News

A Jesus-Loving "Satanist"

2009-12-25T14:49:00.000-05:00

Interview with R. Scott Poole on his new history of Satan. He says some nice things here about my American Jesus (October 30, 2009).

Christian Century: Navigating for News on Old and New Media

2009-12-25T12:53:00.000-05:00

Short "Christian Century" piece on where I get my news, why I joined Twitter, and why, when it comes to newspapers, I'm still "old school" (September 22, 2009).

Chronicle of Higher Education

2009-06-12T14:52:00.003-05:00

Thanks, Erica! Erica Hendry giving my Tweeter micro-course on the world's religions (@sprothero) a shout out from her "Wired Campus" blog at the Chronicle (June 12, 2009).

Tweet Tweet Tweet

2009-06-11T09:38:00.006-05:00

I give up. As of June 2009 I’m on Twitter. Starting w/ Great Religions 140 minicourse. Wiping out religious illiteracy 140 characters at a time. Tweeting Islam first . . .

Islam140: Allah told Gabriel told the prophet Muhammad (PBUH): Just 1 God, pray to Him 5x day, give alms, fast, hajj to Mecca. Submit! Ahh!

Wall Street Journal: Muhammad, Islam, and Somali PIracy

2009-04-25T21:50:00.003-05:00

April 24, 2009: I don't recommend writing this sort of thing if you want peace and quiet in your inbox . . .

Obama Essay Makes "Best Religion Writing of 2008" List

2008-12-23T21:31:00.003-05:00

It's happy-making to be named alongside Chris Lehmann of "Slate," Lawrence Wright of "The New Yorker," and Ira Glass of NPR's "This American Life" to Jeff Sharlet's list of the best religion stories of 2008 at "The Revealer"

History News Network Names RL its Book of the Month

2008-11-25T18:55:00.005-05:00

One of HNN's missions is "bringing to the attention of readers important new titles." Fun to know that its editors consider the historical argument in Religious Literacy important.

Katie Couric on High School World Religions Courses

2008-06-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

Good story by the CBS Evening News on a mandatory high school world religions course in Modesto, CA.

Religious Literacy in Paperback

2008-02-24T13:37:00.005-05:00

The new and improved paperback version of "Religious Literacy" is out and about!

"Best Books of 2007" at Washington Post

2007-12-03T08:22:00.000-05:00

The editors at the Washington Post just named "Religious Literacy" one of their best books of 2007--one of only two in the Religion category. In her review in the Post, the noted atheist Susan Jacoby called the book "provocative and timely."

"Customers' Favorite" at Amazon

2007-12-01T08:27:00.000-05:00

"Religious Literacy" has been listed as one of the "Best Books of 2007" in the "Customers' Favorites" category at Amazon.com. The book came in 88th, a tad behind J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which was of course number one. But I'll take it.

Publishers' Weekly "Best Books of the Year"

2007-11-05T08:34:00.000-05:00

The end-of-the-year lists are now coming in, and "Religious Literacy" made it onto the Religion list at PW. Fun to be in the company of such books as A.J. Jacobs' "The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible."

"Religious Literacy" Wins Quill Award

2007-10-22T12:58:00.000-05:00

More good news for "Religious Literacy," which won the Quill Book Award in the Religion/Spirituality category. Other winners include Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" (General Fiction) and Al Gore's "The Assault on Reason" (History/Current Events/Politics). The Quill Awards ceremony takes place on October 22 in New York City and will be will be televised on NBC affiliates on October 27. Al Roker of the Today Show will host the event, which will feature guest appearances by Stephen Colbert, Tom Brokaw, and Tina Brown. If I can get around the fact that I don't have a black tie, I hope to be there to pick up the award.

Booklist: "Top Ten Religion Books" 2007

2007-10-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

Alongside books by Pope Benedict VI, Christopher Hitchens, and Gary Wills, "Religious Literacy" was named one of the top ten religion books of 2007 by "Booklist" magazine.

"True or False: The Major Religions are Essentially Alike"

2007-06-25T12:16:00.000-05:00

False, I argue in this contribution to Newsweek's cover story (July 2-9, 2007) on "Global Literacy." "Coming at the problem of religion from the angle of difference rather than similarity is scary," I write. "But the world is what it is. And both tolerance and respect are empty virtues until we actually understand whatever it is we are supposed to be tolerating or respecting."

"Editor's Choice" at New York Times

2007-06-17T15:11:00.000-05:00

"Religious Literacy" was named an "editor's choice" in the New York Times Book Review (June 17, 2007).

"Religious Literacy" Nominated for 2007 Quill Book Award

2007-06-14T19:56:00.000-05:00

The Quills is a book award chosen by readers, booksellers, and librarians. In the 2007 competition, "Religious Literacy" was nominated in the religion category. Nominees in other categories include Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" (general fiction), Walter Isaacson's "Einstein" (biography/memoir), and Aayan Hirsi Ali's "Infidel" (history/current events/politics).

On Publishers Weekly Bestseller List April and June

2007-06-14T11:31:00.000-05:00

"Religious Literacy" made Publishers Weekly's religion bestseller list for April and again for June. Other books on the June list include Pope Benedict's "Jesus of Nazareth" and Deepak Chopra's "Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment."

Tops Catholic Bestseller List April to July 2007

2007-06-12T17:28:00.000-05:00

Is the Pope Catholic? "Religious Literacy" named the #1 bestseller by the Catholic Book Publishers Association for April, May, June, and July 2007.

BookTV on CSpan2

2007-06-10T20:08:00.000-05:00

Wide-ranging conversation with Alan Jones of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco about "Religious History," the new atheism, gay rights in the Episcopal Church, and other topics.

New York Times "Call for Religious Literacy"

2007-05-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

"At Commencement, a Call for Religious Literacy," by Peter Steinfels in his "Beliefs" column in the "New York Times" (May 12, 2007). "In today's world it is irresponsible to use the word 'educated' to describe high school or college graduates who are ignorant of the ancient stories that continue to motivate the beliefs and behaviors of the overwhelming majority of the world's population."

NYT Bestseller Three Weeks Running

2007-04-12T15:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Oprah and Tavis, and to lots of inquiring readers, it's now three straight weeks on the New York Times bestseller list (hardcover non-fiction) for Religious Literacy, this time for the week ending April 7, 2007.

Oprah!

2007-04-05T18:15:00.000-05:00

Yes, the Oprah Winfrey Show. In this segment on Bible courses in public schools I note that you can't understand even the titles of many of her book club selections ("East of Eden," "Rapture of Canaan," "Song of Solomon") without some basic biblical literacy. Friday, April 6.

Tavis Smiley Show

2007-04-05T18:11:00.000-05:00

Wide-ranging discussion of "Religious Literacy" with Tavis Smiley on his late-night PBS show on April 6, 2007. Tavis is a great interviewer with a knack for getting right to the heart of the matter. Click through for a video clip and a transcript.

"Religious Literacy" a New York Times Bestseller

2007-03-29T18:27:00.000-05:00

"Religious Literacy" debuts on the New York Times bestseller list for the two weeks ending March 24 and March 31! Other lists that have recognized the book include the Washington Post bestseller list (week ending March 18), the Wall Street Journal bestseller list (week ending March 24), the USA Today bestseller list (week ending March 25), and the American Booksellers Association Booksense extended bestseller list (week ending April 1).