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) This is going to be a much more concise Weekend Plug-in than normal.

Bobby is dealing with a finger infection that makes it difficult and painful to type. (But on the other hand, he’s completely fine.) We at Religion Unplugged wouldn’t even wish that on someone’s pinky finger, and there’s just no replacing Bobby’s work on this column.

So maybe you, like us, are shaking a full-fingered fist at the spirits in the sky that have taken Bobby away from the Weekend Plug-in this Friday. He’s taking antibiotics and hopes to charge ahead to regularly scheduled plugging next Friday.

In the meantime (in a proverbial flipping the bird at the source of his infection), he’s still rounded up the best stories in religion to share with you. All additional comments are from Religion Unplugged’s Poynter-Koch fellow Jillian Cheney.

Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads

1. Evangelical leaders are encouraging their congregants — many of whom are skeptical — to get the vaccine.

• Why "the pathway to ending the pandemic runs through the evangelical church" (by Kathryn Watson, CBS News)

• 'Love Your Neighbor' And Get The Shot: White Evangelical Leaders Push COVID Vaccines (by Sarah McCammon, NPR)

• White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort (by Elizabeth Dias and Ruth Graham, New York Times)

• Vaccine skepticism runs deep among white evangelicals in US (by David Crary, Associated Press)

2. A Nashville church is planting a community garden to survive after the building was destroyed in tornadoes last year.

• A tornado destroyed their church. Now, faith takes root in a garden planted to serve the community (by Holly Meyer, The Tennessean)

• After 13 months apart, Easter service brings Watson Grove church members together again (by Cassandra Stephenson, The Tennessean)

3. The NCAA final match was between Baylor and Gonzaga, two faith-based schools. Baylor’s win was attributed to their “culture of joy” and Christian motto.

• Baylor’s Basketball Success Rooted In Christian Motto: ‘Jesus, Others, Yourself’ (by Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)

• Baptists Can Dunk: 5 Facts About Baylor Basketball’s Historic NCAA Championship Win (by Paul Putz, Christianity Today)

• 5 faith facts as Baylor and Gonzaga square off for NCAA hoops crown (by Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

More Top Reads

• Asian American Christians confront racism and evangelical ‘purity culture’ after Atlanta spa shootings (by Jaweed Kaleem, Jenny Jarvie, LA Times)

• Despite Racial Tensions, Black Southern Baptist Churches Still on the Rise (by David Roach, Christianity Today)

• Pandemic Has Strengthened Faith For Some (by Pauline Bartolone, NPR)

• 'There is light shining out of the tomb.' Despite darkness, chaplains are hopeful ahead of Easter (by Robert Downen, Houston Chronicle)

• How an Abstinence Pledge in the ’90s Shamed a Generation of Evangelicals (by Clyde Haberman, New York Times)

• Column: The Gospel of Fernandomania: Forty years later, Fernando Valenzuela still a Mexican American icon (by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times)

• AP PHOTOS: Holy Week muted but joyful for world's Christians (by The Associated Press)

• An Extraordinary Winning Streak for Religion at the Supreme Court (by Adam Liptack, New York Times)

• Saving religion during COVID: The faithful find ways to flock together (by Tyler Dawson, National Post)

• Sen. Raphael Warnock’s deleted Easter tweet reflects religious and political chasms about Christianity (by Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post)

• Columbus pastor puzzles siblings during pandemic with daily riddle (by Allison Ward, The Columbus Dispatch)

• An Easter like no other (by Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)

• For 100 days, religious scholars sent Trump letters about scripture and modern life. Now they’re writing to Biden. (by Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post)

Inside The Godbeat: Behind The Bylines

Buzzfeed News announced at the beginning of April that it will no longer be including the hyphen in “antisemitism,” countering the standards of both some dictionaries and AP style. Here’s why.

The Conversation is also hiring for a Religion and Ethics editor, preferably based in Brooklyn or Boston.

The Associated Church Press Awards were held last night, and Religion Unplugged carried away quite the virtual haul.

First Place News Story: George Floyd's Ministry Friends Say He Was Their 'OG,' A 'Man Of Peace' (by Liza Vandenboom)

First Place In-depth: COVID-19 Is Fueling A New Jesus Movement (by Meagan Clark and Haeven Gibbons)

Third Place Theme Issue: God And Guns: Why American Churchgoers Are Packing Heat (by Paul Glader)

Second Place Column: Inside The $100 Million Russian Church Meant To Honor Putin, Stalin And War (by Alexei Lidov)

Second Place Best In Class Video Production: Church Van Plays Gospel Music To Calm Police And Protesters In Brooklyn (by Micah Danney)

Congratulations to all winners!

Charging Station: In Case You Missed It

Here is where you can catch up on recent news and opinions from Religion Unplugged.

• This Ancient Monastery May Be Where The Tree For Jesus' Cross Was Felled (by Gil Zohar)

• Did Pope Francis Undercut That Vatican Ruling On Blessings For Same-Sex Couples? (by Terry Mattingly)

• How George Floyd’s Death May Have Caused Some Christians To Sin (by Cyril Zenda)

• Welcome To Holy Days 2021: How To Handle The Latest Sensational Claim About The Bible (by Richard Ostling)

• Three Moms Filmed Their Kids' Remote Learning. Only One Homeschooled Before COVID (by Jackie Hader and Jody Hassett Sanchez)

• Black Churches Focus On Hope Amid COVID-19, DC Attack And George Floyd Trial (by Hamil R. Harris)

• Baylor’s Basketball Success Rooted In Christian Motto: ‘Jesus, Others, Yourself’ (by Clemente Lisi)

• Does Christianity Believe In 'The Immortality Of The Soul'? (by Richard Ostling)

• 'Jesus The Essential Worker' And Other New Sacred Music Inspired By COVID (by Kimberly Winston)

• First Fix The Flat: 'Woke' As A Post-Christian Awakening (by Michael Metzger)

• Botham Jean Act Would Clarify The Texas ‘Castle Doctrine’ (by Chellie Ison)

• Lessons For The Modern Church In The Pages Of 'I Love Jesus, But I Want To Die' (by Terry Mattingly)

• In Conflict-Torn Kashmir, People Suffering From Depression Find Solace In Sufi Islam (by Zaffar Iqbal)

The Final Plug

A squirrel got trapped in a Michigan church overnight and caused some serious property damage. Most notably, a crucifix dating back to the early 1900s was destroyed.

• Antique crucifix back on display at historic Mackinac Island church after squirrel attack (by Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

• Squirrel vandalizes Mackinac Island church, breaks antique crucifix (by Tanda Gmiter, Michigan Live)

My favorite part of this story is that Jim Morse, the church’s maintenance engineer, just so happened to have an art degree, and was able to repair and repaint the Jesus with a great deal of success. Maybe they should’ve hired Morse to take care of other art restorations gone notoriously wrong, like the infamous Jesus fresco of 2012.

Thanks for reading! I’ve enjoyed lending a hand this week, but am looking forward to having Bobby back in full spirits next week. And if you like Weekend Plug-in, be sure to give us a “thumbs up” and share on social media.

Bobby Ross Jr. is a columnist for Religion Unplugged 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.

Jillian Cheney is a Poynter-Koch fellow for Religion Unplugged who loves consuming good culture and writing about it. She also reports on American Protestantism and evangelical Christianity. You can find her on Twitter @_jilliancheney.