Get Religion is a national and global journalism site focusing on how the mainstream press covers religion news in politics, entertainment, business and sports.
The “theodicy” issue seems to come up pretty often at GetReligion, which isn’t surprising since (a) disaster and tragedy are part of this sinful, fallen world and (b) the word “why” remains part of the “who, what, when, where, why and how” journalistic equation.
I have always said that if you want to know what a political leader is really like, pay close attention to the beliefs and values of his or her spouse and children. I have taken flack, among evangelicals friends, for noting that the born-again President George W. Bush certainly seems to have a very upper-crust wife from the oldline Protestant side of Dallas and I have yet to see signs of traditional faith in the lives of his daughters. So be it.
Last week’s Newsweek seemed to sink deeper and deeper into my shoulder bag last week during my journey to greater Los Angeles. Thus, I am only now getting around to reading that cover story about the revolt in talk radio against GOP nominee-in-waiting (pending further New York Times review) Sen. John McCain.
Your GetReligionistas do not pay much attention to the denominational press, but I still read or scan most of the coverage that comes out of those newsrooms. Every now and then you see quotes and information that you simply don’t see anywhere else. And sometimes, information from column (a) connects with information from column (b).
I have been putting off posting the second part of my dialogue (click here for earlier post) with freelance journalist Andrea Useem for two simple reasons: (1) I was out of town for a week, attempting to survive four days of traffic-challenged driving in greater Los Angeles and (2) we normally fill our 5Q+1 interviews with hyperlinks to all of the publications, schools, think tanks, etc., linked to the journalist’s career and, in this case, Useem has just been too busy for me to look up all of those links.
Main Entry: bal-kan-ize …Inflected Form(s): bal-kan-ized; bal-kan-iz-ing … Etymology: Balkan Peninsula … 1: to break up (as a region or group) into smaller and often hostile units
The Los Angeles Times has a pretty off-the-rack news feature in print today about the Rev. Mike Huckabee and his ongoing “miracles happen” campaign for president, vice president, syndicated talk-show host, Rolling Stones bass player or whatever.
Your GetReligionistas have, from time to time, asked editors and reporters to ask the “Why?” question in that old journalistic sequence, “who, what, when, where, why and how.” That question can be pretty hard — hellish even — in some stories linked to tragedy and disaster.
The same-sex marriage wars have flared up once again in Maryland, which should not come as a surprise. It also seems that religion will play a major role in the discussions of whether the state legislature should back a legal redefinition of marriage or pass some other measure addressing the issue. Duh.
