Get Religion is a national and global journalism site focusing on how the mainstream press covers religion news in politics, entertainment, business and sports.
It is, of course, one of the most infamous job postings in the history of religion writing in the mainstream press. I refer to that 1995 notice at the Washington Post letting the staff know that there was an opening on the beat.
For three years, reporters told us that the Democratic Party had gotten religion; that Democratic leaders were seeking to “level the praying field” and embracing the religious left; that Democratic presidential candidates felt comfortable discussing their faith.
Here is one more brief look back into the wave of Christmas and pre-Christmas stories, even as we move into the heart of the actual season of Christmas.
The Washington Post‘s Jacqueline Salmon and Hamil Harris wrote up their Christmas story about the pressure pastors are under to hit a home run with their Christmas Eve sermons. I love the angle, particularly because I’m the daughter of a pastor and remember how difficult the Advent and Christmas seasons are for clergy.
When “good girl” celebrity Jamie Lynn Spears announced she was pregnant, reporters cast their rhetorical stones at the fallen teen role model. As Monica Hesse of The Washington Post wrote:
After former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gave his speech on the role of religion in public life, more than a few pundits and columnists criticized it for not including atheists and agnostics in the “symphony of faith.” But while the chattering class chattered, I didn’t see too much in the mainstream media. Truth is that atheists have a much more difficult voting audience than Mormons. Here’s how Jacob Sullum put it in Reason magazine:
Oh my. Here is a quick, and really mean, little update on the state of The Golden Compass at the box office.
USA Today religion reporter Cathy Lynn Grossman had an excellent article about Christian children’s book offerings. Apparently Christmas is peak season for sales of children’s Bible storybooks. Which makes sense. I’m buying this one, among others, for my nieces and nephews.
Entertainment Weekly is an amazing magazine. I have been reading the magazine since day one and I remember thinking to myself back then, “It takes real talent and commitment to achieve such a consistently ironic, world-weary tone in your very first issue.”
