2013-07-31T09:57:32-04:00

Last updated on: July 31, 2013 at 9:57 am   By

“Business is religion, and religion is business,” said Maltbie Babcock. “The man who does not make a business of his religion has a religious life of no force, and the man who does not make a religion of his business has a business life of no character.” While few people today would completely agree with the 19th-century Presbyterian preacher, business and religion are indeed closely tied together. This connection, though, remains largely unexamined by major media outlets. It’s refreshing to... Read more

2013-07-30T19:14:50-04:00

Last updated on: July 30, 2013 at 7:14 pm   By

Over the weekend, Rick Warren returned to the pulpit for the first time since his son’s suicide nearly four months ago. This made national headlines — and rightly so. The coverage that I saw ranged from weak to adequate to truly exceptional. On the weak side, the Los Angeles Times did a bare bones report that seemed to scream: “Just going through the motions! Nothing to see here! Move along!” The full extent of the Times’ coverage from inside Saddleback Church:... Read more

2013-07-30T16:58:11-04:00

Last updated on: July 30, 2013 at 4:58 pm   By

A day after Popocalypse 2013 happened, we have the actual transcript of the remarks that got journalists worldwide going. And it’s safe to say that a quick read of it gives a different impression than the headlines or tweets that blasted out the news. But, hey, we are a culture of tweets and headlines, not contextualized remarks, so does it even matter? If it matters to you, here’s the relevant discussion on the Vatican’s “gay lobby.” Actually, let’s go ahead... Read more

2013-07-30T11:15:42-04:00

Last updated on: July 30, 2013 at 11:15 am   By

In the world of church-state studies, few puzzles are as tough to crack as those that surround the work of military chaplains. Suffice it to say, many soldiers would like spiritual comfort and help in combat. We are talking about life and death situations. A practicing Catholic or Orthodox soldier, for example, will want a chance to go to confession — with a valid priest. And there is the problem. How many chaplains are going to fit into that foxhole?... Read more

2013-07-29T18:05:57-04:00

Last updated on: July 29, 2013 at 6:05 pm   By

From the very beginning of this weblog, your GetReligionistas have argued that some of America’s most important religion stories are taking place on the Religious Left, even on the evangelical and Pentecostal left. I still believe that. Also, we have always argued that it was important for journalists to cover the religious and doctrinal content of flocks on the religious left in terms of their DOCTRINES, worship and practices, not just their political views. It’s just as bad to assume... Read more

2013-07-29T10:46:34-04:00

Last updated on: July 29, 2013 at 10:46 am   By

Ermagerd, everybody! The Pope has renounced all church teaching on everything! Stop the presses! Start them again! Freak out! That’s my impression of Twitter, online and broadcast and cable news today. From my morning read: CBSNews: Pope Francis: “Who am I to judge” gay clergy? http://cbsn.ws/14dnXJD BreakingNews: Pope Francis says he won’t judge priests for their sexual orientation – @AP http://apne.ws/17Oyvw2 Raushenbush: Pope Francis on Gays: Who am I to judge them? http://huff.to/12xEA1z DavidCraryAP: #PopeFrancis reaches out to gays, says... Read more

2013-07-29T13:23:42-04:00

Last updated on: July 29, 2013 at 1:23 pm   By

Many of us who came of age during the birth of New Media are reflexively defensive about the medium’s journalistic credibility. We defy the outdated notion that real journalism is printed on paper or broadcast on TV screen. Quality journalism is as likely to be found on a blog as in a newspaper or in a web video as on a cable news channel. At least that’s the theory. The reality is that much of what passes for journalism on... Read more

2013-07-28T15:34:17-04:00

Last updated on: July 28, 2013 at 3:34 pm   By

A few weeks ago, a lawsuit in Nevada made news because it revolved around alleged 3rd Amendment to the Constitution violations. Third Amendment Rights are invoked so rarely as to be the butt of jokes. See, for example, The Onion‘s “Third Amendments Rights Group Celebrates Another Successful Year.” The mainstream media went to town. Here’s Fox News, for instance: A Nevada family is using a rare legal argument in a lawsuit claiming police tried to commandeer their homes for a... Read more

2013-07-27T14:26:13-04:00

Last updated on: July 27, 2013 at 2:26 pm   By

Hey, guess what? If you want to read the Bible online, there’s an app for that. I know this because I saw it on the front page of today’s New York Times. Sorry, but I couldn’t resist poking a little fun at the Old Gray Lady for discovering an e-trend that’s old news to millions of Bible readers. The story caught my attention because it’s datelined Edmond, Okla. — my neck of the woods — and involves a church that... Read more

2013-07-27T09:18:33-04:00

Last updated on: July 27, 2013 at 9:18 am   By

Here a photo op, there a photo op, everywhere a papal photo op. The question explored in this week’s “Crossroads” podcast is not whether all of those media-friendly events during World Youth Day are, in fact, “photo ops” — chances for Pope Francis to be photographed making the kinds of symbolic gestures for which he (and the soon to be John Paul the Great) is already famous. Of course, these are photo ops. Michelle Obama visiting an inner-city vegetable garden... Read more

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