In 2024, Lifeway Research estimates 3,800 new Protestant churches were started in the U.S., while 4,000 churches were closed. This is based on analysis of congregational information provided by 35 denominations or faith groups, representing 58% of all Protestant churches. (Earls, Lifeway Research)
Read MoreSales of the Good Book have doubled in five years. Is it an aesthetic statement; a smokescreen co-opted by the far right under the guise of religious nationalism; or a sign that young people are searching harder than ever for meaning in a chaotic world? (Coffey, The Independent)
Read MoreBlack Americans are more likely to consider people not related to them by blood or marriage part of their families, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center. Religious affiliation, Pew found, is a key factor in forming these alternative family networks. (Murphy, Religion News Service)
Read MoreSchools across the United States are hustling to introduce a new subject: A.I. literacy. In what some educators are calling a “driver’s license” for A.I., the new lessons aim to teach students how to examine the latest tech tools and use them responsibly. (Singer, The New York Times)
Read MoreAmerica has officially been in existence for nearly 250 years. Motion pictures have been around for less than half of that, but few inventions have been as effective at telling the story of America and its value. (Yazel, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreMore U.S. states are making physician-assisted suicides available — although only under narrow circumstances — and both defenders and critics of the practice say they see a growing discussion among baby boomers, who are mostly in their 60s and 70s, about what role, if any, it should play in end-of-life decision-making. (Najmabadi, The Washington Post)
Read More