Some Christians get excited when they discover that I'm half Indian or that I studied Islam in college. They'll sometimes ask me to talk about how Christianity compares to other faiths. But I've learned that what they mean to say is: "Great, you've read books I'd never own so you...

Tim Tebow represents America's two great religions: Christianity and Football. But the way the young Denver Broncos' quarterback intertwines the two has made some followers of each faith uncomfortable. His post-game interviews always begin with "I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," and he frequently drops to...

A few years ago I was walking through Woodfield Mall, the largest one in Illinois, just before Christmas. I was disappointed to see that Santa's grotto, where children waited in line for a brief one-on-one consultation with Mr. Claus, had been transformed into an enormous promotional display for the upcoming...

Megachurches are predominantly white, suburban, conservative congregations led by baby-boomer pastors. This is what an infographic about floating around the web lately has revealed. It's based on research compiled by Forbes, The Christian Post, and Leadership Network.

For the most part the stats look very positive for mega...

Many churches in the U.S. draw heavily from the values and methods of secular businesses. When one pastor was confronted about this fact he replied, "So what? A principle is a principle and God created all of the principles." His answer illustrates the degree to which Enlightenment thought has shaped...

I grew up in an interfaith family. I attended an evangelical church with my mother, but was regularly exposed to the Hinduism of my father's side of the family. At school I had friends who were Christian, Jewish, and Muslim. And yet during those formative years I heard virtually nothing...

Last week my wife and I got all of our Christmas shopping done -- in one day. This blitzkrieg approach has become a tradition for us. It's like pulling a tooth; better to have the whole thing out at once. In the evening we treated ourselves to a victory dinner...

What did Jesus mean when he said, "Judge not, and you will not be judged"? It's one of the most commonly quoted verses from the Bible (Luke 6:37). Many of us, and not merely politicians, invoke the verse as a first defense when accused of wrongdoing. It is also a...

Governmental, religious, and cultural leaders on all sides have already spoken, written, or tweeted about the proposed Islamic cultural center near the World Trade Center site in Manhattan. So when my friend Eboo Patel asked me to add my voice to the noise, I wasn't sure what new perspective I...

This week crowds of worshipers outside Apple Stores around the globe will finally be able to lay their hands on the latest object of their devotion: the iPhone 4. The public was given its first official look at the device a few weeks ago when Steve Jobs descended from his...

Last October I attended a ministry conference with 12,000 other church leaders. The event was held in a sports arena and featured the usual arsenal of multi-media wizardry along with popular Christian bands, high-profile pastors, and marketplace gurus. But what differentiated this conference from a similar event 10 years ago...

A poll conducted last year by Time has revealed that The Daily Show's Jon Stewart is the most trusted news anchor in America. He beat Brian Williams, Charlie Gibson, and Katie Couric. Walter Cronkite, having just entered his grave, must already be turning over in it. Stewart won with 44...

Atheists and evangelicals often find themselves on opposite sides of the cultural battle line -- and those battles are becoming more frequent. The rise of "New Atheism" via best-selling books by Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, and the emergence of what I call "Constitutional Evangelicalism" comprised of Christians more likely...