One of the nastiest campaign tricks in recent memory was the Louisiana Democratic Party’s attempt to derail the candidacy of Roman Catholic Bobby Jindal by quoting — out of context — statements he’d written about Protestantism. The thing I remember about the attacks is that Jindal seemed surprisingly theologically literate for a politician. Jindal explained his adult conversion from Hinduism in the New Oxford Review and the Democratic Party quoted some of it to give the impression that Jindal was a bigot. I know it’s Louisiana and all, but that’s cold.
Where are the unchurched going?
Good for USA Today‘s By Cathy Lynn Grossman for writing about an important survey from the Southern Baptist Convention’s LifeWay Research group that showed that people who do not go to church are finding religion elsewhere. Not many mainstream news organizations picked this one up, but it is significant and worth a closer look than what is possible the day after the numbers are released.
Farewell to Christmas 2007
I have to admit that I opened up the Washington Post snark section today and my little Christmas-loving heart took a leap. There I saw a news feature by reporter Monica Hesse that began like this:
The war on Epiphany
I’m sure we all enjoyed the relative downturn in this year’s War on Christmas. One personal downside was that I didn’t get a chance to write about the war on Advent and the rest of the liturgical calendar. Why is Christmas always singled out?
Gambling pastor finds media redemption
A couple of days ago, The Des Moines Register ran a very long piece — just under 2,500-words — on a pastor and his incredible ability to overcome challenges and seek and receive forgiveness for his sins. The sins in this case would be gambling. In particular, the pastor’s sin was gambling (and losing big) with church money. Needless to say, this pastor was fired from his job.
A star, a star ... What kind of star?
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.
O come all ye unfaithful
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.
Decorations for faithful departed
It’s not often that you read a newspaper story and think of the afterlife. But The New York Times‘ story on the popularity of decorating gravesites put readers in that unusual, and welcome, frame of mind.
Diversity, Catholic-style?
What do we reporters mean when we apply the word “diverse” to religious congregations? Do we mean diversity in the pews at a service or diversity at a house of faith? Also, don’t Catholics operate by a different type of diversity: one that’s diverse but not integrated?
