EDITOR’S NOTE: Bobby Ross, Jr., is dealing with an infection that has made one hand rather worthless for typing. However, he was able to cut and paste together his usual list of top religion-news stories of the week. So here , with the help of Religion Unplugged intern Jillian Cheney, they are.
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Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. Evangelical leaders are encouraging their congregants — many of whom are skeptical — to get the vaccine.
* Why "the pathway to ending the pandemic runs through the evangelical church" (by Kathryn Watson, CBS News)
* Love Your Neighbor' And Get The Shot: White Evangelical Leaders Push COVID Vaccines (by Sarah McCammon, NPR)
* White Evangelical Resistance Is Obstacle in Vaccination Effort (by Elizabeth Dias and Ruth Graham, New York Times)
* Vaccine skepticism runs deep among white evangelicals in US (by David Crary, Associated Press)
2. A Nashville church is planting a community garden to survive after the building was destroyed in tornadoes last year.
* A tornado destroyed their church. Now, faith takes root in a garden planted to serve the community (by Holly Meyer, The Tennessean)
* After 13 months apart, Easter service brings Watson Grove church members together again (by Cassandra Stephenson, The Tennessean)
3. The NCAA final match was between Baylor and Gonzaga, two faith-based schools. Baylor’s win was attributed to their “culture of joy” and Christian motto.
* Baylor’s Basketball Success Rooted In Christian Motto: ‘Jesus, Others, Yourself’ (by Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
* Baptists Can Dunk: 5 Facts About Baylor Basketball’s Historic NCAA Championship Win (by Paul Putz, Christianity Today)
* 5 faith facts as Baylor and Gonzaga square off for NCAA hoops crown (by Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
More Top Reads
* Asian American Christians confront racism and evangelical ‘purity culture’ after Atlanta spa shootings (by Jaweed Kaleem, Jenny Jarvie, LA Times)
* Despite Racial Tensions, Black Southern Baptist Churches Still on the Rise (by David Roach, Christianity Today)
* Pandemic Has Strengthened Faith For Some (by Pauline Bartolone, NPR)
* 'There is light shining out of the tomb.' Despite darkness, chaplains are hopeful ahead of Easter (by Robert Downen, Houston Chronicle)
* How an Abstinence Pledge in the ’90s Shamed a Generation of Evangelicals (by Clyde Haberman, New York Times)
* Column: The Gospel of Fernandomania: Forty years later, Fernando Valenzuela still a Mexican American icon (by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times)
* AP PHOTOS: Holy Week muted but joyful for world's Christians (by The Associated Press)
* An Extraordinary Winning Streak for Religion at the Supreme Court (by Adam Liptack, New York Times)
CONTINUE READING: “Bobby's Middle Finger Suffers Spiritual Attack?”, by Bobby Ross, Jr., at Religion Unplugged.