Category: Religion Trends

According to a recent Pew Research Center report on Global Christianity, 305 million Christians worldwide follow the charismatic movement.

“One of the reasons the charismatic movement is expanding … apart from salvation, we experience healing, miracles. The blind see, the lame get up and walk, and the deaf can hear. That attracts a lot of people,” says on pastor.

Religion may not only save your soul, according to a new book, but could also have a real impact on your financial well-being.

Access to education, higher paying jobs and marital status all make a difference, and vary tremendously across faith groups.

A Pew Research Center survey suggests evangelicals prefer the government spend on schools, the military, and police.

Growing churches continue to grow and declining churches continue to decline, according to the National Council of Ch urches’ 2011 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches.

“The direction of membership (growth or decline) remains very stable,” writes the Yearbook’s editor, the Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner, in the newest edition released this week. “That is, churches which have been increasing in membership in recent years continue to grow and likewise, those churches which have been declining in recent years continue to decline.”

Christians are less devout than followers of other religions in Britain, according to new research.

Lens, the photography blog of The New York Times, has an interview with Eirini Vourloumis, a freelance photographer who has recently focused on Islamic communities in the United States.

Q: What did you learn as you explored Islam?

A: There is a strong sense of community among Muslims in America and a common responsibility to educate non-Muslims on their religion, mainly focusing on breaking the negative stereotypes. Converts are attracted to this sense of unity and are drawn to the supportive framework.

Q: Why Latino Muslims? Why do you think so many are converting?

A: Many describe disillusionment with the practices of Catholicism and the church establishment. These Latinos are lured by Islam’s simplicity and the Muslim’s independence from a mediating clergy in his or her relationship with God. Converts are seeking a different identity. Islam provides a moral code of conduct in everyday life, providing them with a more regimented and disciplined lifestyle.

See Also: • More Latino women converting to Islam • From Mexico to Mecca • To be young, Hispanic and Muslim • Some Hispanics are ‘reverting’ to Muslim faith • Older generations mourn as young Hispanics turn away from the Catholic Church

A growing number of Protestant congregations have seen their Sunday collections drop this year, according to a survey by LifeWay Research on the economic health of churches. Pastors blame high unemployment and a drop-off in giving by members.

To make ends meet, churches have laid off staff and frozen salaries, put off major capital projects and cut back on programs.

At the same time, more of their congregation members and neighbors are asking for help with basic needs like paying the rent and buying groceries, the study found.