Christians a minority in England; non-religious grow – census
London, UKAP Fewer than half the people in England and Wales consider themselves Christian, according to the most recent census – the first time a minority of the population has followed the country’s official religion. Britain has become less religious – and less white – in the decade since the last census, figures from the 2021 census […]
Essay: Pilgrims, not patriots
In an essay adapted from his book, ‘The First Thanksgiving’, history professor TRACY MCKENZIE writes that the Pilgrims thought of themselves as temporary travellers in a world that was not their home – much less a nation…
Religious Americans less worried about climate change – poll
New York, USAP Most adults in the United States – including a large majority of Christians and people who identify with other religions – consider the Earth sacred and believe God gave humans a duty to care for it. But highly religious Americans – those who pray daily, regularly attend religious services and consider religion […]
In the US, religious groups with immigrant members grew fastest over past decade
United StatesRNS A decennial study of US religious life shows what many demographers and others have long known: Participation in congregational services has not kept up with overall population growth. However, religious groups drawing large numbers of immigrants have seen steady growth. The US Religion Census, conducted every 10 years by the Association of Statisticians of American […]
Religion and spirituality can aid youth mental health crisis – US study
United StatesRNS Born into a tech-saturated world shaken by domestic terrorism, ecological devastation and economic instability, Gen-Zers are more likely to report mental health concerns like anxiety and depression than older generations. In many ways, the pandemic has forced mental health discourse into the limelight, prompting the US surgeon general to issue an advisory last December on COVID-19’s “devastating” […]
Confederate memorials still divide Americans and religion is a big predictor – survey
United StatesRNS “The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” William Faulkner once famously quipped. The Mississippi writer had it right – at least when it comes to the Civil War, anyway. A war that split America as it was fought continues to do so in its memory. An 2020 image of the late […]
Essay: How populist politicians in Brazil use religion to help them win
In an article first published on The Conversation, MATHEW GUEST, a professor in the sociology of religion at Durham University in the UK, looks at how 21st century populist leaders are using religion to enthuse their support base…
Hate crimes surge in Canada during pandemic
Toronto, CanadaReuters Canada has experienced a sharp rise in hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data released this week by Statistic Canada. Canada, which prides itself as a diverse and welcoming country for immigrants and refugees, has witnessed a 72 per cent jump in […]
Essay: How ethnic and religious divides in Afghanistan are contributing to violence against minorities
In an article published on The Conversation, ABDULKADER SINNO, associate professor at Indiana University, says ethnicity and religion are key to understanding the politics and conflicts of today’s Afghanistan…
Social hostility to religion declines, but government restrictions rise – study
RNS A global analysis of government restrictions toward religion finds that the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions rose slightly in 2019. The analysis from the Pew Research Center, which included 198 countries, also found that social hostility toward religion declined in 2019, the last year for which data is available. […]