Richard Madsen is a distinguished professor emeritus of sociology at UC San Diego and director of the Fudan-UC Center on Contemporary China, Madsen is a foundational scholar of Chinese religion and society, with a particular focus on Chinese Catholics and Taiwanese religion.

Nanlai Cao is a sociocultural anthropologist at City University of Hong Kong who has conducted extensive ethnographic research on contemporary Chinese Christianity, particularly in Wenzhou. His work is especially useful for reporters interested in how religion operates at the level of neighborhoods, businesses, families and everyday life rather than simply through national policy. He also […]

Yasmin Ismail is a researcher with a background in Islamic studies and anthropology. Her research focuses on madrasa education in minority settings, particularly in Anglophone contexts. Her new research project will integrate knowledge of madrasas, Islamic ethics, AI literacy and principles of co-design to develop an AI literacy program tailored for religious educational institutions. Ismail […]

Jaroslav Franc is a Czech academic whose teaching and research focus on religion in digital culture. His work addresses how religious practice and education adapt to technological change.

The Lausanne Movement is an international network focused on Christian mission and collaboration. It convenes leaders and produces research on evangelism, including initiatives related to digital media and technology.

Ben Haupt is a technologist and Christian thinker who co-hosts the Bitcoin Reformation Podcast, where he discusses cryptocurrency, theology and digital culture. His work engages questions of faith, fundraising, leadership and decentralization.

In this guide, we provide background, tips and suggestions, newswriting for context and experts and sources for you to turn to as you ramp up your coverage of religion and the 2026 midterms.

Ray B. Shackelford is a native Houstonian who serves as Vice President of Equitable Justice for the National Urban League (NUL), responsible for managing Reclaim Your Vote, the NULs national nonpartisan get out the vote campaign.