30 Most influential religion blogs
Bloggers about religion blog religiously so Faith Central has compiled a list of the most influential among them. In no particular order, this is intended to evolve, so let us know your suggestions.
1. Informed Comment
Blog from the president of the Global Americana Institute, on religion and the Middle East.
Representative quote: Most of the militants appear to be ethnic Pushtuns and from the neo-Deobandi school of South Asian Islam that also produced the Taliban.
2. Austrolabe
Aussie Muslims discuss world events in a wide ranging and engaging blog.
Representative quote: "If you were a terrorist who wanted to harm Australians, would you pay $250,000 and jump through all the immigration hoops, or would you just get a tourist visa?
3. Jew School
Blog by Jews, about Jews, for Jews, interesting and compelling.
Representative quote: Judaism is explicit that there is one law for everyone - what is fair law for Jews is what we should also be dealing out to those among us who are not Jews.
4. Articles of Faith
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent of The Times', fantastic blog offering expert comment and analysis of religious events. Incisive and prolific.
Representative quote: Our own University and College Union brings shame upon this country with the indefensible academic boycott currently under consideration.
5. Spirit Daily
OK, not strictly a blog, but the closest thing we have to The Drudge Report.
Representative quote: "Bizarre claim of Second Coming"
6. Black Hat Lama
Life as one of the most senior and revered figures of Tibetan Buddhism.
Representative quote: "Life is precious. Use that time or moment as best as you can to develop Compassion and Loving Kindness."
7. Freedom's Zone
Jews, Muslims and Christians blogging from around the USA, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, against religious extremism.
Representative quote: "The forces defaming Islam can only be stopped by those who know its teachings and are brave enough to defend them."
8. Get Religion
A blog on religious affairs and based on the premise that the press just don't get religion. Based in Washington D.C. this is the blogchild of the Oxford Centre for Religion in Public Life.
Representative quote: "What struck me was the blunt description of these fighters as 'Islamic militants'. This seems to me to be too direct a link between the faith of Islam and the actions of the militants."
9. Progressive Islam
Plenty of warnings to âweak soulsâ who might get easily offended in this blog but it does have some quirky pieces on modern Islam.
Representative quote:"The virtue commission [Saudi Arabia], if you hadn't figured it out, is the Religious Police. A complete misnomer, of course. Makes them sound like a group of choirboys. The reality is that they are the no-hopers, the social misfits, the failed Imams, the men who will never be married even though we have a surplus of eligible unmarried women."
10. Soma Review
A humourous review of religion and culture.
Representative quote: "Let churches deliver the Tridentine Mass not in Latin, but in Klingon."
11. No God Blog
A blog fighting to keep religion and state separate in America.
Representative quote: "Alabama Governorâs proclamation beseeching citizens to pray for rain was a waste of tax-payerâs time and money and probably violated the State Constitution."
12. The God Blog
Jewish Christian blogging about, amongst other things, being a Jewish Christian.
Representative quote: "Bush might be an unpopular politician among Republican Jews he remains a venerated figure. Why? Because Bush is seen as a proactive warrior in the fight against Islamic militants. And that, they believed, is good for Israel."
13. Ahmed Ismail
Blog on racism and Islamophobia in the press.
Representative quote:"Austria's mosques are edging closer to performing the real role of mosques in Islam, serving as a place of worship as well as offering educational classes, cultural events and other community services."
14. Alive and Young blogspot
Discussion of sex, religion, and politics from a blogger who claims to have no qualification for starting a blog about sex, religion, and politics. A conversation not a monoblog. Lots of videos and funny quotes.
Representative quote: "I pity the fool who don't go to mass."
15. An Unsealed Room
Former Washington correspondent for the Jerusalem Post now living in Ra'anana takes a humourous look at life in Israel.
Representative quote: "At the mall, I'm amazed by the number of Israeli Arab women here -- in everything from completely western dress to full hijab. Utterly unlike London, where you feel the hateful glares from many traditionally-dressed Arabs on the street."
16. The Revealer
A daily review of religion and the press based on the premise that belief matters whether or not you believe.
Representative quote: "Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins takes the hard sell: Religion is bad science, he says, just plain wrong and rather stupid. Physicist Lewis Krauss goes for the soft sell: "Teaching is seduction," he purrs, with believers in mind."
17. Idol Chatter
A religion and pop-culture blog: From Paris Hilton "conversion" to religion reasons to watch Oceanâs 13.
Representative quote:"But this is bigger than Hilton having the opportunity to feign redemption for an hour on Larry King. The problem is that we deemed Hilton's story important enough to be considered nationally ground-breaking news."
18. Velveteen Rabbi
Rabbinic student Rachel Barenblat blogs on the Torah.
Representative quote: "We identify with the Jewish community by behaving, by believing, or by belonging."
19. God's Politics
A variety of bloggers headed by Jim Wallis of Sojourners, claiming to bring conversation after the monologue of the Religious Right.
Representative quote: "Muslim satisfaction with American life is a pleasant surprise."
20. First Things on the Square
Blog from the Journal of Religion, Culture and Public Life.
Representative quote: "Doctrinal clarity is lost when Catholics call Protestant heretics."
21. Archbishop Cranmer
Anonymous blog on religio-politics.
Representative quote:"Cranmer sympathises with the Catholic Church. Yes, you read correctly."
22. Muslim Wake Up Blog
Blog of the Muslim Wake Up association, interesting comment Muslim issues but only occasionally updated.
Representative quote: "Progressive Muslim is a redundancy. How can you be Muslim and not be progressive?"
23. Ekklesia blog
From the Christian think-tank Ekklesia a blog about religious events with a political bent.
Representative quote: "The attempt by the Vatican to get ordinary Catholics to stop supporting Amnesty International is causing hurt, disappointment and anger among many people."
24. Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
An "elaborate spoof" arguing against teaching creationism in schools.
Representative quote: From an Intelligent Designer: "The probability that humans have emerged from natural selection is the same as the probability that a monkey composes Hamlet by randomly typing on a keyboard".
25. Muslim Matters
Advice and guidance on living as a Muslim.
Representative quote: I'm sure others besides myself have noticed the increasing lack of chivalry amongst males, particularly the younger ones. I'm going to be picking on our dear Muslim brothers!"
26. The Cafeteria is Closed
Currently winning the Blogger's Choice Awards for best religion blog, mainly about Catholic affairs.
Representative quote: "That Episcopalian Muslim priestess â guess where she'll be teaching theology? Seattle University, a Jesuit school."
27. Virtually Islamic
Islam in the digital age, by a Professor of Islamic studies, round up of coverage of Islam on the net.
Representative quote: "Islamists in Germany say that al-Qaida are no longer radical enough and call them "non-believers."
28. Irene Lancaster
Blog by author and academic based in Haifa.
Representative quote: "...self-censorship, fear, cowardice, malice and appeasement of violence against Jewish staff and students; this boycott was inevitable."
29. JBlog Central
From the Bagel Blogger to Jewtastic a comprehensive compilation of Jewish blogs.
Representative quote: "I would never suggest that we should all cater to the most conservative voice in the way we live our lives. I think that diversity is what Judaism needs."
30. Daily Dish
Andrew Sullivanâs guide to politics with the occasional nod towards its interaction with faith.
Representative quote: "We know of almost no civilizations without religion; and even when religion did decline - in, say, Europe in the twentieth century - pseudo-religions emerged to replace it.
