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) Good morning, Weekend Plug-in readers!

Southern Baptists picked a new president — finally — to lead the denomination’s troubled administrative body, as The Associated Press’ Peter Smith, Religion News Service’s Bob Smietana and The Tennessean’s Liam Adams report.

U.S. Jews are upset with former President Donald Trump’s latest rhetoric and say he doesn’t get to tell them how to be Jewish, according to AP’s Smith and Tiffany Stanley.

And California pastor John MacArthur’s declaration that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “was not a Christian at all” has drawn a strong rebuttal, RNS’ Adelle M. Banks and Smietana note.

This is our weekly roundup of the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith. We start with four intriguing stats from a new national survey on religion in public life.

What To Know: The Big Story

80%: Eight out of 10 U.S. adults agree “religion’s role in American life is shrinking — a percentage that’s as high as it’s ever been in our surveys.”

That’s the big takeaway from a new Pew Research Center report.

Two decades ago, “only 52% responded that religion’s influence in the U.S. had waned,” ReligionUnplugged.com’s own Clemente Lisi notes.

49%: That’s the proportion of those surveyed who “say both that religion is losing influence and that this is a bad thing,” Pew reports.

Religion News Service’s Jack Jenkins interviews Greg Smith, Pew’s associate director of research, about the findings.

“We see signs of sort of a growing disconnect between people’s own religious beliefs and their perceptions about the broader culture,” Smith tells RNS.

57%: That clear majority of Americans “express a positive view of religion’s influence on American life.”

“What’s more, 94% said it is ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ important for a president to live a moral and ethical life, and 64% said it is important for a president to stand up for individuals’ religious beliefs,” the Washington Times’ Mark A. Kellner explains.

“Additionally, 48% said it is important for a president to hold ‘strong religious beliefs,’” Kellner adds, “and 37% said it is important for a president to hold the same religious beliefs as their own.”

8%: That’s the tiny percentage of White evangelicals who told Pew they have a “favorable” view of Christian nationalism.

“(M)ost white evangelicals want a president who reflects their religious beliefs, believe the Bible should have some influence on US laws, and see the retreat of religion as a bad thing,” Christianity Today’s Harvest Prude writes. “Yet they oppose adopting Christianity as an official religion.”

Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads

1. Raunchy Christians: “In the Trump era, a surprising number of evangelicals are rejecting modesty and turning toward the risqué.”

The New York Times’ Ruth Graham delves into piety and profanity.

2. ‘The Exvangelicals’: Is it news when a national political correspondent expresses a progressive worldview?

In the case of NPR’s Sarah McCammon, the answer is yes.

McCammon grew up in a conservative Christian family but had her children baptized in the Episcopal Church. She’s the author of a new book, “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.”

Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans interviews McCammon here at ReligionUnplugged.com. See additional coverage by Religion News Service’s Bob Smietana, ABC News’ Linsey Davis and NPR’s Tonya Mosley.

3. Methodist agenda: The United Methodist Church is set to hold a historic worldwide meeting from April 22 to May 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Tennessean’s Liam Adams details the key issues to watch.

More Top Reads

During the Israel-Hamas war, Jews will soon celebrate Purim — one of their most joyous holidays, The Associated Press’ David Crary explains. … A Holocaust exhibit seemed harmless. With the war in Gaza, it’s come under scrutiny, Religion News Service’s Yonat Shimron reports. … Fasting at school? More Muslim students in the US are getting support during Ramadan, according to AP’s Corey Williams, Giovanna Dell’Orto, Mariam Fam and Darren Sands. … A massive copper mine could test the limits of religious freedom, Grist’s Taylar Dawn Stagner finds. … A “cowboy Catholic” leads the Heritage Foundation plans for a potential second Trump term, as Rone Tempest details for the National Catholic Reporter. … And Buddhists use karmic healing against one U.S. city’s anti-Asian legacy and nationwide prejudice, AP’s Deepa Bharath and Terry Tang report.

Inside The Godbeat

Award-winning religion writer Sam Kestenbaum shared his approach to journalism in a lecture at his alma mater Wheaton College — the one in Massachusetts.

Ken Chitwood, president of the Religion News Association, will spend the next three months or so as the faith and immigration reporter for Sojourners.

Got story ideas? He’s interested in them.

Charging Station: ICYMI

Here is where you can catch up on recent news and opinions from ReligionUnplugged.com.

Assuming you’re not a Kentucky fan, March Madness is off to a really fun start.

As we cheer for more bracket-busting upsets, ReligionUnplugged.com’s Clemente Lisi explores the religious connections in the 2024 NCAA tournament.

The Final Plug

Wanna know “the weird true history of the Easter bunny?”

Christianity Today’s Daniel Silliman has got you covered.

Speaking of Easter, Plug-in will take off Good Friday. I hope to see you back in this same space in two weeks.

Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.

Bobby Ross Jr. writes the Weekend Plug-in column for ReligionUnplugged.com and serves as 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 18 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.