| URL | www.patheos.com |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Balanced Views of Religion and Spirituality |
| Type of site | Religion |
| Registration | Optional |
| Available language(s) | English |
| Owner | Patheos, Inc. |
| Created by | Leo and Cathie Brunnick |
| Launched | September 2008 |
| Alexa rank | 2,114 (US) (Dec 2011[update])[1] |
| Current status | Active |
Patheos is a website focused on providing balanced information about various religions.
Contents |
Patheos was founded in 2008 by Leo and Cathie Brunnick, both web technology professionals and residents of Denver, Colorado. Leo, a non-practicing Catholic, and Cathie, a Lutheran-turned-Evangelical, started the project the week they were married as they tried to blend their families.[2][3][4]
Having living among various faiths they amassed hundreds of essays and works from around 200 scholars into a "religion library" that they wanted to become the "WebMD of religion and spirituality." As a start-up, early employees included religious-studies scholars.[2]
The name Patheos is a portmanteau of "path" and "theos," the Greek word for god.[5][6]
The site features portals with material on Buddhists, Roman Catholics, evangelicals, Hindus, mainline Protestants, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, Pagans, and over 50 belief systems.[2][6] Each portal has its own editor--for instance, the Managing Editor of the Catholic Portal is Elizabeth Scalia. The online library is intended to provide "accurate, balanced and peer-reviewed information; side-by-side comparisons of religious traditions; directory of worship houses and other religion-related activities; a forum for discussion and debate called the Public Square; and a series of portals to online faith communities and more forums."[3] In addition, Patheos publishes articles of interest to religious historians and people of faith.
The site also features nonsectarian histories, maps, videos of religious services, and weekly debates.[6]
The project seeks to be the "premier online destination" for "the global dialogue about religion and spirituality," providing resources on various belief systems and "productive, moderated discussion."[7]
Patheos tries to stand on middle ground between academia (which is credible, yet dry), popular media (which is consumable, yet shallow), and faith sites (which are passionate, yet biased).[2][8] Founder Leo Brunnick called it "the ESPN of Religion."[8][9]
Beliefnet founder Steven Waldman observed that Patheos is used for learning about other religions, while people use Beliefnet to explain their own religion.[6]
TIME magazine called Patheos's materials "streamlined" and "reader-friendly".[6] Religion News Service described it as "a more cerebral approach to what Beliefnet's been doing for nearly a decade." Though some technical kinks existed in 2009, it was still "a pretty impressive product."[7]
The site is listed as 10th out of the 50 best spirituality blogs ranked by Online Christian Colleges.[10] It was also ranked by a writer for the Buxton Initiative, a nonprofit supporter of interfaith dialogue, as the seventh top website on Islam, calling it "very objective" and "sort of a Wikipedia just on religion."[11]
In mid-2010, Patheos invited many religious figures and scholars to contribute to a series on the future of religions. This has attracted much attention and increased web-traffic from 100,000 visitors per month to 250,000.[2]
January 3rd, 2011 Newsweek listed Patheos as one of "21 Ways To Be Smarter in 2011."