Pope Francis' civil union media storm unleashes doctrinal infighting

(OPINION) The pope — as head of the church — had in three sentences changed Catholicism forever. Not so fast, said numerous on-the-record voices in the world of Catholicism.

Macron is right to defend free speech in France, denounce Islamists

(OPINION) The Oct. 16, 2020 terrorist beheading of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty has galvanized France and led to increased international tensions. French President Macron has portrayed the conflict not as a lone terrorist attack but as a war between Islamists and France that is a conflict of ideologies.

Don’t vote Trump for religious liberty

(OPINION) Many Christians are rightfully concerned that religious groups committed to a traditional, biblical ethic of marriage will be increasingly marginalized and restricted. In response to these anxieties, many conservative religious people turn to a perceived strongman who will keep their institutions safe. Here’s why they shouldn’t.

In Fighting COVID-19, Tanzania’s President Chooses Prayer Over Science

(OPINION) Tanzania’s president has ignored science in battling COVID-19, opting for prayer instead. He is strongly criticized by his challenger in Oct. 28 presidential elections.

Africa, Opinion, PoliticsTom OsanjoOctober 25, 2020Tanzania, COVID-19, Kenya, Kenyatta, John Pombe Magufuli, coronavirus, pandemic, churches closeComment

Ritual Baths Become A Battleground In Israel’s War On COVID-19

(OPINION) Jewish ritual purity baths have become a flashpoint in Israel’s struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are continuing to go and not wearing masks in the process.

Opinion, Middle EastGil ZoharOctober 23, 2020Gil Zohar, israel, COVID-19, Jew, Jewish, mikvah, mikvaot, Jerusalem, coronavirus Comment

Armenia, Artsakh and Turkey’s Neo-Ottoman Dream

(OPINION) Now, more than 25 years after the rather unclear resolution of a 1994 conflict—and emerging in the notoriously painful year 2020—the Armenia/Artsakh vs. Azerbaijan conflict has flared up again. And this time—tragically—Turkey’s Islamist President Tayyip Erdogan has powerfully entered the fray.

Will U.S. Catholics split their vote this year?

(OPINION) Trying to gauge voter enthusiasm is difficult. While Trump voters do seem generally more energized — especially among evangelicals and church-going Catholics — compared to Biden supporters, the events of the past few weeks in Washington may have shifted priorities.

The Widest Story Ever Told: How the Modern Christian's View of Sin Restricts Faith

(OPINION) Modern Christianity tends to focus on sin — how if we believe in God and have faith that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected, we will defeat death and have eternal life. In a more “spousal” reading of scripture, Metzger finds that the concepts in the Bible can be much wider.

Opinion, North AmericaMichael MetzgerOctober 19, 2020Mike Metzger, Bible, Scripture, Christianity, Modern Christianity, ChristiansComment

Ensuring An Equal Future For Girls Around The World

(OPINION) The United Nation’s International Day of the Girl Child uplifts young girls in countries where they are historically oppressed, many of them as religious minorities, to rise above gender-based violence, harmful practices and HIV and AIDS. This turns them away from harmful practices like child marriage.

Opinion, Africa, Middle East, North America, Politics, EuropeEwelina U. OchabOctober 16, 2020Ewelina U. Ochab, child marriage, PakistanComment

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.

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.

News media ignores church vandalism, but can't get enough of ACB's faith

(OPINION) Vandalism against Catholic churches is a news story. Period. Where is the coverage?

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.

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.

Opinion, AfricaIra RifkinOctober 12, 2020Ira Rifkin, Washington Post, Religion, Religious freedom, Islam, Blasphemy Laws, Nigeria, Africa, RechargeComment

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.

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.

Opinion, Conflict, News, Press Freedom, ReligionRichard OstlingOctober 8, 2020opinion, Richard Ostling, sexual assault, scandal, Ravi Zacharias, ChristianityComment

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?

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?

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.

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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