after “Hillbilly Elegy” catapulted its author into public view, JD Vance is publishing a new memoir, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.” The vice president explains the book as a sort of self-help guide for the spiritually lost: “… by sharing my journey I might be helpful to others — Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise — who are seeking reconciliation with God.”

(ANALYSIS) G.K. Chesterton blended humor and philosophy; he turned belief into something wondrous, culturally alive, and fiercely imaginative. The man made God fun. That sounds like a modest achievement until you consider how desperately the task still needs doing, and how spectacularly everyone since has failed at it.

(REVIEW) How did Christianity shape North Korea? A new 745-page book argues the regime built by Kim Il Sung resembles a national religion that borrows some ideas from Christianity — complete with myths, rituals and a central, quasi-divine figure — rather than a typical authoritarian state.

(ANALYSIS) What most people get wrong about the great Dane is that they remember the existential dread and forget the destination.

(REVIEW) Nick is on an adventure to secure an original manuscript of the famous poem. Unfortunately, the film’s engagement with the “Divine Comedy’s” ideas and themes turns out to be depressingly trivial.

(ANALYSIS) I met Karolyn Grimes not long after moving back to Washington State in the summer of 2005. Grimes, best known for her portrayal of Zuzu (George Bailey’s daughter) in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” had just turned 65. I learned that she and her husband lived in Fall City.

“The Odyssey” reflects a distinctly Western “post-atheism” approach to religion. It is a faith-based film, but only using gods nobody believes in anymore. Because of that, these gods can be a metaphor for any divinely ordained pro-social tradition you happen to believe in.

Merit Street Media, the television venture founded by Dr. Phil McGraw and backed by Trinity Broadcasting Network, has been converted from Chapter 11 reorganization to Chapter 7 liquidation. An independent trustee now controls the estate as litigation between McGraw, TBN, and other creditors continues through the bankruptcy process.

(REVIEW) The faith-based film industry is shifting from family-friendly dramas toward male-focused, patriotic stories for conservative Christian audiences. “Young Washington” reflects that evolution with strong action, but ultimately weakens its emotional impact by oversimplifying George Washington’s ambition and spiritual transformation, limiting its cultural and thematic potential.

(ANALYSIS) In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, faith-based filmmakers have pushed out multiple patriotic and history-themed films. This summer has seen a mix of historical dramas, war epics and documentaries — all of which are widely available for Christians (and non-Christians) to watch this Fourth of July weekend.  

(REVIEW) To understand post-Christian Western culture, watch “Hazbin Hotel.” As America continues to secularize and divide along religious and political lines, our culture is rewriting how we think about human nature and redemption. With its second season, the series encapsulates our evolving post-Christian imagination — and the ways we’re worse off for it.

(REVIEW) “Just One More” has its heart in the right place. But it is held back by a preachy Christian filmmaking culture that leans on telling, not showing.

(REVIEW) Steven Spielberg’s latest film “Disclosure Day” asks how people of faith would deal with finding out aliens are real. Sadly, one gets the distinct impression that Spielberg didn’t talk to any religious people when deciding his answer. Spielberg is responsible for some of the most iconic movies about aliens and faith ever made.

(ANALYSIS) The Kane Parsons film “Backrooms” has captivated audiences since it hit theaters in May. The movie — a horror film about liminal spaces based on internet mythology — also taps into a series of religious ideas that have existed for centuries, particularly concepts such as purgatory, limbo and salvation.

(REVIEW) The Jewish Museum’s exhibition “Modernity and Opulence: Women of the Wiener Werkstätte” highlights the pivotal role Jewish women played in Vienna’s influential design collective. Featuring nearly 200 works, the show explores how artists and patrons transformed modern art, fashion and women’s professional opportunities in the early 20th century.

Cathedrals are now increasingly seen as multi-dimensional organizations: Community hubs, centers of civic life, cultural venues and as a center of spiritual life. Their role has become far wider than any church building. In 2025, approximately 10 million people entered English cathedrals — far in excess of the numbers visiting sporting events like Wembley Stadium.

A 70-year-old Christian artist is facing another day apart from his family and without necessary medical care after almost two years in a Chinese prison, his friends and advocates said. Gao Zhen, part of the famous artistic duo called the Gao brothers, was detained in mid-2024 for “slandering heroes and martyrs,” according to the International Federation for Human Rights.

Amid celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, bluegrass band Chosen Road released what they believe is one of the most unique recordings in the band’s 18-year history. The 13-song album American Morning dropped July 3, featuring more than 50 minutes of new music from the band.

The Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, proved to be just the first bloodletting in a renewed cycle of violence and recrimination. Israel responded with its destructive campaign in Gaza. Far from the theater of war, American Jews reckoned with renewed fears of antisemitism and fractures within their own communities and families.

Tourists used to just stop in Lima on their way to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. These days, it has become a destination with trendy restaurants and restored historic buildings that tell the story of “The City Of Kings.” Founded in 1535 by Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro, Lima was once the most important city in South America.

(REVIEW) More than 40 masterpieces in this major National Gallery retrospective reveal Francisco de Zurbarán’s extraordinary ability to make spiritual visions feel tangible. From haunting crucifixions and contemplative saints to luminous still lifes, the exhibition showcases the full range of Spain’s great master of religious painting.

While the rest of the world was in and out of lockdown during the not-so-roaring pandemic of the early 2020s, a small enclave in Beijing had folks sweating, holding strangers’ hands and dancing to jazz that crackled in the stagnant air of bars and basements like lightning.

(ANALYSIS) Once the cranes disappear, the basilica will cease from being an evolving construction project and instead become something more fixed — a monument subject to preservation battles, increased tourism pressures and the inevitable weight of history. Nonetheless, Pope Leo’s Spain trip, with a stop in Barcelona, represents the fulfillment of decades of hard work.

In the heart of Budapest lies a theater unlike any other. Founded 20 years ago, Gólem Theater stands as the only professional Jewish theater in Hungary. By blending humor with questions of identity, the theater seeks to engage audiences with a different side of Jewish culture.

Pastor Darryl Baker thought it might be best to cancel the outreach. Days before a scheduled sports camp in a Columbus neighborhood, a husband shot and stabbed multiple times his estranged wife and preteen stepdaughter, murdering them.

(ANALYSIS) Singapore’s national soccer team made it to the second round of qualifiers, but fell short of making it to the FIFA World Cup again this year. Nonetheless, the spirit of the game still very runs strong through the help of church congregations. Many parishes and congregations organize games and leagues open to their members, friends and the wider public.

Brazil’s World Cup elimination has fueled a national debate over whether the country’s rapid growth in evangelical Christianity has altered its soccer culture. While critics reject any link, the discussion reflects broader questions about Brazil’s changing identity, faith and the future of its once-dominant national team.

(ANALYSIS) When England walk onto the field to face Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals, thousands of St. George’s flags will wave inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Millions more will adorn pubs and homes across England. For many fans, the flag — which from the Late Middle Ages has been associated with Saint George — remains inseparable from soccer itself.

UFC star Conor McGregor says he is living a Christian life after embarking on a spiritual journey that has left him feeling “saved” and “healed.” McGregor has said his renewed faith has reignited his competitive drive and inspired him to leave a legacy others can learn from. McGregor, now 37, prepares to fight again with a renewed sense of himself.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that schools may separate athletic teams based on biological sex, upholding Idaho and West Virginia laws challenged under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. The decision drew praise from the ERLC, Alliance Defending Freedom and West Virginia Baptists supporting protections for women's sports.

The Texas Rangers’ recent “Faith and Family Day” was not the team’s first. But for multiple reasons, the latest one became a culture war flashpoint — stirring debate across the country and on social media, sparking comments by everyone from the governor of Texas to the Catholic bishop of Fort Worth. June is dedicated to LGBTQ Pride, and other sports teams often set aside a night to celebrate.

(ANALYSIS) Memorable goals are generally linked to the players who scored them. Few can be recalled without mention of the individual — or even the team — involved. Yet, two goals in one game 40 years ago have attained that status. One is known universally as the “Hand of God,” and the other is widely acknowledged as the “Goal of the Century.” Both were scored by Diego Maradona.

(OPINION) Like many guys my age, I credit my dad for a love of the game that punctuated my formative years and beyond. It is because of his influence that I have successfully passed on an appreciation for baseball to my adult children and my grandchildren. While I’m grateful for that success, what matters to me more is helping them catch my love for their Creator.

When the North American FIFA World Cup starts Thursday, the story will largely be told through the familiar lenses of Lionel Messi, the geography of the 48 participants and three hosts, and — because 75% of the games will be played there — the continuing rise of soccer in the United States. But there is another, less familiar story woven through the tournament: The long, strange and often overlooked history of Jews in North American soccer.

(ANALYSIS) This World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico — with its unprecedented global outreach — offers a unique opportunity to observe the values, beliefs and relationships that soccer players choose to display on their bodies. In some ways, tattoos can be seen as a small window into the players’ souls.

Argentine soccer icon Diego Maradona’s magic goal in the June 22, 1986, quarterfinal match against England in Mexico, which he attributed to the “Hand of God” as it was secured by his fist, has been the subject of intense debate whenever and wherever soccer fans are gathered.

Soccer’s global reach and emotional intensity have long invited comparisons to religion. Both scholars and fans testify that the analogy is more than just a metaphor. From local club loyalties to the sweeping unity of the World Cup, the game functions in ways that closely resemble systems of shared belief, ritual and identity.

Online sports gambling is sweeping the nation, luring Americans with promises of harmless fun, easy money, and community. And Christians are not immune — many have embraced it as morally acceptable. But as addiction rates climb, few ministries or churches appear to be stepping in to help.

The NBA playoffs are not usually the place where one finds Catholic nuns. But that’s exactly what happened after a group of Salesian Sisters from San Antonio were spotted courtside in Spurs jerseys. In an era when viral moments are often manufactured, the sisters’ online popularity has resonated because of its sincerity. Videos circulating across social media captured their enthusiasm.

With the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder fighting to return to the NBA Finals, one bold writer dug deep for an analogy: The Thunder, he wrote, is like the state of Israel — a former underdog now despised for its success. The Oklahoman, a daily newspaper, published the opinion column on its website Monday morning, hours before the Thunder began their semifinal series against the San Antonio Spurs. The story was accompanied by an image of a basketball with the Israeli flag on it.

Mid Vermont Christian School has reached a partial settlement in its legal battle against state athletic officials, securing over $500,000 in damages after being barred from competition over its stance on transgender athletes by the Vermont Principals Association. The Vermont Principals Association has agreed to pay the school to cover damages and legal fees.

Paulo Silas Pereira is preparing for the upcoming World Cup as a broadcaster. In doing so, his focus has shifted from goals and tactics to something far more personal: Telling the story of his life and Christian faith.

(REVIEW) “Hulk Hogan: Real American” succeeds not because it answers questions, but because it refuses to. It presents Hogan as a deeply contradictory figure: A man who inspired millions while struggling to live up to his own ideals, a public hero whose private life was often marked by pain and failure and a Christian who spent much of his life in and out of the ring.

A yarmulke-wearing basketball prospect who gained online fans with highlight-reel dunks announced his next major leap this week: He’ll try to be the first Orthodox player to play four years of Division I men’s college basketball.

The Dallas Cup, America’s oldest and best-known international youth soccer tournament, has been held each Easter week since 1980. And for 33 of those years, the DBA has hosted an outreach to minister to players and their families.

(ANALYSIS) What should have been a routine game for Spain’s national soccer team at home against Egypt on March 31 instead became a revealing and deeply uncomfortable moment — one that placed superstar striker Lamine Yamal at the center of a broader conversation about identity, faith and belonging.

Ed Modicue, a former Golden Gloves champion in Louisiana, now mentors boys through boxing, emphasizing discipline, self-control and healthy living. Grounded in his Christian faith, he teaches youth to value themselves and others. Through his gym and church involvement, Modicue inspires young people to grow physically, mentally and spiritually.

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary hosted a Sandlot Revival worship night on March 13, marking the tour’s first event outside Savannah. Led by Banana Ball players including Coach RAC, the gathering featured testimonies, worship music and a Gospel message, highlighting the movement’s growth from a team Bible study into a nationwide outreach effort.

(ANALYSIS) The execution of 19-year-old wrestler Saleh Mohammadi by Iran’s tyrannical regime is not just another macabre hanging in the theocracy’s escalating use of capital punishment, but a revealing incident in how the state confronts ongoing dissent.

(ANALYSIS) The NCAA men’s basketball tournament once again features a strong group of religiously affiliated schools, particularly those with Catholic and Protestant traditions. These programs bring a mix of championship expectations and underdog potential into this season’s March Madness. The action all starts with a glut of first round games.

Sports gambling doesn’t have a specific season, but certain times of the year are considered to be its Super Bowl or March Madness. Crowning the National Football League champion remains the biggest single-game bet among Americans. The next few weeks, however, bring a tsunami of gambling due not only to March Madness’ popularity, but also the sheer number of games on which to wager.

Upward Sports was founded in 1995 and, according to the organization, has grown to become the world’s largest Christian youth sports ministry. Local churches provide more than 1,500 Upward Sports experiences that include a myriad of activities such as basketball, soccer, cheer, volleyball, flag football, baseball, softball and pickleball.

(ESSAY) Lou Holtz’s story was about more than football. The sideline antics, his gravelly voice and the championships made him one of the most recognizable men in college football. To measure Holtz only by wins and trophies would miss the deeper truth about him. His life was built on something stronger — a Catholic faith that shaped nearly every decision he made.

(ANALYSIS) Before the start of the Winter Paralympics, a 70-member choir from Abbiategrasso performed in Milan, promoting inclusion of people with disabilities. Backed by the archdiocese’s outreach, the concert highlighted unity over segregation, echoing Paralympic values and urging communities to “change the game” so everyone can participate.