Sightings Articles
American Christians and Capitalism by Martin E. Marty
“God has cursed the earth. . . This is the starting point for all economic analysis. The earth no longer gives up her fruits automatically. Man must sweat to eat.” So writes Gary North, “the leading proponent of ‘Christian economics,’” which connects...
May 2, 2011
Thoroughly Mainstream Mormons – Brian Britt
“The Book of Mormon” is the most profane Broadway show in memory, but it treats its subject with surprising warmth and acceptance. The New York Times calls the musical “sweet,” and the Church’s official response could not be milder: “The production m...
April 28, 2011
Atlas Shrugged and its Reviewers by Martin E. Marty
Atlas Shrugged, viewed by reviewers of most stripes as being appallingly appalling, draws crowds of devotees, and has champions on the right, including the Religious Right. Reviewing movie reviews is not standard fare in this column, but the support ...
April 25, 2011
Catholocism and Voodoo after the Haiti Earthquake by Jonathan C. Bergman
Haiti subscribes to two major religions—Voodoo and Catholicism—with born again Christians making great inroads in the past decade. The success of Haitian religious leaders in this time frame has spurred a series of “crusades” to aggressively minister...
April 21, 2011
Response to "Standing by the Working Man" by Jack Fitzmier
Debra Erickson’s April 7 article “Standing by the Working Man” raised the important question of whether the American Academy of Religion will stand up for contingent faculty, who make up a large percentage of instructors in American higher education....
April 20, 2011
Elizabeth Johnson by Martin E. Marty
We have not looked in on the Catholic press for some time, but a glance at the “liberal”—one is always obliged to say that!—National Catholic Reporter reveals many stories bidding for Sightings attention. We had to pass many candidates by, dealing as...
April 18, 2011
The USCCB and Sr. Elizabeth Johnson’s Quest for the Living God by Paul C. DeCamp
If you ban it, they will read it. That seems to be true thus far in the case of Sr. Elizabeth Johnson’s 2007 book Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God, which the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops suggested sho...
April 14, 2011
Modernity and Religion by Martin E. Marty
Beyond religion-in-the-news stories about Japan, Libya, Washington, and other crisis points, “religion in public life” continues to be a topic which deserves notice. This week in a conversation two sociologists who are turning attention to religious ...
April 10, 2011
Standing by the Working Man by Debra Erickson
Early in March, the American Academy of Religion sent an email to its 10,000-plus members expressing concern over an unresolved labor dispute at one of the six hotels where its upcoming annual meeting will be held. It announced that, on urging from u...
April 7, 2011
Fasting for the Poor by Martin E. Marty
“Why We’re Fasting” is the title of columnist Mark Bittman’s essay in Saturday’s New York Times, the “we” being himself and David Beckmann, here described as a “reverend,” and “this year’s World Food Prize laureate.” The pastor heads “Bread for the W...