News Elsewhere - Word&Way

News Elsewhere

December 21

Pope Francis Tells Clerics Who Abuse Minors to Hand Themselves In
CNN

Gallup Says Ethics Rating for Clergy Drops to Lowest Ever; Nurses Tops in Trust
AL.com

Sorry, Santa: A Chinese City Has Just Banned All Things Christmas
NPR

There’s More Religion Than You Think in Bach’s ‘Brandenburgs’
New York Times

Keep the X in X-Mas
Christianity Today

December 19

Christmas Festival Brings ‘Good News of Great Joy’ to a Diverse and Changing World
Faith & Leadership

Prisoners in a Chinese Internment Camp Made Clothes for a Major U.S. Apparel Supplier
Huffington Post

In Post-Soviet Lands, Theology and Politics Are Hard to Disentangle
The Economist

Why It’s so Difficult for Catholic Priests to Eulogize Suicide
Slate

The World’s First Christian Airline Is Coming, and It Won’t Charge Missionaries for Luggage Fees
Relevant

December 18

8 Reasons These People Need the Spokane Christmas Bureau’s Help This Year
The Spokesman-Review

A Holy Mess: Churches, Other Nonprofits Confront Parking Tax
Politico

Iranians Are Converting To Evangelical Christianity In Turkey
NPR

China Closes Megachurches Before Christmas
Christianity Today

Internet Church Isn’t Really Church
New York Times

December 17

Applying Trinity Lutheran Decision, New Mexico Supreme Court Approves Textbook Loan Program
Baptist Joint Committee

Pack a Constitution with That Bible for Overseas Mission Trips, Expert Says
Baptist News Global

Ukraine Riles Moscow as It Announces Head of New Independent Orthodox Church
The Guardian

Karen Swallow Prior: Good Books Make Better People
Christianity Today

Hallmark, Famous for Christmas Movies, Plans Two Hanukkah Features
Forbes

December 13

Gallup: Australia, Indonesia Top U.S. as ‘Most Generous’ Nation
UPI

Montana Supreme Court Rules Religious School Tuition Tax Credit Unconstitutional
Baptist Joint Committee

No Room at the Inn: UK Homeless Charities Turn Away Christmas Volunteers
The Guardian

The Top Bible Verses of 2018 Don’t Come from Jesus or Paul
Christianity Today

If the Best Doesn’t Exist, Why Can’t We Stop Searching?
Vox

December 12

Female Youth Worker at Tenn. Baptist Church Accused of Statutory Rape
Baptist News Global

Judge Sides with Religious Groups in ACA Birth Control Mandate Fight
The Hill

Bonhoeffer: Advent Is Like a Prison Cell
Christianity Today

Study Shows Young Adults Leaving Church Start down That Path at Age 13
National Catholic Reporter

Fentanyl Now America’s Deadliest Drug, Federal Health Officials Say
USA Today

December 11

Are Public Schools Allowed to Celebrate Christmas?
Baptist Joint Committee

Supreme Court Gives Victory to Planned Parenthood in Medicaid Case
NBC News

Yemen Warring Sides Agree at Start of Talks to Free Thousands of Prisoners
Sojourners

Joseph Gets a Supporting Role in the Christmas Story. but He’s the Patron Saint of Taking Chances
Baptist News Global

Why Christians May Be Less Enthusiastic About a More Diverse Congress
Deseret News

December 10

It’s Human Rights Day, However, It’s Not Universally Accepted
NPR

Hundreds of Sex Abuse Allegations Found in Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches Across U.S.
Ft Worth Star-Telegram

Chinese Police Detain Prominent Pastor and Over 100 Protestants
New York Times

The Real Roots of American Rage
The Atlantic

‘Silent Night’ Turns 200 This Year. Is It the Greatest Christmas Song Ever?
America 

December 7

CLark Lobenstine Had a Pioneering Concept of Interfaith. Can It Survive?
Washington Post

Increasing Rejection of Church ‘a Good Thing,’ Brian Mclaren Says
Baptist News Global

Studies Conclude Atrocities Against Rohingya Constitute Genocide
Religion Clause

Clergy Visits Give Hope to ICE Detainees, but Access Is Inconsistent
Christian Century

He Is Jewish, but Being Santa Is His Calling
NPR

December 6

W.C. Fields, Advocate for a Free Baptist Press, Dead at 96
Baptist News Global

4 Myths About White Evangelical Voters
Christian Post

Dutch Asylum Service Nears 1,000 Hours, With Evangelicals’ Support
Christianity Today

All the Presidents at the Bush Funeral Service Together Recited This Core Prayer. Except One.
Washington Post

New Information Says the Lost Ark of the Covenant May Be Under Secret Protection In Ethiopia. Or Not.
Relevant

December 5

Satanic Sculpture Installed at Illinois Statehouse, Just in Time for the Holidays
NPR

These Grandmother Gun-Violence Activists Mean Business
Baptist News Global

Prince Charles Calls for Coexistence in Speech on Persecuted Christians
The Guardian

What’s Next for Religious Freedom in 2019? Faith Leaders and Policymakers Weigh In
Deseret News

What Does Dying — and Mourning — Look like in a Secular Age?
Vox

December 4

Church Revival: The Spirit (Or the Economy) Is Moving Religious Real Estate Again
WCPO Cincinnati

Emerging Trends for Minister Compensation
Christianity Today

How a New Condo, a Complaint and a Bell Led to a Collision of Culture in Bangkok
NPR

“In God We Trust” Legislation Enacted in Multiple States
Baptist Joint Committee

Ghana’s Red-Hot Funerals: Buried in a Chilli Pepper
BBC

December 3

Americans Unhappy With Family, Social or Financial Life More Likely to Say They Feel Lonely
Pew Research Center

The Percentage of American Christians Who Believe in Climate Change is (Slightly) Growing
Relevant

Brits’ Top Response to Theology Questions? ‘Don’t Know’
Christianity Today

Thinking About Missionaries: Arrogant Fools or Obedient Believers?
GetReligion.org

Minn. Pastor Pens Lutefisk Eulogy, Then Puts 70-Year Tradition on Ice
Minneapolis Star Tribune

November 30

BTSR, a Female President and the ‘Glass Cliff’
Baptist News Global

Christmas Controversy in the U.S. Military: A Bible Cake and a Muslim Ordered to Don a Santa Suit
Newsweek

Congress Approves Measure to Combat Crimes Targeting Religious Minorities in Iraq and Syria
Baptist Joint Committee

Methodist Church Sign Subtly Criticizes U.S. Use of Tear Gas at the Border
Huffington Post

Flying Pastor Wasn’t the First to Get Creative for a Sermon
Commercial Appeal

November 29

Baptist Theologian Embarking on New Mission Field – Interfaith Work
Baptist News Global

Ohio Senate Debates “Pastor Protection Act”
Baptist Joint Committee

Netherlands Church Holds Continuous Worship Service to Prevent Family’s Deportation
Huffington Post

Killing of American Missionary Ignites Debate over How to Evangelize
NPR

For Californians Living in Their Cars, a Church Parking Lot Can Briefly Be Home
Washington Post

November 27

Jim Hill Eyes Retirement, as Ministry Continues
News Tribune

Church Seeks to Intervene in Lawsuit Over IRS Tax Exemption
Baptist News Global

Judge Releases Over 100 Iraqi Christians Detained by ICE
Christianity Today

The U.S. Class Divide Extends to Searching for a Religious Congregation
Pew Research Center

The Charity Walkathon Is Dead
The Atlantic

November 26

What Should America Do with Its Empty Churches?
The Atlantic

Evidence of Sodom? Meteor Blast Cause of Biblical Destruction, Say Scientists
Times of Israel

A Missionary’s Last Letter Before Being Killed on a Forbidden Island
New York Times

How Faith Leaders Respond to Tragedies like the California Wildfires
Vox

How the ‘New World’ Symphony Introduced American Music to Itself
NPR

November 22

Why the Pilgrims Were Actually Able to Survive
The Conversation

Lawsuit Claims Exclusion of Clergy Member from Homeless Camp Violates Religious Freedom Rights
Baptist Joint Committee

When India’s Interfaith Couples Encounter Threats, ‘Love Commandos’ Come to Their Aid
NPR

Do Christians Focus Too Much on the Family?
Christianity Today

6 Ways to Make Thanksgiving More Meaningful
Relevant

November 20

Where Americans Find Meaning in Life
Pew Research Center

Lawmaker Targets Probation-For-Profit Companies in Missouri
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Crisis in Yemen Shaped by Unique Religious and Political Factors
Christian Century

Firearm Violence: America’s Pre-Existing Condition
Baptist News Global

How Can You Stop Wasting so Much Food? the Beard Foundation Wants to Teach You.
Washington Post

November 16

Paradise Fire Burned Most Church Buildings, but ‘the Church Is Still Alive’
Christianity Today

Attorney Named in Pressler Lawsuit Under Investigation for Fraud
Baptist News Global

Why Canada Isn’t the Christian Wasteland Some Christians Imagine
EthicsDaily.com

From Bicycle to Social Movements, the Changing Role of Chaplains in the US
The Conversation

Stephen Colbert’s Explanation of God Starts with a Story About Broccoli. It’s Not Necessarily Funny.
Washington Post

November 15

Experts Weigh in on the State of Sacred Dialogue
Barna Group

Are the Researchers at the Southern Poverty Law Center Judging Fairly?
Washington Post

Gospel for Asia Faces Class Action over Christmas Catalogs
Christianity Today

Stan Lee on God
The Media Project

How Bowling Led from Interfaith Dialogue to Interfaith Friendship
EthicsDaily.com

November 14

Kentucky Baptists Cut Ties with CBF-Aligned Churches
Baptist Standard

Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond to Close in 2019
Baptist News Global

No Cheeks Left to Turn: The Double Persecution of Africa’s Largest Church
Christianity Today

October Religion Bestsellers: Megachurch Pastors Dominate; Kingsbury Returns to #1
Publisher’s Weekly

Wisconsin Boss Gives Every Employee a Handgun for Christmas
Newsweek

November 13

Stan Lee on God
Waco Tribune-Herald

Vatican Requests U.S. Catholic Bishops to Delay Vote in Sex Abuse Scandals
NBC News

Ex-Detainee Describes Torture in China’s Xinjiang Re-Education Camp
NPR

Notre Dame Students Cite Faith as They Kneel During National Anthem to Protest Racism
America magazine

People Who Don’t Believe Scientists Will Believe George Clooney
Pacific Standard

November 12

U.S. District Judge Slashes Fees for Trinity Lutheran Attorneys
Columbia Daily Tribune

Four-Star General: Military More Cautious About Faith
Christianity Today

Baptists Protest Religious Liberty Restrictions in Bulgaria
Baptist Standard

How Christianity, Religion Played a Role in the Great War
Lancaster Online

New Rules Expand Contraception Coverage Exemptions for Religious and Moral Objectors
Baptist Joint Committee

November 9

How Your Church Can Support Veterans Through Actions
EthicsDaily.com

Probe Finds 33 Priests ‘Credibly Accused’ of Sexually Abusing Minors in Missouri
Time

Have All Our Short-Term Mission Trips to Latin America Shaped Our Response to the Migrant ‘Caravan’?
Baptist News Global

Adult Caregiving Often Seen as Very Meaningful by Those Who Do It
Pew Research Center

Satanists Sue for $150M, Saying ‘Sabrina’ Copied Their Statue
NPR

November 8

The Johnson Amendment: After the Elections, the Fight Continues
National Council of Nonprofits

How Can We Nicely Kick Kids Out of Church?
EthicsDaily.com

Guam’s Catholic Church to File Bankruptcy Amid Deluge of Sex Abuse Lawsuits
NPR

Here’s How Abortion Rights Played out in Midterm Elections Across the Country
Washington Post

The Embodied Church in a Digital Age
Christianity Today

November 7

Suit Seeks to Impose Vaccination Exemption on Religious School
Religion Clause

Alabama Voters Approve Ten Commandments, Right to Life Amendments
Montgomery Advertiser

How Christian Missionary Media Shaped the World
The Conversation

Kim Davis Tacked Right on Gay Marriage, but the Right in Kentucky Didn’t Want Her
Courier-Journal

In 2016, Emergency Laws Restricted Religious Freedoms of Muslims More Than Other Groups
Pew Research Center

November 6

5 Things Christians Must Remember as They Head to the Polls
Dallas Morning News

Supreme Court Takes up Its Cross to Test the Wall Separating Church and State
Baptist News Global

Evangelical Delegation Meets with Saudi Crown Prince
Washington Post

Song Without Words Photography Project ‘A Mission From God’
The Bitter Southerner

Joni Eareckson Tada: Suffering Helps Me See Heaven
Christianity Today

November 5

After Tragedy in Pittsburgh, an Extraordinary Effort to Honor ‘the Holy Ones’
NPR

Ecumenical Ministry to Immigrants in Caravan Formed
Baptist Standard

Egypt Says Perpetrators of Attack Against Christians Killed
AP

Voters to Decide on Ballot Measures Related to Religious Liberty Issues in AL, AZ
Baptist Joint Committee

“Make the Gospel Great Again”: Large Billboard of Trump Has St. Louis Co. Residents Talking
KMOV

November 2

Rumors of AI Wars: Where Google and the Bible Agree
Christianity Today

Free Rent in Seattle, No Catch: Landlords’ Faith Inspired a Gift for Tenants
The Seattle Times

Dead Sea Scrolls Are a Priceless Link to the Bible’s Past
The Conversation

Evangelical PR Blitz Before Midterms Won’t Fix the ‘81% Problem’
Rewire.News

Iowa pastor preaches from bulletproof pulpit called ‘The Sermonator’
WQAD

November 1

He Gave Christian Researchers $100 Million. Now His Legacy Lives on Through Their Work.
Christianity Today

‘Traditionalist’ Blog SBC Today Says Goodbye
Baptist News Global

Pakistani Christian Woman’s Blasphemy Ordeal Highlights Plight of Minorities
Reuters

Children Are Getting Great Practice at Being Sold to All the Time
The Atlantic

‘God Is Going to Have to Forgive Me’: Young Evangelicals Speak Out
New York Times

October 31

AG Jeff Sessions Orders Review of Faith-Based Funding Practices in Light of Trinity Lutheran Church
Baptist Joint Committee

U.S. Missionary Shot and Killed in Front of Wife and Son Amid Escalating Cameroon Crisis
Washington Post

The Church of England Should Learn from Harry Potter This Halloween
The Guardian

Guns Send over 8,000 U.S. Kids to ER Each Year, Analysis Says
AP

Report Details Trends for U.S. Women Clergy
Christian Century

October 30

3 Faiths Surround Missouri Land Where Many Believe Second Coming Will Occur
fox4kc.com

As Religion Wanes, ‘Religious’ Hatred Grows
Boston Globe

Eastern and Western Europeans Differ on Importance of Religion, Views of Minorities, and Key Social Issues
Pew Research Center

The Health Department’s Christian Crusade
Rolling Stone

Pastor Runs Sunday 5K. Then Preaches in Running Clothes. And Church Is OK with That.
Baptist News Global

October 29

Red Sox Player Mookie Betts Wins the World Series, Then Goes to Feed the Homeless
Relevant

Russell Moore: If You Hate Jews, You Hate Jesus
Washington Post

Irish Vote to Scrap Offence of Blasphemy
BBC News

America’s Hidden Mission Field: Why We Need Rural Churches
Christianity Today

What Book Would You Describe as Beautiful? 10 Writers Respond.
Christian Century

October 26

Religion Publishing Industry Responds to Sexual Harassment Revelations
Publishers Weekly

Can Government-Funded Foster Care Services Discriminate on the Basis of Religion?
Baptist Joint Committee

Romanian Church Urges Unity for Orthodox Churches
AP

Confederate Pride and Prejudice in the North
Washington Post

Unscathed Painting of Jesus Carried from Ashes of Church Fire
Kansas City Star

October 23

Former Word&Way Editor Bob Terry Celebrates 50 Years in Baptist News
Baptist News Global

Thousands to Convene for Toronto’s Interfaith Parliament
EthicsDaily.com

Birth of a New Ukrainian Church Brings Fears of Violence
AP

Gun Policy Remains Divisive, but Several Proposals Still Draw Bipartisan Support
Pew Research Center

The News Won’t Set You Free (Even If It’s ‘Christian’)
Christianity Today

October 22

Southwestern Seminary Fires Women’s Studies Professor
Baptist News Global

Unearthing the Past: Furman University Reckons with Its Early Leadership
Greenville Journal

Myanmar’s Beleaguered Baptists
Christianity Today

Robert Wood Lynn, Leader in Religion Scholarship, Dies at Age 93
Christian Century

N.Y. Witches Aim Hex at Supreme Court’s Brett Kavanaugh Despite Death Threats
Reuters

October 19

Helping a Difficult Transition: N.D. Baptist Church Uses Interim Pastor Services
Jamestown Sun

Feds Launch Sex Abuse Probe of Pennsylvania’s Roman Catholic Church
NPR

Pastor Disguises Himself as a Homeless Person and Sat Outside His Church to See What Would Happen
Relevant

The Neighborhood Is the Unit of Change
New York Times

Americans Agree: We Need a Break from the News
PRRI

October 18

Southwestern Seminary Trustees Uphold Patterson Firing
Baptist Standard

Dove Awards 2018: Cory Asbury, Zach Williams Among Many Big Winners
The Tennessean

Sparing Nineveh: U.S. Pledges $300 Million so Iraq’s Christians Can Return Home
Christianity Today

Women in the U.S. Can Now Get Abortions by Mail
The Atlantic

Judge Dismisses 5 of 8 Claims in Pressler Lawsuit, Citing Statutes of Limitations
Baptist News Global

October 17

God Willing and the Creek Did Rise but Rural Development Work Goes On
Baptist News Global

Christian, What Do You Believe? Probably a Heresy About Jesus, Says Survey
Christianity Today

The Mosques That Survived Palu’s Tsunami and What That Means
The Conversation

It’s Getting Harder to Talk About God: The Decline of Spiritual Conversation
New York Times

The Lost Art of Concentration: Being Distracted in a Digital World
The Guardian

October 15

Washington State Has Abolished the Death Penalty
Relevant

Court Sides with Government in Church-State Suit over Care for Unaccompanied Minors
Baptist Joint Committee

Ukraine Church Ruling Challenges Putin’s Newly Religious Russia
Forbes

Mormon Church President Tells Women to Get off Social Media for 10 Days
Washington Post

How Can Media Handle Major Faith’s Unreasonable Plea?
GetReligion.org

October 9

Resilient Couple Finds Home and Hope in One of Alabama’s Poorest Communities
Baptist News Global

One Small Step for Your Church: Observe Orphan Sunday
EthicsDaily.com

Still No Churches in Saudi Arabia, but Small Steps Toward Religious Freedom
Christianity Today

Faith Groups Get out the Vote for the Midterm Elections
NPR

How Church Communities Can Help Lower African-Americans’ Blood Pressure
CNN

October 8

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Rethinking American History
Smithsonian

Major Climate Report Describes a Strong Risk of Crisis as Early as 2040
New York Times

Baptist Churches Aid War-Torn Families in East Ukraine
EthicsDaily.com

Indonesia’s Tsunami and the Problem of Human Empathy
The Atlantic

Columbus Believed He Would Find ‘Blemmyes’ and ‘Sciapods’ – Not People – in the New World
The Conversation

October 5

Shane Claiborne: ‘Are Murderers Beyond Redemption?’
Baptist Standard

North Carolina Baptist Newspaper Editor to Retire in 2019
Baptist News Global

Sexual Violence, a Savage Feature of Conflict over Centuries
AP

Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Christian Doctor Who Heals Rape Victims
Christianity Today

Minister’s Daughters Ask: Why Is Photo of Our Father, a Pedophile, on a Church Wall?
Charlotte Observer

October 3

BJC’s Tyler Warns of Threats to Religious Liberty in Testimony Before Congress
Baptist Joint Committee

Working for Blue: Chaplains Support Officers, at Times in Danger, Without Protection
fox4kc

Indonesian Earthquake Kills 34 Kids in Bible Camp Mudslide
Christianity Today

International Blasphemy Day Marked as Persecution of Critics of Religion Continues Worldwide
Newsweek

America’s Clergy Are Teaming up with Scientists
Wired

October 2

What’s Next for Willow Creek?
RNS

Loneliness Is Felt Most Intensely by Young People, Study Finds
The Telegraph

Pope Francis Urges Catholics to Trust Historic Agreement with China
NPR

‘New Age’ Beliefs Common Among Both Religious and Nonreligious Americans
Pew Research Center

Creationist Tapped to Review Arizona’s Evolution Standards
AZCentral.com

October 1

Pastors Push for Public Education Support in Tennessee
EthicsDaily.com

White Evangelicals Least Likely Demographic to Believe Kavanaugh Accuser
Baptist News Global

India’s Supreme Court Invalidates Ban on Women in Temple
Religion Clause

‘How Do Christians Fit Into the Two-Party System? They Don’t
New York Times

Internet, Social Media Use and Device Ownership in U.S. Have Plateaued
Pew Research Center

 

Tags