This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the Religion News Association’s annual meeting in Bethesda, Maryland. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
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(ESSAY) It’s impossible not to notice St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in case you pass by the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. That’s not because it is particularly tall — especially near a much taller buildings that define New York City’s essence — but because something just profoundly sets it apart from the city’s usual mundane, gray backdrop.
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Modeled after soccer’s World Cup and organized after the International Olympic Committee’s decision in 2005 to remove baseball from the Summer Olympics, the World Baseball Classic is contested every three years. The WBC returned this month with 20 teams, including Israel, which is made up largely of Americans of Jewish heritage.
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(OPINION) A two-day conference on the current state of journalism — co-sponsored by Catholic broadcaster EWTN and Franciscan University of Steubenville — examined why objectivity has disappeared, threats to freedom of speech and the hostility some in the mainstream have towards Catholics.
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Pope Francis marks his 10th year on Monday as head of the Catholic church and its 1.38 billion adherents around the globe. It’s an anniversary that will be viewed differently depending on where one falls on the doctrinal spectrum. The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was born in Argentina and is of Italian descent, was elected the 266th pope on March 13, 2013. It marked the first time a pontiff from South America has held the position.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in provides the latest details on a mass shooting at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in Germany. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
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Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in Oklahoma outspent opponents by millions of dollars. Yet when the votes were counted Tuesday, the anti-marijuana side — backed by prominent faith leaders and law enforcement officials — prevailed.
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(ANALYSIS) It’s almost always news when a public official testifies before a congressional committee. Such was the case when Attorney General Merrick Garland faced the Senate Judiciary Committee. As expected, it was an important, and often heated, four hours of testimony that was highlighted by the back-and-forth exchanges between Garland and Republican senators on the panel. You can read Garland’s opening remarks on the DOJ website.
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(ANALYSIS) There has been surprisingly little engagement among religious groups in China, and Christians could point to ways that shared efforts by religious groups — care for the aging, improving schools in rural areas, marriage counseling and the like — can benefit Chinese society.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the controversy over New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ comments on the separation of church and state — or the lack thereof. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
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Nearly five years after approving medical marijuana, voters in the Bible Belt state will decide whether to expand cannabis sales and create a legal framework to expunge pot-related criminal offenses. People of faith are divided in a referendum that is drawing national attention.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the spiritual revival that drew thousands to Asbury University, a small Christian college in Kentucky. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
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(ANALYSIS) The politicization of American society has affected a great number of institutions. The FBI has also become politicized. This is a belief that picked up momentum during Donald Trump’s presidency, but continues to exist now. If journalism is the place that you believe should shed a light on this painful paradox, then you’d be sadly mistaken.
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The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts about six weeks, culminating with Easter Sunday. It is the day Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead. Ahead of the Lenten season, here are five books about this prayerful season that will prepare Christians for Easter.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the religion angles in this weekend’s Super Bowl. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
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(OPINION) Old-school objectivity in journalism appears to be dead. My proof for that statement is that the ongoing vandalism of churches is a major story, but one that elite newsroom professionals have decided is a right-wing political talking point. If this isn’t a flaw in the current way journalists do things, then expect for more readers to look elsewhere for information.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in covers the case of Tyre Nichols, the 29-year-old Black man who died after a beating by Memphis, Tenn., police. Plus, as always, catch up on all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
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There will be more prayers at the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Patrick Mahomes taking on Jalen Hurts will mark the first time that the starting quarterbacks for both teams are Black. It is also a milestone because both men are practicing Christians not afraid to publicly talk about their faith and how it helps them succeed in the NFL.
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(OPINION) God is so great none of us can comprehend all that he is. Ten of us — or 10 denominations, even — can’t grasp the full mystery. Thus we ought to approach other pilgrims with open minds and open hearts, looking for what we can impart to them and also what we can receive from them.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Plus, as always, catch up on all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
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