A film I had the honor of appearing in as a sociologist of religion — SABBATH — is now out!

Produced by Martin Doblmeier and Journey Films, Sabbath explores the religious, historical, and social dimensions of rest-as-practice. Yonat Shimron writes for the Washington Post that “Doblmeier has recruited an A-list of theologians, scholars and clergy to offer insights historical, theological and sociological.” My own contributions stem from my research on congregations throughout the United States as well as on Americans’ shifting relationship to work, rest, and religious practice.

The 2-hour film began airing on PBS stations nationwide in June. You may also view it here, or inquire about a public screening.

Thanks to the Martin Marty Center at the University of Chicago for hosting a rich, two-day conversation on religion and reproductive politics. I was honored to share insights from our in-depth interview study on Americans’ complex abortion attitudes and learn from others whose expertise bridges social science, history, law, theology, storytelling, journalism, and more.

Great to participate in an invited panel discussing “Roe v. Wade: The Next Chapter” at this year’s Religion News Association (RNA) Conference in Bethesda, MD. Thanks especially to Kimberly Winston for bringing together a mix of voices on this timely topic. I always appreciate the thoughtful questions religion journalists ask, not shying away from complexity, depth, and difference. Happy to support the important work they do in whatever way I can.

I am honored to be on the ballot this year as a candidate for president of the Association for the Sociology of Religion. As a long-time ASR member and current Council member, I look forward to future years of service to this wonderfully supportive association. Join us in Philadelphia this August!

It was a pleasure to once again serve as a small group facilitator for this year’s Louisville Institute Winter Seminar. Having attended several times (as both participant and facilitator), I come away each time invigorated and inspired by all the great research happening on North American religion. Louisville Institute offers a number of grants including dissertation grants, project grants for researchers, sabbatical grants, first book grants for BIPOC scholars, and more. Most deadlines are in early Fall.

Wonderful to share a Zoom room with a group of thoughtful interlocutors regarding women in ministry. Grateful to engage in dialogue across difference, informed by social science, with an eye toward community and understanding.

Watch the recorded webinar here.

Thanks to the Gender Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology/Anthropology Departments at Westmont College for the invitation to come to campus, converse with students and faculty, and deliver a campus lecture, “Deeper Thinking on Abortion.” We had a full house for the lecture! Great questions and an engaged and respectful conversation. Check out my report on Americans’ abortion attitudes as well as my pieces in the Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine, and more. To inquire about speaking availability, contact me.

Great to see findings from the National Abortion Attitudes Study (NAAS) featured once again in The Washington Post. Though comic representations, reporter Hannah Good weaves through complex questions of who has abortions and why — alongside Americans’ perceptions gleaned from our interview data. Check out the Washington Post article here…and stay tuned for the publication of our related journal article, coauthored with sociologists Sarah Cowan and Kendra Hutchens!

Wonderful to visit Mexico City for the first time to deliver a talk (“Territorialidad y Desterritorialización de la Ciudad y la Parroquia”) to a gathering of Catholic bishops, priests, and lay leaders from México and beyond. Urban parishes were in the spotlight, addressed from a variety of lenses and geographic vantage points. I enjoyed the opportunity to connect and update research conducted for my book, Parish and Place — with a central focus on “personal parishes” serving specific, non-territorial Catholic populations and purposes. My Spanish was rusty but the audience was forgiving — grateful for enriching conversations and prospects for future collaboration! Thanks especially to Carlos Cardinal Aguiar Retes, Archbishop of México, for the invitation, and hosts Dr. Jesus Antonio Serrano and the Seminario Conciliar de México.