Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Religion News

2016-01-12T09:29:26-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why do certain Muslims still practice beheading?

Last updated on: January 12, 2016 at 9:29 am By Richard Ostling

TERRY’S QUESTION: What is it with Muslims and beheadings? Where does that come from? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Islam has no hesitation about capital punishment when proper legal procedures are observed and death is hudud (mandatory) under Sharia (religious law). Traditionally this covers such infractions as murder, adultery, homosexual activity, political rebellion, and apostasy, including (under the strictest regimes) conversion to a different religion. Beheading has a long human history, but what’s remarkable in the 21st Century is its continued... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-12-22T11:12:50-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Who was “Theophilus,” that New Testament man of mystery?

Last updated on: December 22, 2015 at 11:12 am By Richard Ostling

RACHAEL’S QUESTION: Luke addressed the books of Luke and Acts to Theophilus, but who is he? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Theophilus is a very important person in the New Testament, yet we know next to nothing about him. If, that is, he was an actual person at all rather than some sort of symbol. The only information 1st Century history has to offer comes in the introductions to two biblical books: — “It seemed good to me... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-12-16T17:07:42-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Can we be good without God?”

Last updated on: December 16, 2015 at 5:07 pm By Richard Ostling

MARY’S QUESTION: Is a belief in God essential to morality? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Many online articles carry that above headline so Mary’s question is a classic, one seen in this little incident: A traditional Nativity scene is being moved away from Nebraska’s state capitol for Christmas week 2015 to make way for atheists’ “Reason This Season” display. A sponsor explained the purpose: “It’s meant to communicate that atheists are not bad people; we can be good without God.” Some... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-12-10T14:10:32-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Who wrote the Bible’s Book of Revelation?

Last updated on: December 10, 2015 at 2:10 pm By Richard Ostling

JOHN (the perfect name for this question) ASKS: I thought the John of Revelation was the Beloved Disciple. The sermon today tried to disabuse me of that notion. What do we know about this? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: One cherished Christmas tradition is dramatic presentation of the story of Jesus via Handel’s “Messiah,” the most-beloved, most-performed musical setting of Bible verses ever composed. This 1742 oratorio concludes with a stirring chorus taken from the Book of Revelation 5:9,12-14 in the... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-11-17T11:02:49-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What’s the background of the Episcopal Church’s new leader?

Last updated on: November 17, 2015 at 11:02 am By Richard Ostling

AN EPISCOPALIAN ASKS: Can you tell us something more about the presiding bishop of our [Episcopal] Church? I’ve heard only upbeat things about him from people who have met and heard him. Will he be a Marco Rubio — a very effective speaker who can connect with people? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Perhaps so. Here’s some information about the personable Michael Bruce Curry, 62, who was installed this month as the new presiding bishop of America’s troubled Episcopal Church. Some U.S.... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-11-14T09:03:04-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Is Islam a “religion of peace”?

Last updated on: November 14, 2015 at 9:03 am By Richard Ostling

With Islamic State claiming responsibility for the Friday the 13th massacres in Paris, the Religion Guy is re-posting the following answer from February 21,2015, and calls attention to the link below to “Who speaks for Islam in a time of terrorism?” DAVID ASKS: Where is the Muslim peace movement? Put another way, if Islam is a peace-loving religion where are the Muslim voices for peace? THE RELIGION GUY ANSWERS: “Islam is a religion that preaches peace,” U.S. President Barack Obama... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-11-06T23:16:21-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What is Seventh-day Adventism?

Last updated on: November 6, 2015 at 11:16 pm By Richard Ostling

RUSSELL’S QUESTION: Since Donald Trump brought Ben Carson’s religion to the forefront, can you tell us more about the Seventh-day Adventist Church? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Presidential candidate Trump contrasted his own “middle of the road” Presbyterian Church (USA) with Carson’s Seventh-day Adventist Church as a religion “I don’t know about.” That suggested the SDA denomination is not just lesser-known but on the cultural margins and possibly suspect. This born-in-America faith is indeed distinctive. It’s also a notable success story... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-10-11T09:16:20-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What faiths practice cremation?

Last updated on: October 11, 2015 at 9:16 am By Richard Ostling

GORDON’S QUESTION: What do various faiths say about cremation vs. burial of remains? I know in some places like the United Kingdom cremation has become very common, maybe even surpassing ground burial. THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Cremation (high-temperature burning that turns a corpse into ashes and bone fragments) is indeed by far the majority practice in the U.K. today. It’s also on the upswing in the U.S., where the National Funeral Directors Association posts these statistics: As recently as 2005,... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-09-29T13:44:08-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What is an agnostic?

Last updated on: September 29, 2015 at 1:44 pm By Richard Ostling

LISA’S QUESTION: What does it mean to be agnostic? Are there people who actually consider it to be a religion? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: In Pew Research’s much-mulled 2014 religion poll of 35,000 U.S. adults, 3.1 percent defined themselves as “atheists” (compared with 1.6 percent in a similar 2007 survey) while a somewhat larger faction of 4 percent called themselves “agnostics” (versus 2.4 percent in 2007). Pew grabbed headlines by combining them with the far larger numbers who said their... Read more

Uncategorized

2015-09-16T11:41:49-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How should Christians holding public office conduct their duties?

Last updated on: September 16, 2015 at 11:41 am By Richard Ostling

GENE’S QUESTION: How ought Christian believers conduct themselves as public office-holders? To what extent should they promote biblical principles in the context of a democratic society? What grounds should they cite? Are some biblical principles too idealistic for a secular society? THE RELIGION GUY’S ANSWER: Gene posted this fourfold query before Kentucky county clerk Kimberly Davis won headlines by briefly going to jail rather than authorize same-sex marriage licenses that violate her Christian belief. As religious liberty advocates argued, the... Read more

Uncategorized

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Jordan" (as in Jordan River) mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

To descend To heal To anoint To open

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Religion News