Religion Unplugged

17 hours ago | religionunplugged.com | Terry Mattingly

(ANALYSIS) For a century, there was one certainty in France: The population was 97% Catholic. That changed in the 1960s, with survey numbers spiraling to the current plateau of 25% for people aged 18-59, while the “religiously unaffiliated” numbers in France soared to 53%. Thus, it made headlines when the French Bishops' Conference announced that 10,384 adults joined the church this Easter, a 45% increase over 2024.

3 days ago | religionunplugged.com | Terry Mattingly

(ANALYSIS) It’s Bright Monday morning and I am still exhausted, in a good way, by the wild, exhilarating services of Pascha (Easter in the West) here in the hills and mountains here in Northeast Tennessee. And, of course, I need to write something for Rational Sheep. I also need to prepare for an “On Religion” column tomorrow, to meet my usual Wednesday morning deadline (as I head into year 37). All of this is happening, of course, while the Internet reacts to the death of Pope Francis.

3 days ago | religionunplugged.com | Clemente Lisi

Leaders from around the world offered condolences and tributes on Monday following the death of Pope Francis. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she “had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings, which never failed even in moments of trial and suffering.”In her post on X, Meloni said the 266th Roman pontiff had called the world to “seek the path of peace, pursue the common good and build a more just and equitable society.

3 days ago | religionunplugged.com | Clemente Lisi

There’s an old Italian adage that warns against betting on the presumed front-runner ahead of a papal conclave. It cautions, “He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal.” With Pope Francis dead at age 88, the Catholic Church’s next leader will likely be chosen from a group of cardinals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in both spiritual and organizational capacities. The process of choosing the next pope is known as a conclave.

3 days ago | religionunplugged.com | Clemente Lisi

Francis’ papacy was full of ups and downs. Despite his efforts to reform the church, Francis faced criticism from some traditionalist Catholics who viewed his approach too theologically liberal. He was also criticized by some for his handling of the sexual abuse scandal and not doing enough to hold perpetrators accountable and failing to implement reforms to prevent future abuse. Nonetheless, he had a genuine desire to bring reform to the church. On Oct.