Sightings Articles
Examining the Effects of Black Theology -- Martin E. Marty
Whoever monitors sightings of religion in American public life has no trouble finding examples in African American communities. Black churches are known to be agencies of service, activism, and voting, but not everyone knows what types of religion ...
June 16, 1999
Looking for Martyrs -- Martin E. Marty
Asked "Do you believe in God?" seventeen year-old Cassie Bernall of Littleton, Colorado, witnessed that she did and was shot. She has since been proclaimed a martyr. What is a martyr? How many martyrs are there? Who needs them? If you believe the sta...
June 14, 1999
Number of Centers Studying Public Religion Grows -- Martin E. Marty
The concept of public religion generally went unmentioned two score years ago. Only within this decade has it become linguistic "coin of the realm." The term admits of many meanings. It can be something like "civil religion," which means it is some s...
June 10, 1999
Why Do Christians Keep Silent About Persecution, Part 2 -- Martin E. Marty
An early volley in the religious controversy over the Kosovar conflict was a well-timed conservative Protestant critique by Harold O. J. Brown in the RELIGION AND SOCIETY REPORT newsletter whence we took our sighting yesterday and which we continue t...
June 8, 1999
Why Do Christians Keep Silent About Persecution, Part 1 -- Martin E. Marty
As conflicts and negotiations in Yugoslavia end one phase and start another, arguments about American religious positions will intensify. Harold O. J. Brown in the June 1999 RELIGION AND SOCIETY REPORT newsletter (phone: 815-964-5819) tosses out a fi...
June 7, 1999
Christian Political Activism a Waste of Time? -- Martin E. Marty
WORLD magazine editors invite us to use their lenses for looking in once again on the Christian Right. We have a wandering eye that looks at rights, lefts, centers, and beyonds, so we welcome their invitation. The May 15 WORLD (subscribe@worldmag.com...
June 1, 1999
"Faith-Basing" -- Martin E. Marty
Vice President Al Gore, campaigning--as his appearance must be described--in Atlanta Monday backed "faith-based" activities that depend in part on tax support. His choice to do so looked like "trickle-over" politics to some, since Republican majoriti...
May 27, 1999
Religion "News": Looking beyond Scandal -- Martin E. Marty
As the seasons have gone by, sighting evidences of American religiousactivity has become easier. There seems to be more and better coverage in print media, as citizens make news, report on news, and read articles on news in the worlds of religion. Wh...
May 25, 1999
The Five Percenters: Racist Prison Gang or Persecuted Religion? -- Jonathan Moore
Prisons offer plentiful and self-contained opportunities to explore the limits of American religious freedom. One recent case involves the clash between prison officials in South Carolina and a group called the Five Percenters. First, a little his...
May 21, 1999
Religious Faith, Columbine, and the Media -- Jonathan Moore
We hesitate to add more to the monsoon of analysis following the school shootings in Littleton, Colorado. But faith figured significantly in the tragedy, even stirring some controversy, and the media had plenty of eyes and ears to notice. Given our m...