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Give me that online religion
A recent Pew Internet and American Life Project study on "CyberFaith" (pdf) has found that one in four adult Internet users has gone online for religious purposes—a total of about 28 million people.

Not only is this a 8-million person jump from last year, but it is also more than the number of people who said they had visited gambling, auction, or stock Web sites.

Report author Elena Larsen told Reuters that those who go online for religious reasons do so for solitary purposes and not as a replacement for fellowship or communal activities. Those most active online are also very involved in their congregations, Larsen said. In fact, Internet religion seekers are more likely to be regular church attendees. Eighty-six percent say they also pray or meditate every day.

Most online religious time is for research, she said. The study found most religious surfers search for educational or reference material (69 percent) or research other faiths (50 percent). Some offer spiritual advice through e-mail (35 percent) or seek it out (21 percent). However, those who do not belong to a denomination or are not near a church of their denomination are likely to find community online.

Last week, The New York Times reported on another Internet trend: sites for religious singles to meet.

The magazine scene
'Tis the season to see what Christians are all about. Shortly before Christmas, The San Diego Union-Tribune's "Magazine Scene" took a look at "what Christians … might be saying to one another."

The article focuses on the "Time and Newsweek of Christian America:" Christianity Today and Christian Century.

It is a friendly attempt that works for what it is. Writer Janet Saidi sets herself up as an outsider looking in on what "the others" are doing. She seems surprised that Christians could have such normal and engaging publications. And she is impressed that they don't mirror the normal view she thinks many have of Christianity, namely that given them by Jerry Falwell.

However, Saidi is also confused. Though the column was set up to be a look at both publications, only one of 13 paragraphs discusses Christian Century. Some facts are fuzzy, and she frequently mixes Christianity Today online content with the print publication.

The article leaves out some facts. She references a recent CT birth control article "written by a woman" but leaves out the fact that there were two "point, counter-point-style" articles in the same issue. The one she is actually citing was written by a woman and a man, Bethany and Sam Torode.

And does columnist Philip Yancey really look like Rasputin? Weblog doesn't think so.

• Committed youth set for celebration of faith | Their gifts may be small — a smile to a stranger, a meal for the homeless — but the faith behind them is powerful, and something grand (The Toronto Star)
• Doctor shares healing faith | `What I'd hoped to do in the developing world … here I was, doing it at home' (The Toronto Star)
• A revolution of the spirit | Five young members of the Catholic Worker Movement share activism and the rent (The Toronto Star)

• Choosing a leader | No other election in Zambia's young history as a sovereign state has provided Zambians with a real choice for a total eclipse or for a refreshing dawn than this year's tripartite election (The Post, Lusaka)
• Romania's gays celebrate end of ban | Orthodox Church still opposes move (BBC)

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December (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45