Get Religion is a national and global journalism site focusing on how the mainstream press covers religion news in politics, entertainment, business and sports.
If reporters want to get their telephone calls returned promptly, all they have to do is ring a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Journalists may not get the information that they’re seeking or the full cooperation that they need — especially if they are working on a story linked to doctrine, the faith’s many critics or accusations by ex-Mormons — but that call is going to get returned.
The Chicago Tribune‘s coverage of what appears to be a minor news story about a contract dispute between a national franchise (Dunkin’ Donuts) and a local franchisee deserves a mention of praise for its accuracy and relative depth on the tricky religious and legal angles. For starters, the reporter portrays the article’s primary subject precisely and in a way that conveys the information readers need to know:
The BBC has what could have been an interesting little story about Muslim prayer practices and rules. Unfortunately, it has very little doctrinal meat to it. The story is this:
Every now and then, some other organization or person gets out a sharp knife and attempts to do unto some mainstream news source what GetReligion does unto others day after day.
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:
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:
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.
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.
I thought I had heard everything about the deep, deep roots of the sexual abuse scandals — plural — in the Roman Catholic Church. I say “plural” because they really go back to the early 1980s and the waves of acid have been rolling in ever since.
