https://politicalresearch.org/ The latest research related to Biblical Interpretation en https://religiondispatches.org/2025/07/18/terminally-online-trump-administration-uses-social-media-frame-its-anti-immigrant-agenda Black helicopters roll over the tarmac. From off screen we hear a voice with a generic Southern accent casually intone: “Here’s a Bible verse I think about sometimes, many times. It goes…” The images flashing on the screen settle on… Fri, 18 Jul 2025 05:44:46 EDT Annika Brockschmidt, Thomas Lecaque dbf60c8e-bac5-4487-b1e3-f0f5319dc153 https://religiondispatches.org/2021/02/03/bible-may-be-stranger-you-think-and-why-it-matters Despite the Bible’s ubiquity, despite the Bible’s appearance as a book like any other on our twenty-first century shelves, despite its frequent citation in private and public discourse, the Bible regularly—on closer inspection—shatters our preconceptions and assumptions. This, I argue… Wed, 03 Feb 2021 04:24:33 EST Kristin Swenson d05109b1-9325-44ec-93a2-41182fd81351 https://religiondispatches.org/2016/02/24/why-its-heresy-read-bible-literally-interview-john-shelby-spong Security sells. That’s why, says retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, despite his best-selling controversial books and popular speeches, his position on Jesus and the Christian church will never be the majority opinion, because he believes Jesus is not the… Wed, 24 Feb 2016 01:56:49 EST Candace Chellew-Hodge 41e686de-5cec-40e6-a8a8-97c508da3f64 https://religiondispatches.org/2016/01/05/biblical-perspective-recognizes-black-women What inspired you to write An Introduction to Womanist Biblical Interpretation? I used some of the work of feminist, Black feminist, and womanist writers when I was in graduate school, but I had never taken a course in feminist or… Tue, 05 Jan 2016 03:26:23 EST Nyasha Junior 82fab5c3-7b96-451d-b03d-d315b64f47f6 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/10/14/biblical-circus-william-stringfellow He was an Episcopal theologian, activist, openly gay man, and connoisseur of the circus… Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:42:49 EDT Nathan Schneider 7f63dc21-87aa-4d5c-bee9-e0b150c90d10 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/09/10/one-nation-many-bibles-obama-vs-dobson Americans wrestle with the biblical text, but there is no one correct way to read scripture. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:21:26 EDT Anthony B. Pinn f4cd3514-7ac8-41a4-bd20-693c745ca14c https://religiondispatches.org/2009/07/27/christianity-simply-about-god-entering-uterus-jewish-virgin In a recent promotional letter, Richard Dawkins caricatured the average American’s Christian beliefs. Problem is, caricatures cease to be useful when the critic invites his audience to deride the real thing based on a lampoon. Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:16:25 EDT Eric Reitan 457b1719-dfa7-4649-9a37-b7e61fb8eeb1 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/23/are-christians-theologically-prepared-accept-torture The results of a new Pew survey indicate that going to church increases the likelihood that people will support torture, especially if they are white evangelical Protestants. This is not good news. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:55:36 EDT Sarah Sentilles ad064b15-3d19-4565-85ab-0fe33495ca07 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/23/opinnion-cosmic-lessons-when-ministry-pulls-madoff A minister’s son plays Bernie Madoff and swindles his father’s congregation out of millions. Is it helpful to see events like this in terms of God’s plan? Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:24:21 EDT Anthony B. Pinn 7ab71281-10ec-4ea5-8c79-1d87610fe1d5 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/22/bible-says-and-other-myths-about-scripture Revealing why citing “chapter and verse” once had no meaning, why 16th century Catholics capitalized “Word” but not “God,” and why the King James Bible is anti-Puritan, Lori Anne Ferrell’s new book reminds us that everything is historical: the Christian religion, the Christian people, the Christian book. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:11:47 EDT Louis A. Ruprecht 4e6871c6-ca6a-45c6-9962-9ff4e2f923df https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/22/bible-security-blanket-blindfold-or-weapon Drawing on sources as diverse as feminist theology, biblical criticism and Midrash, renowned poet Alicia Suskin Ostriker’s latest book of essays seeks to rescue the Bible from the clutches of narrow conservatism. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:53:43 EDT Amy Benson Brown bb9a196e-a6f8-43f4-90f5-0881dcf81ccd https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/22/pop-eye-global-jesus-film In this invitation to inter-cinematic dialogue, S. Brent Plate offers a Lenten season roundup of Jesus films from all across the world, and not a blue-eyed protagonist among them. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:51:48 EDT S. Brent Rodriguez Plate aa68c897-4802-4dca-857a-88feabf42fba https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/22/pretty-people-shiny-clothes-biblical-illiteracy-nbcs-kings Television fails once again to do justice to the complexity of biblical narrative. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:42:40 EDT Cynthia B. Astle fa85f21b-7c85-4e60-b16a-ff1a8cee82b4 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/22/divine-inspiration-kings-works-wonders Drawn from the Bible, Kings takes a risk that pays off. Plus, we get Ian McShane. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:41:29 EDT Diane Winston 1e18e3c3-2849-41e5-8f8e-41e2001c4050 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/19/just-call-me-marie-when-women-become-priests Marie Bouclin was excommunicated, or rather “self-excommunicated,” as the Catholic church puts it, for becoming a priest. But banishment from the church has not stopped her from living her vocation. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:03:46 EDT Rosemary Ganley 90040525-047d-4025-a6e1-e26170a182c8 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/18/theologian-speaks-out-obama-pope World-known theologian Hans Kung, ever a sharp thorn in the side of the Vatican, imagines what it would be like if Obama were in the Vatican instead of the White House. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:31:32 EDT Rosemary Ganley 3cfd1524-7ba2-407f-a835-9c7bd44dd414 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/18/biblical-battered-wife-syndrome-christian-women-and-domestic-violence Although Rick Warren’s Saddleback church teaches women that physical abuse is not grounds for divorce, there is a growing literature for evangelical women—by their peers—that shows women how to get out of an abusive marriage, while remaining in the church. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:35:30 EDT Kathryn Joyce 3163aafd-1bd0-433e-b6dd-da89030a9614 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/17/evolution-sunday-pastors-celebrate-darwin A professor of biology gets clergy on board in the fight against those who would teach biblical creationism in America’s schools, showing that science does not always lead to atheism. Sorry, Dawkins. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:40:21 EDT Lauri Lebo 48648476-431c-4cda-94c4-8f9e4c613491 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/17/op-ed-bashing-back-queer-thugs A radical queer group claims to have burned a “Mormon Bible,” vandalized churches, and urges supporters to fight back “by any means necessary.” Ariana Childs Graham asks: Is this activism or just a really bad idea? Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:10:58 EDT Ariana Childs Graham 9212dfe6-976a-481d-8dc7-712456737fbe https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/17/religious-right-newsweek-woe-you-even-printing RD News Round-Up—December 15, 2008: Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative after 8 years; ‘War on Christmas’ mash-up; Religious Right layoffs and cutbacks, ‘Prop. 8—The Musical,’ Prop. 8 Gear, and the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress. Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:01:41 EDT Bill Berkowitz c3629b6f-533c-4ab0-8e92-42b4a3c1631f https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/16/newsweek-takes-bullet-gay-marriage A major newsmagazine gets theological, and infuriates conservatives. But the Newsweek story doesn’t even scratch the surface of contemporary religion scholarship on gay marriage. Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:48:11 EDT Mary Hunt 4173c5d3-4715-43bb-9f4b-8eebb1fa424f https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/16/rdpulpit-furiously-raging-religious-right Newsweek actually gets religion, writes the author of the recent gay marriage issue. It’s the Christian Right culture warriors who claim that God possesses their prejudices who are mistaken. Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:42:20 EDT Peter Laarman a1b0ea6f-082f-4332-818f-76d81d5933c2 https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/16/womens-liberation-through-submission-evangelical-anti-feminism-born Six thousand evangelical women gather to support biblical womanhood, and hear from theological leaders about the great influence wielded by “a woman on her knees.” Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:26:14 EDT Kathryn Joyce 149d3d8c-b1cd-4d2d-a44a-11825c9e3a9a https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/16/opinnion-defending-obamas-choice I reject Rick Warren’s theological orientation and vigorously critique the death-dealing theologies of those like him. But my disagreement (and yours) is not the point. Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:21:07 EDT Anthony B. Pinn f2d215a1-e0bf-4d41-922a-1c2f1932fd5c https://religiondispatches.org/2009/06/16/covering-religion-new-year-atheist-bus-and-more Rolling with the atheists in the UK; rich men, camels, and needle’s eyes; Jews, Christians, and Gaza; the Obamas on Sunday mornings…all this and more on the religion writer’s beat as the year begins. Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:07:47 EDT Diane Winston 85ff8dba-fd72-420d-93e6-deb2a04c5394