Reporting on the Rhythms of Faith

Today the pulse of American spiritual life is shifting. There is not just one pulse. There are many, and they often conflict. There is the rise of the so-called spiritual nones, the “Godless generation”; the growing acceptance of lesbian, gay and transgender communities in churches, Protestant and Catholic; the global migration of people, unaccompanied children leaving Central America, Syrians fleeing terrorism, refugees seeking shelter and, in all, the interfaith shuffle that it brings; Americans’ continued fear of Muslims and misperception of Shariah law; the rise of women in religious leadership; violence against black and brown bodies; the list goes on.

I would like to discuss three of the stories that define the American spiritual and political landscape in this moment. Each is a heartbeat in the American spiritual life. Each reflects a pulse of this nation, and each has rooted my religion and politics coverage at Time.