Journalism

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Ride on, ride on in majesty

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I grew up in California where palm trees are abundant. It was pretty easy for members of my congregation to find fronds for Palm Sunday, when Lutherans and other Christians gather outside the church and process into the sanctuary reenacting Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But what if you live in less tropical climates where palm trees aren’t local? Some Christians, worried about the environmental impact of securing palm fronds, have found an “eco-friendly” solution. And more than a few reporters chose that angle for their annual Palm Sunday stories. Here’s Steven Vegh with the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot:


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A dessert topping and a floor wax no more

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Of all the stories written about the defrocking of Ann Holmes Redding, an Episcopal priest who converted to Islam, the most widely disseminated seemed to be this one from CNN. That’s unfortunate, since it was remarkably shallow and one-sided. No one from The Episcopal Church, much less the diocese that disciplined her, is quoted:


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At the intersection of flip & vague

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There’s something quentessentially American about Elizabeth Gilbert’s winsome 2006 quest memoir Eat, Pray Love. The bestselling book, which details Gilbert’s trek through Italy, India and Indonesia, has many ingredients U.S. audiences seem to love: the search for spiritual enlightenment, healing, lasting love, and a great dinner.


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Nailing down a conflict

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The Arizona Republic‘s coverage of an alleged conflict between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its efforts to convert Latino Catholics troubles me in a number of ways. But before I get into my criticism, I think it’s worth saying at the top that just covering this issue is an excellent first step. The challenge faced by the reporter is that this is a massive issue that requires a close examination into a number of different areas that are sensitive, conflicting and anything but straightforward.


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Knowing your beat

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Lisa Miller is the religion editor at Newsweek. You may remember her from that very unjournalistic cover story she wrote purporting to advance a religious case for same-sex marriage.


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"Devout," "born-again" killers

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We may need to start some kind of petition to the Associated Press to ask for some kind of warning in the stylebook about use of the word “devout” when used to describe religious believers. We have seen similar issues with the word “practicing” in front of the word “Catholic.”


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No religion in Beck's life?

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Sometimes the media amazes me with its ability to ignore the way religion influences people’s lives. Often the result is that religion is hinted at, suggested in an off-hand manner, or noted in an unintentionally ironic manner.


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Newt swims the Tiber

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So former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich was received into the Roman Catholic Church this past weekend. He had been Baptist. For most people, conversion isn’t exactly a political event. But when you’re a prominent Republican whose name is being mentioned as a possible future candidate for President, well, everything is political.


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