Weekend Plug-in 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com.

(ANALYSIS) Happy anniversary, Weekend Plug-in readers!

This week’s edition marks two years since we launched this newsletter, and I so appreciate everyone who takes the time to read it, share it and offer feedback and ideas.

During 2021, we celebrated hundreds of top religion reads from publications large and small.

Last week, we highlighted the best in religion journalism from this past year.

And this week, we focus on ReligionUnplugged.com itself — our most popular stories and columns of 2020 and our top content that you might have missed.

Power Up: The Year’s Top Reads

ReligionUnplugged.com’s 25 most popular links of the year.

1. Charismatics Are At War With Each Other Over Failed Prophecies Of Trump Victory by Julia Duin, Jan. 12

2. The Young And Secular Are Least Vaccinated, Not Evangelicals by Ryan Burge, Aug. 3

3. Zoom Church For The Deaf-Blind: How The Jehovah's Witnesses Are Adapting by Liza Vandenboom Ashley, July 5

4. The History Behind The Christian Flags Spotted At The Pro-Trump U.S. Capitol 'Coup' by Kimberly Winston, Jan. 6

5. America’s Dream For Ethiopia Is Actually A Nightmare by Desta Heliso, Dec. 7

6. New BBC Documentary On Hillsong Church Paints A Grim Picture by Josh Shepherd, Aug. 2

7. Exclusive: Zondervan, HarperCollins In Talks To Produce ‘God Bless The USA’ Bible That Includes Constitution by Meagan Clark, May 13

8. Liberty University After 14 Years: Watching My Alma Mater Spawn Evangelical Trumpism by Rebekah Ricksecker, May 12

9. Why I Won't Make Another Christian Film by Nathan Clarkson, March 5

10. Were 750 Christians Really Massacred? The Truth About Ethiopia’s Recent Crisis by Desta Heliso, Feb. 10

11. Charismatics Issue ‘Prophetic Standards’ To Address False Trump Prophecies by Julia Duin, April 29

12. Why We’re Glad Our Publisher Isn’t Backing The ‘God Bless The USA’ Bible by Shane Claiborne, Doug Pagitt, Lisa Sharon Harper, Jemar Tisby and Soong-Chan Rah, May 25

13. Colin L. Powell's Lifetime Of Service Informed By His Episcopal Faith by Hamil R. Harris, Oct. 19

14. Netflix Horror Series ‘Midnight Mass’ Warns Christians To Be Careful Who They Worship by Jillian Cheney, Sept. 24

15. ‘Minari’ Finds Faith In Fertile, Arkansas Soil by Jillian Cheney, Feb. 11

16. Black Hebrew Israelite Bishop Dies Days After Fearing Church Punishment by Princess Jones and Meagan Clark, Jan. 22

17. Exclusive: After Pushback HarperCollins Will Not Produce ‘God Bless The USA’ Bible by Meagan Clark, May 25

18. Giannis Antetokounmpo As An Orthodox Christian And Star Of The NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks by Paul Glader, July 21

19. Are We All Evangelicals Now? How The Term Has Grown To Blur Theology And Ideology by Ryan Burge, March 11

20. Germany's Catholic Bishops Aim To Rewrite The Catechism, Igniting A Potential Schism by Clemente Lisi, March 1

21. In Defense Of Mother Teresa: Why She Is A Saint, Not A 'Cult Leader' by Clemente Lisi, May 23

22. 5 Facts PBS Left Out In New Billy Graham Documentary by Jillian Cheney, May 23

23. This Humble Amish Novelist Has Quietly Sold More Than 350,000 Books And Just Dropped Another Title by Michael Ray Smith, July 2

24. This Christian Designer's Success In High Fashion Challenges The Norm That Sex Sells by Kelly Wairimu Davis, March 18

25. Resignations, Turmoil, Continue At Piper’s Bethlehem Baptist Church by Steve Rabey, July 21

Charging Station: In Case You Missed It

ReligionUnplugged.com content from 2021 that deserves a second look, as selected by the editors.

•  'We Must All Repent': Pastors Address Their Flocks After Capitol Siege by Hamil Harris, Jan. 11

•  Were 750 Christians Really Massacred? The Truth About Ethiopia’s Recent Crisis by Desta Heliso, Feb. 10

•  Myanmar's Asylum Seekers In Malaysia Face Uncertain Deportation To Military Regime by ReligionUnplugged.com contributor, Feb. 16

•  Texas Church Partners With Jeep Club To Shelter Elderly During Winter Storm by Jillian Cheney, Feb. 19

• Hindu Temple's Reopening In Kashmir Spotlights Muslims Caring For Temples For Decades by Zaffar Iqbal, Feb. 22

• Exclusive: Cardinal Zen Says Chinese Church Without Vatican's Help Will 'Die Out Soon' by Timothy Nerozzi, March 15

• 'Jesus The Essential Worker' And Other New Sacred Music Inspired By COVID by Kimberly Winston, April 7

• Exclusive: Kabul Wants Allegedly Stolen Prayer Book From Museum Of The Bible by Gil Zohar, April 12

• The National Park Discovered By A Minister Who Collected Fossils And Taught Evolution by Julia Duin, April 16

• The Family Who Famously Recaptured Art From Nazis Selling Collection Of Bibles by Gil Zohar, April 21

• An Unsung Hero From Brooklyn With An Ambitious Goal To Heal America by Meagan Clark, April 30

• Tulsa’s Race Massacre Prayer Room Highlights Churches’ 1921 Sins, Seeks Healing by Bobby Ross Jr., May 26

•  The Rise Of Female Muslim Travelers Shows No Signs Of Slowing Down by Diana Mwango, May 28

• This Summer’s ‘Brood X’ Cicadas Are Inspiring Death-To-Life Meditations by Kimberly Winston, June 7

• Why It’s Unlikely U.S. Mainline Protestants Outnumber Evangelicals by Ryan Burge, July 12

• Yiddish Music Is Resurging In The Weimar Square Hitler Frequented by Ken Chitwood, July 16

• Florida Coach Bobby Bowden Remembered As The Billy Graham Of College Football by Hamil Harris, Aug. 11

•  In Orthodox Georgia, Women Are Pioneering Tourism To A Muslim Valley Hit Hard By War by Clément Girardot, Aug. 27

• Pastors Question Whether to Unplug From Online Services When the Pandemic Ends by Paul Glader and John Semakula, Oct. 22

• Women Rabbis in France Carve Their Own Path by Hannah Steinkopf-Frank, Nov. 1

•Declining Hate Crimes Are Deceptive In Bosnia by Kimberly Winston, Dec. 17

The Final Plug

Thank you for reading Plug-in all year long.

In case you’re curious, these were our 10 most-shared editions of 2021:

1. Christian Financial Guru Dave Ramsey's Company Doxxes Religion Journalist, Jan. 22

2. Beth Moore, Southern Baptists And The Story Behind The Scoop That Broke The Internet, March 12

3. Christians And The Conspiracy Theories That Helped Fuel The Capitol Mob, Jan. 15

4. Weekend Plug-In Year In Review: The Best Religion Journalism Of 2021, Dec. 24

5. Leaks Turn Up The Heat In Advance Of Southern Baptists' Nashville Meeting, June 11

6. The Role Of Religion In President Donald Trump's Tragic Last Stand, Jan. 8

7. Double Standard? Treatment Of Boulder Suspect's Religion Raises The Question, March 26

8. Bible In One Hand, Newspaper In The Other: Tips For Stressed-Out Preachers, Feb. 26

9. Boo! Just In Time For Halloween, Frightening Headlines About Evangelicals, Oct. 29

10. Big News Involving Southern Baptists, Roman Catholics And Even A Modern-Day Jonah, June 17

Next week, look for a return to our normal format. I hope to see you back in this same space every Friday.

Happy New Year!

Bobby Ross Jr. is a columnist for ReligionUnplugged.com and editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 15 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.