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Evangelicalism Is *Still* in Crisis – An Update on 2017 Trends to Watch

In our 2017 religion trends to watch, one of our snarky headlines read: "New Species of Evangelicals Discovered." As we pointed out under the headline, the divisions in Evangelicalism have long existed. We also predicted, quite correctly, that journalists and pundits would finally realize that not all "evangelicals" are the same. Read More

The Liminal Year: 5 Trends to Watch in Religion in 2018

2018 is a liminal year in America, and with transition comes uncertainty. It is the year of key midterm elections, the results of which are difficult to predict. A major investigation continues to plague our head of state, whose behavior remains as erratic as ever. New movements—such as #MeToo and the Poor People’s Campaign—are taking off with their impacts unknown. For hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their families, the uncertainty is personal, as they seek to rectify their immigration status, avoid Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and wait to see whether the courts or Congress will allow them to stay in the country. Read More

Studying Religion in the “Belly of the Beast” – A Prison in Rio

I was not a real prisoner during the fieldwork. I had not been convicted of a crime and I knew I could leave. Still, the time I spent behind bars at least gave me a taste of what it feels like to be imprisoned. By living in the prison, I learned things about prison life that I could not have by administering a questionnaire or through formal interviews. Read More