Posts in Religion
Liberty University makes cuts amid falling enrollment

The reason for the cuts appears to be more related to falling enrollment after the Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr.’s support for President Donald Trump than the economic impacts of the coronavirus.

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New Zealand Crushed COVID-19: How Māori and Pacific Faith Groups Helped

Thanks to geographic isolation, decisive leadership and some luck, New Zealand has so far deflected a COVID-19 crisis. Church leaders in the island’s Māori and Pacific Islander communities have been key to this success, at times ahead of the government response while caring for the vulnerable in their flocks.

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Examining the role of Catholic bishops in the 2020 presidential race

Catholic leaders — be it the pope, cardinals, bishops or even your local parish priest — don’t traditionally endorse candidates for political office. Here’s a look at why things may be changing as both the church and voters prepare for another U.S. presidential election.

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Investigation into Amish, Mennonite sex abuse honored as Pulitzer finalist

This week’s “Weekend Plug-in” column highlights Pittsburgh Post-Gazette religion editor Peter Smith winning recognition as a Pulitzer Prize finalist — a year after he was a key part of a Pulitzer-winning entry for that same paper.

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Marvin Olasky's new book 'Reforming Journalism' preaches more than teaches

(REVIEW) The WORLD Magazine Editor in Chief and author of 20 books writes that the Christian faith can and should use journalism to further its aims, but the only criterion of good journalism is a good story. Religious literacy simply gets you better stories, and Olasky never says this.

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Rift between Detroit archdiocese and LGBTQ group highlights Catholic divide

The fight is the latest salvo in the ongoing war between traditional forces within American Catholicism and the LGBTQ community trying to push the church to more progressive positions on an array of social issues. The Catholic church considers sexual activity between members of the same sex to be a sin.

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This Woodward-and-Bernstein fan's way to bolster ministries? Investigate them!

In this week’s Weekend Plug-in, columnist Bobby Ross Jr. introduces the new president of the independent donor advocate MinistryWatch.com.

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COVID-19 Forces Holocaust Survivors to Relive Self-Isolation

For Holocaust survivors, including some who later lived under Communist rule, COVID-19 has brought a mixed bag of old traumas sparked anew, depression and anxiety, isolation and fear, but also reminders of the traits that sustained them through difficult periods in their lives.

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Two secular New Yorkers visited the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital: One volunteered, the other was arrested

A neighbor of the field hospital and an area activist had sharply different reactions to Franklin Graham’s organization setting up an emergency medical facility in Central Park.

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Catholic media shines a light on young people and faith during the pandemic

(OPINION) The ever-evolving coronavirus pandemic has upended our world in ways no one could have ever expected. Journalists still don’t know where this story is going. One thing is clear. While death tolls climb and fall depending on which countries are effectively flattening the curve, the vast majority of those of us who are healthy and staying at home still have to deal with loneliness.

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For lessons on closed houses of worship, look at 1918 flu pandemic

Not until the COVID-19 outbreak did I learn about the global influenza pandemic of 1918 — known colloquially as the Spanish flu — and my family’s connection to it.

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How Billy Sunday traded his bat for a Bible and came to love New York

(OPINION) There are plenty of baseball players who openly practice Christianity, but Billy Sunday is unique in that he exchanged his bat for a Bible and embarked on a career as a preacher, capitalizing on his time as a ballplayer to generate interest in his revivals.

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Devil in detail: Italian exorcist describes his lifelong battle against demons and the occult

(REVIEW) At a time when the planet is gripped by a pandemic, science and faith have again come into conflict. That nagging age-old question about good versus evil and the role of God and Satan in our lives is the focus of a new book about an Italian priest who went on to become the world’s best-known exorcist.

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Notre Dame anniversary coverage: Which news outlets had the best coverage?

(OPINION) A year later, there remain so many unanswered questions about the cathedral’s future, how and when it will be rebuilt and what hurdles remain. The pandemic has shifted attention and journalistic resources away from a story like the status and future of Notre Dame. Journalists are limited in their ability to travel and France remains on lockdown.

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This journalist did her job: She hopes it didn't expose her to COVID-19

The 27-year-old San Antonio Express-News reporter hopes her dedication to her profession didn’t expose her to the coronavirus.

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Finding answers to the pandemic in the writings of Saint Pope John Paul II

(OPINION) Who’s to blame for the coronavirus pandemic? It’s not really a difficult whodunit to figure out. Just look to a system that rejects God and freedom: China’s Communist Party for the culprit.

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Rev. Al Sharpton on the black evangelical vote

Civil rights activist and Baptist minister Al Sharpton talked to Religion Unplugged about the support for Donald Trump among some black evangelicals. With Trump's opposition to abortion and support for traditional family values, some black evangelicals say they have no choice but to vote for Republicans while others like Sharpton question how a majority of white evangelicals can support Trump. About 80 percent of African Americans have voted Democrat since the 1960s.

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5 virtual tours of religious sites you can take while you stay home

(TRAVEL) With most of the world’s population stuck at home in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus, travel has come to a standstill. Springtime, and the approaching summer, are typically a time to take a flight and explore another part of the world.

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5 Jesus Movies You Should Watch This Easter

As Christians around the world embark on Holy Week and prepare for Easter, here are five movies about Jesus, both featured in theaters and on TV through the decades, that rise above the rest.

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