Posts in Opinion
No anti-Catholic sequel: Democrats avoid the dogma at Barrett's hearings

At the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democrats steered clear of Barrett’s religion, even as Republicans focused on it. This week’s Weekend Plug-in has that news, plus all the top headlines and best reads from the world of faith.

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What I Wish My Christian Friends Knew About the News Media

(OPINION) Sure, we make mistakes. We have blind spots and faulty assumptions. But many of the criticisms are off the mark: they misunderstand what journalism is about; they feed a growing sense that there is no agreed upon reality and set of facts to which we can all refer; and, as a Christian I fear they reflect poorly on people who say they love the truth.

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Trump and Biden make pitches to very different Catholic voters

(OPINION) Joe Biden and President Donald Trump used this year's virtual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner to preach to Catholic voters in swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida. The event produced few headlines, coming a mere six hours before Trump announced his positive test for COVID-19.

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Nigerian boy jailed for blasphemy offers hope, despite holes in media coverage

(OPINION) An uplifting story from The Washington Post about a young Nigerian boy brought hope during times of uncertainty in many religious communities. Other news sources tried to continue telling the story, but the religious angle seemed underdeveloped.

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The spiritual ramifications of the fly that landed on Mike Pence's head

This week’s Weekend Plug-in may bug you a little bit. We’re going to talk about the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head during Wednesday’s night vice presidential debate. And as always, we’ll highlight the week’s top religion headlines and best reads.

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Evangelical Magazines Prioritize Truth During Ravi Zacharias Scandal

(OPINION) Richard Ostling commends journalists at Christianity Today and World for prioritizing truth over tribalism in the case of sexual assault claims against Ravi Zacharias. Both publications seek to prioritize the community over the reputation of the religion.

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Executive Order Fuels USAID To Advance International Religious Freedom

(OPINION) A 2020 Executive Order prioritizes international religious freedom and promotes USAID and the U.S. State Department to infuse religious freedom with foreign policy. What will these organizations continue to do to advance the United States’s notion of religious freedom in and out of its borders?

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Journalists’ Neglect Religious Coverage Related to Black Lives Matter

(OPINION) As Black Lives Matter persists as one of the hot topics in the media, mainstream news associations often neglect the religious angle — isolating entire groups of stakeholders within the community. This leaves us asking the question, how are people within religious communities responding to Black Lives Matter?

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Muslim college grads split over Jews. What makes the difference?

(OPINION) A recent four-year national study by Ohio State University, North Carolina State University and Interfaith Youth Core traced how Muslim college students saw Jews from the beginning to end of their college experiences. The results are both encouraging and unsettling.

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Do Christians care what Trump says about them behind closed doors?

This week’s Weekend Plug-in explores whether religious supporters of President Donald Trump care what he says about them behind closed doors. Plus, our roundup of the top religion headlines and best reads of the last week.

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Senate Should Question Amy Coney Barrett About Her Ties To People Of Praise

(OPINION) SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett has faced questions and criticism about her Catholic faith since 2017. But she has rarely been asked about her ties to People of Praise, a unique Catholic group. Questions like these are necessary to make an accurate choice in appointing Barrett to the Supreme Court.

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'Catholic questions' ahead of the Biden-Trump presidential debate

(OPINION) The election season goes into hyperdrive with the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden that will take place Tuesday in Cleveland.

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Double standard? Religion figures differently in news of Ginsburg and Barrett

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights religion-related news coverage of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last week, vs. that of her potential successor, Amy Coney Barrett.

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It's Not Too Early To Start Gathering String On Catholic Cardinals On The Rise

(OPINION) Will age play a role in determining the next Pope? Some will say the rule of thumb has moved to older popes, as with the U.S. presidency.

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Catholics could be energized for Trump should he nominate Barrett to SCOTUS

(ANALYSIS) The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has prompted President Donald Trump to pledge a nominee this week. Frontrunner Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, has a record of being anti-abortion and will certainly inflame those on the political left who fear an overturning of Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion.

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Will we soon live in a world without Mormons and Southern Baptists?

This week’s Weekend Plug-in summary highlights discussions over a possible new name for the Southern Baptist Convention as well as one group dropping the term “evangelicals” from its name. Plus, find our usual roundup of the top reads from the world of faith.

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