Bible

The unlikely story of America’s highest ranking Muslim soldier and TikTok favorite

By Joseph Hammond — January 24, 2022

(RNS) — A chance encounter with an army chaplain put Colonel Khallid Shabazz's military career on a different path.

Thou shalt not share false witness

By Steven Waldman — December 9, 2021

(RNS) — Why do bad retweets come from good people?

Why ‘sorcery’ was the fastest-growing search term on Bible Gateway in 2021

By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 2, 2021

(RNS) — The Greek word ‘pharmakeia’ has appeared in debates over COVID-19 prevention measures, particularly opposition by some charismatic and evangelical Christians to vaccines against the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

There’s fanfiction for everything — even the Bible

By Nidhi Upadhyaya — November 29, 2021

(RNS) — Staples of the genre span from discussions of heaven and hell to erotica featuring biblical characters.

Gutenberg, meet Gruenewald. App builder’s YouVersion puts Bible in half-billion phones.

By Jerry Pattengale — November 19, 2021

(RNS) — This month the free app surpassed 500 million downloads. That's equivalent to one-sixteenth of the world's population.

Amazon algorithm recommends Bible-emblazoned spanking paddle

By Bob Smietana — October 25, 2021

(RNS) — Online retailing giant Amazon.com has run into problems in the past because of controversial religious products.

China crackdown on Apple store hits holy book apps, Audible

By Matt O'brien — October 15, 2021

Amazon’s audiobook service Audible and phone apps for reading the holy books of Islam and Christianity have disappeared from the Apple store in mainland China, the latest examples of the impact of the country’s tightened rules for internet firms. Audible said Friday that it removed its app from the Apple store in mainland China last […]

Cherry-picking the Bible and using verses out of context isn’t a practice confined to those opposed to vaccines – it has been done for centuries

By John Fea — October 4, 2021

(The Conversation) — A historian of the Bible in American life explains how Bible verses are being picked out of context to make a case for the anti-vaxxer movement.

Woe to you, Washington! Woe to you, New York!

By Thomas Reese — October 4, 2021

(RNS) — God does not punish us. He tells us when we are punishing ourselves.

Why calling God ‘they’ shouldn’t upset you

By Mark Silk — October 4, 2021

(RNS) — We've been through such linguistic change before.

Why Jonah is a prophet for our time

By Mark Silk — September 20, 2021

(RNS) — When the unwilling prophet blames God for his woes, God answers by trolling Jonah.

A South Carolina pastor quit his church. His followers revolted to get him back.

By Bob Smietana — August 27, 2021

(RNS) — Former elders at Beach Church in South Carolina say they paid the price for crossing a popular pastor. They may go to court to regain control of their church.

Plaintiffs propose replacing Bible with Book of Faith

By Associated Press — July 28, 2021

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Government lawyers argued the lawsuit should be dismissed because the lead plaintiff acknowledged he wasn’t offended by the display.

‘One belief kind of fell after the other’

By Renée Roden — July 27, 2021

'Deconstruction is unlearning what has been instilled into you on a deep and permanent level. Unlearning emotional habits you learn from the church.'

Lonely no more: Questioning Christians find belonging on TikTok