America’s ‘Angriest’ Theologian Faces Lynching Tree

"Cone, who once called himself 'the angriest theologian in America,' is still angry. His book is not just a memoir of growing up in the Jim Crow era; it’s a blistering takedown of white churches, and one of America’s greatest theologians, Reinhold Niebuhr - a colossal figure often cited by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr."

Gallup: The Most and Least Religious States

"Mississippi is the most religious U.S. state, and is one of eight states where Gallup classifies at least half of the residents as 'very religious.' At the other end of the spectrum, Vermont and New Hampshire are the least religious states . . ."

The New Christian Abolition Movement

"Motivated in large part by their religious traditions of protecting the vulnerable and serving 'the least of these,' as Jesus instructed his followers to do in the Gospel of Matthew, World Relief and other Christian agencies like the Salvation Army are stepping up efforts and working with law enforcement to stem the flow of human trafficking, which includes sex trafficking and labor trafficking."

Churches Go Less Formal to Make People Comfortable

"Comfortable is a theme that's becoming common among churches taking advantage of new, non-traditional spaces. Across the country, churches are springing up in unexpected locations — movie theaters, skating rinks, strip malls and old warehouses, among others — in an effort to welcome people who may not feel comfortable in more traditional settings."

Images of Jesus Christ and Other Religious Figures Seen in Everyday Objects

Interesting slideshow of images--it speaks to contemporary popular culture and also contemporary religious psychology.

Study Links Religious Services to Optimism

"Regular attendance at religious services is associated with a more optimistic outlook and a lesser inclination to be depressed, compared to those who do not attend services at all, a study concluded on Thursday."

Poll on Global Citizenship Released

"The survey looks at American attitudes toward global citizenship." This is to be the "first of a series of surveys on contemporary issues surrounding media consumption, changing culture and our faith."

More Americans Tailoring Religion to Fit Their Needs

"Barna's new book on U.S. Christians, Futurecast, tracks changes from 1991 to 2011, in annual national surveys of 1,000 to 1,600 U.S. adults. All the major trend lines of religious belief and behavior he measured ran downward — except two. More people claim they have accepted Jesus as their savior and expect to go to heaven."

Deep Divisions in Americans' Views on Race, Faith

"The survey of nearly 2,500 Americans by a pair of Washington think tanks found sharp divisions on a host of issues, ranging from immigration policy to attitudes toward followers of other religious faiths."

What's Fueling Bible Belt Divorces?

"Southern men and women had higher rates of divorce in 2009 than their counterparts in other parts of the country: 10.2 per 1,000 for men and 11.1 per 1,000 for women, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau released Thursday."

Less Educated, Less Attending Services

"Less-educated white Americans are dropping out of the religious sector, similarly to the way they left the labor market, a U.S. researcher says a study shows."

Southern Baptists Adopt Plan to Appeal to Minorities

"With the election of a black pastor to a senior position this week and a new action plan to increase ethnic diversity in its leadership, the Southern Baptist Convention has taken its most concrete steps yet to overcome a history of racial exclusion and to broaden its appeal in a changing American population."

U.S. Muslims Double by 2030

"In the United States, the number of Muslims is expected to increase from 2.6 million in 2010 to 6.2 million by 2030, in large part because of immigration and higher-than-average fertility among Muslims."

Religious Belief is Human Nature, Huge New Study Claims

"Religion comes naturally, even instinctively, to human beings, a massive new study of cultures all around the world suggests."

A Manager, a Minister, and the Faith that Changed Baseball

"Sometimes, matters of faith have a quiet yet powerful way of influencing history."

Higher Life Expectancy Means Lower Church Attendance

"As life expectancy increases, churches should expect to see more gray hair and fewer young people in the pews. That's the result of a new analysis of people's religious decisions."

Religion May Become Extinct in Nine Nations, Study Says

"A study using census data from nine countries shows that religion there is set for extinction, say researchers."

World Muslim Population Doubling, Report Projects

"Twenty years ago, the world had about 1.1 billion Muslims. Twenty years from now, it will have about twice as many - and they'll represent more than a quarter of all people on earth, according to a new study released Thursday."

Predisposition for Religion Can Spread Quickly

"Religiously observant people have more children than other people do, according to demographic studies. Assuming there's a genetic predisposition for religion, this means the religion gene could spread relatively quickly throughout a population. Research using new mathematical models demonstrates just how quickly this could happen."

Why Religion Breeds Happiness: Friends

"As important as your religious beliefs may be to you, they don't necessarily make you happier, a new study in the American Sociological Review finds. What does make you more satisfied with your life, the study finds, is having friends at your congregation and a strong religious identity."