Sightings Articles
What Is the Status of the Denomination in American Public Life? -- Martin E. Marty
Seldom have we gone sighting religion in its denominational forms. With good reason, some would say: religion draws attention today more in expressions of individualized spirituality, at local assemblies, through causes and caucuses and parachurches,...
August 26, 1999
"The State of the Arts" and Public Religion, Part 2 -- Martin E. Marty
A few days ago we ventured to do some sightings of public religion in the arts, drawing on a tenth anniversary issue of IMAGE and its "State of the Arts" symposium. Having scanned in the last Sighting the print media, let's look at other arts as ex...
August 20, 1999
"The State of the Arts" and Public Religion, Part 1 -- Martin E. Marty
Public religion, we cannot repeat often enough, is not the same thing as "religion and politics." Public religion has to do with faith and spirituality in the academy, the forum, in media and the marketplace, in the conference hall and the gallery. W...
August 17, 1999
Books: Private Religion Is Big -- and an Important Public Fact -- Martin E. Marty
Sighting "religion" and "spirituality" in American bookstores will beeasier than ever this fall. In PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S semiannual preview (July 12), Lynn Garrett summarizes: "The sleeping giant of religion/spirituality book sales began to stir more ...
August 5, 1999
Directions in the Academic Study of Religion -- Martin E. Marty
"Have you read Luke Timothy Johnson's review in COMMONWEAL?" a friend asked. We hadn't. "Johnson's comment on religious studies in the academy relates to your 'public religion.'" Yes. Emory University's Johnson reviews Carol Delaney's ABRAHAM ON T...
August 4, 1999
"God Decides Who Goes to Heaven, Not George W. Bush" -- Martin E. Marty
Unfair! That is what we would have to say in response to a July 21 column by Michael Kinsley, who writes for (and edits) SLATE, the Internet magazine of opinion. Eric Greenberg, of the JEWISH WEEKLY, called it to our attention and asked for comment...
August 2, 1999
Considering Candidates' Religion: What It Can Mean for the Vote -- Peggy Fletcher Stack
On July 1, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah threw his hat into the already crowded ring of presidential candidates. The four-term Republican is only the third practicing Mormon ever to run for president. Church founder Joseph Smith, feeling that his ...
July 29, 1999
Rites of Mourning and a Grand Narrative -- Martin E. Marty
Discussions continue: Do American citizens share any "grand narrative," any common framework of stories that helps bind them? Did they ever, or should we be content to be "storyless" people, constituted by separate and conflicting stories, each appro...
July 27, 1999
A Public Religion Snapshot -- Martin E. Marty
The concept of public religion can seem abstract, remote, ethereal, and hard to grasp. However anyone who monitors its appearances, as we do, knows that public religion seen up close is concrete, material, and graspable. It appears when humans with n...
July 22, 1999
Who Publishes Religion Books? -- Martin E. Marty
Most "Sightings" deal with events and trends. Now and then we like to helpother "Sighters," as we did recently by calling attention to a book on religion reporting. Today we return to the scene of dissemination and again refer to a book that missed...