National writer Religion News Service. New grandad. Author of Reorganized Religion. Enthusiastic Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Sci-Fi fan. Ridiculously Gregarious https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mz4uz3qyms2gA Christian blogger who supported ICE - and fought with anti-semitic and white supremacist pastors - has been removed from the US after ICE arrest https://religionnews.com/2026/10/30/samuel-sey-christian-blogger-arrested-by-ice-is-now-in-canada/30 Oct 2026 22:59 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mz4uz3qyms2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mywyjuy5kk2tThe decline of religion in American remains stalled https://religionnews.com/2026/10/28/amid-mixed-pew-findings-youngest-adults-outpace-parents-generation-in-worship-attendance/28 Oct 2026 14:46 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mywyjuy5kk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3myv6edxvik2zEvangelicals gathered outside an ICE office in Chicago to pray for immigration courts https://religionnews.com/2026/10/27/evangelicals-in-chicago-pray-asylum-seeker-will-get-a-fair-day-in-court/27 Oct 2026 21:25 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3myv6edxvik2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3myrug3wsgc2jA humanist at the University of Kentucky no longer has to use AI at work https://religionnews.com/2026/10/26/in-a-first-a-humanist-granted-a-religious-exemption-from-using-ai/26 Oct 2026 13:49 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3myrug3wsgc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3myqom4ivas2cSamuel Sey, a Christian blogger, was arrested by ICE last week. DHS says he will be deported. His supporters say a clerical error is to blame https://religionnews.com/2026/10/25/dhs-says-christian-blogger-samuel-sey-arrested-by-ice-will-be-deported/26 Oct 2026 02:32 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3myqom4ivas2chttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3myinn6tefc2dMulti-site churches are everywhere, new reports finds - https://religionnews.com/2026/10/22/multisite-churches-also-known-as-franchises-are-now-a-staple-of-american-life/22 Oct 2026 21:53 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3myinn6tefc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mycuf3v6mk2nDoug Wilson and the Theobros would like to repeal the 19th Amendment. No one is really interested in that - a new poll found https://religionnews.com/2026/10/20/an-empathy-gap-divides-americans-ahead-of-the-midterms-say-prri-report/20 Oct 2026 14:38 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mycuf3v6mk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mycreceo6c2iIs empathy a foundational part of society? Or a danger that leads people away from God? https://religionnews.com/2026/10/20/an-empathy-gap-divides-americans-ahead-of-the-midterms-say-prri-report/20 Oct 2026 13:44 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mycreceo6c2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3myavoc65ck23We're doing a community survey here at RNS-- tell us how we are doing www.surveymonkey.com/r/9K3P9VD https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9K3P9VD19 Oct 2026 19:56 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3myavoc65ck23https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3myavkmphxk24Andy Stanley, pastor of one of the nation's largest churches, plans to step down next year https://religionnews.com/2026/10/19/andy-stanley-pastor-of-north-point-church-to-resign-in-2027/19 Oct 2026 19:54 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3myavkmphxk24https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxzbttt2e22wLouis Appignani, who built the Barnizon Modeling School into a household name, died this week. He was a major funder of atheist causes https://religionnews.com/2026/10/16/louis-appignani-atheist-philanthropist-dies-at-93/16 Oct 2026 19:12 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxzbttt2e22whttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxwz6cz7sk24Evangelicals and Catholic bishops team up to address immigration https://religionnews.com/2026/10/15/evangelicals-and-catholic-bishops-says-compassion-and-wisdoms-should-shape-immigration-laws/15 Oct 2026 21:32 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxwz6cz7sk24https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxukrepptk24Religious voters are not happy ahead of the midterms https://religionnews.com/2026/10/14/pew-midterm-report-religious-voters-worry-about-economy-evangelicals-stick-with-gop/14 Oct 2026 22:09 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxukrepptk24https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxph6zrvlk25A dispute between pastor Joel Webbon and Mike Huckabee is part of a bigger story of a revival of antisemitism among some evangelical Christians https://religionnews.com/2026/10/12/theobro-pastor-joel-webbon-calls-for-mike-huckabees-execution/12 Oct 2026 21:22 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxph6zrvlk25https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxopwyznmk2oTwo decades ago, the Shack was the biggest thing in publishing -- now the author is back with a sequel set on Death Row https://religionnews.com/2026/10/12/the-shack-author-paul-young-returns-with-a-sequel-set-on-death-row/12 Oct 2026 14:25 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxopwyznmk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxklvje22k2oSome background on Joel Webbon, the pastor who called for Mike Huckabee to be executed -- he's part of an antisemitic group of influencers https://religionnews.com/2026/09/24/the-rise-of-the-jim-crow-theobros/10 Oct 2026 23:02 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxklvje22k2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mxdd2nrcfk2tNew details made public in case alleging abuse by Seth Day and Heather Thompson Day https://religionnews.com/2026/10/07/charges-against-seth-day-detailed-in-court-documents-heather-thompson-day-denies-abuse/08 Oct 2026 01:36 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxdd2nrcfk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwrji6wwe22uMore details about the arrest of Seth and Heather Thompson Day. Shock from followers--and a teacher who reported abuse https://religionnews.com/2026/09/30/daughter-of-heather-thompson-day-and-seth-day-reported-alleged-abuse-leading-to-arrest/30 Sep 2026 23:43 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwrji6wwe22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwr3n6ybos2eIn the US, evangelicals are both a voting bloc and a religious movement -- and the two aren't the same. That's caused a group of evangelical journalist to consider dropping the word evangelical from their name https://religionnews.com/2026/09/30/evangelical-journalists-lose-faith-in-the-e-word/30 Sep 2026 19:35 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwr3n6ybos2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwr3kswyhc2eEvangelicals journalists might drop the 'e-word' as too political and controversial https://religionnews.com/2026/09/30/evangelical-journalists-lose-faith-in-the-e-word/30 Sep 2026 19:34 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwr3kswyhc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwqrwbbnos2tDavid Sills sued the SBC after being labeled an abuser in the Guidepost Report. A judge dismissed most of the claims, ordered settlement talks on the issue of defamation https://religionnews.com/2026/09/30/judge-dismisses-most-sills-claims-against-sbc-leaders-orders-settlement-conference/30 Sep 2026 16:41 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqrwbbnos2thttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwokqod74c2pA popular Christian author and her professor author were arrested for alleged abuse https://religionnews.com/2026/09/29/heather-thompson-day-and-seth-day-christian-authors-arrested-for-alleged-abuse/29 Sep 2026 19:27 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwokqod74c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwmcl2kgks2eFirst Tim Tebow said he'd drop out of speaking at LifeSurge's wealth and faith events. Now Craig Groeschel, pastor of one of the nation's biggest churches has dropped out https://religionnews.com/2026/09/28/craig-groeschel-tim-tebow-suspend-ties-to-lifesurge/28 Sep 2026 21:56 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwmcl2kgks2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwcavo5xms24A group of pastors has merged the hyper-masculinity of the manosphere with old-school segregationist ideas and outrage commerce. Meet the Jim Crow Theobros https://religionnews.com/2026/09/24/the-rise-of-the-jim-crow-theobros/24 Sep 2026 21:59 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwcavo5xms24https://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mwbuxznq7c2kBeen working on this for a while about pastors who see the racism and antisemitism of America's past as a feature, not a bug. Meet the Jim Crow Theobros https://religionnews.com/2026/09/24/the-rise-of-the-jim-crow-theobros/24 Sep 2026 18:26 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwbuxznq7c2khttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mw7pjgryrk2bWhy are folks mad about Meryl Streep and Aslan? Hint-- theology and the love of CS Lewis https://religionnews.com/2026/09/23/meryl-streep-as-narnias-aslan-blasphemy-or-brilliant-casting/23 Sep 2026 21:43 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw7pjgryrk2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mw7crbndik2p21 years ago, I got a call from a CT editor, who had a headline for a story he wanted me to write. The headline was "CS Lewis Superstar," and the charge was to look into the logistics of how Lewis became an evangelical icon. Was so much fun https://www.christianitytoday.com/2005/11/c-s-lewis-superstar/23 Sep 2026 17:54 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw7crbndik2phttps://bsky.app/profile/bmietana.bsky.social/post/3mw7cmbauac2bWas writing today about why folks are upset with Meryl Streep being cast as Aslan -- a mix of culture war, theology and fan angst -- and remembering back to one of my favorite stories to work on https://www.christianitytoday.com/2005/11/c-s-lewis-superstar/23 Sep 2026 17:52 +0000at://did:plc:w4e7rwh5ahu5bco5kqwebpht/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw7cmbauac2b