Cynthia Weems: Disappointment in March Madness and church
Maybe we get so disgusted with our sports heroes because they are just like us -- unable to live up to expectations.
Society
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How Americans view God
Americans have vastly different conceptions of the role that God plays in their lives, Baylor University sociologists Paul Froese and Christopher Bader write in their book “America’s Four Gods.” But there is a powerful force for civility at the core of nearly all Americans’ faith life: love.
Religious freedom in America
Americans prize religious freedom for their own beliefs but are less protective of the religious liberties of other groups. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of national attitudes and beliefs relating to the free exercise of religion.
Jessica Bratt: Beyond civility
I am disheartened by the vitriol in current social and political discourse. But let’s not pretend that civility will fix it.
Mark Ralls: Tucson as privation of the good
Christians surrender the vocabulary of evil at our peril.
Robert D. Putnam: America's grace
In his classic book, “Bowling Alone,” Robert D. Putnam chronicled the decline of social capital in the U.S. In his new book, “American Grace,” he examines religious institutions and Americans’ tolerance for religious diversity.
Anthony B. Robinson: The ‘Ain’t It Awful Club'
It’s satisfying to kvetch. It’s wiser to mourn and pitch back in.
Politics in the pulpit
Clergy are becoming more politically active, despite evidence that congregations prefer their pastors to steer clear of activism. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of the gap between clergy and laity on politics.
Andy Crouch: Love and the risk of innovation
Real innovation requires risk, which requires trust, says journalist and author Andy Crouch. And trust, he adds, doesn’t happen without love.