Author: Bobby Ross Jr.

Bobby Ross Jr. is an award-winning journalist who has reported from all 50 states and 20 countries.
Christian Chronicle

Just in time for new year, one state debates ending government-sanctioned marriage

By Bobby Ross Jr. | GetReligion

Way back in 2004 — during Season 6 of the Emmy Award-winning television drama “The West Wing” — a congressman raised the idea of banning marriage. All marriage.

With two-thirds of Americans then opposed to same-sex nuptials, a gay Democrat identified as “Rep. Benoit” proposed getting the government out of the marriage business.

“If the government can’t make it available to everyone, I want us out of the business entirely,” Benoit said to Josh Lyman, chief political adviser in the fictional Josiah Bartlet administration. “Leave it to churches and synagogues, and, of course, casinos and department stores.”

Lyman chuckled and brushed off the suggestion.

Fast-forward more than a decade: A majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court has legalized it. And amid ongoing battles pitting gay rights vs. religious liberty, some real-life lawmakers wonder if the answer might be removing the government from the process.

The Associated Press reports on a Missouri legislator’s proposal to do just that.

Read the full column.

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More of my GetReligion columns (January 2017):

Continue reading “Just in time for new year, one state debates ending government-sanctioned marriage”

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Christian Chronicle

Ten stories that inspired me — and hopefully you — during 2016

These Christians demonstrated faith, hope and love. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle I am blessed. As chief correspondent for The Christian Chronicle, I am privileged to tell the stories of Christians living out their faith — often under difficult circumstances. Over the last decade, my travels with the Chronicle have taken me to all 50 states (I finally made it to the … Continue reading Ten stories that inspired me — and hopefully you — during 2016

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Christian Chronicle

For a closed urban church, an alternate ending

Disbanded congregation’s old building purchased by Impact Houston, which plans to expand to a second location. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle HOUSTON — Another closed church. Another lost opportunity to serve wounded souls in the inner city. That could have been the story as the Lindale Church of Christ — a once-flourishing congregation in the nation’s fourth-largest city — disbanded in December … Continue reading For a closed urban church, an alternate ending

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Christianity Today

Five tips for professionals joining a church staff

Experts emphasize the unique rules and dynamics churches face. By Bobby Ross Jr. | For Church Finance Today Jennifer Neal wanted to be successful — as a woman, as a mother, and as a financial controller at a multibillion-dollar company. “I was desperately trying to make my mark and have it all,” she said. What Neal didn’t intend was for Jesus, as she put it, … Continue reading Five tips for professionals joining a church staff

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Christian Chronicle

Best of GetReligion: December 2016

Links to Bobby Ross Jr.’s top columns

Oh, Politico! We’re not laughing with you, but at you, after that ‘advance God’s Kingdom’ scoop. Published Dec. 5.

False balance: As New York Times reports on divided campuses, only left has ‘real’ concerns. Published Dec. 8.

‘Just who is Dylann Roof?’: Do we really need to know what makes a mass murderer tick? Published Dec. 12.

Holy ghost in my past: How I blew my chance to explore the faith of the ‘real’ Santa Claus. Published Dec. 13.

‘He did it!’ – MLB coach beats cancer, but media remain vague on faith that sustained him. Published Dec. 15.

After Dylann Roof verdict, best stories aren’t about the killer — but resilient survivors. Published Dec. 17.

AP on religious liberty: Those bigots down in Mississippi are still up to no good. Published Dec. 19.

An old-fashioned Baptist political squabble: Hey WSJ, that’s what we call a scoop! Published Dec. 20.

Washington Post wrote about overlooked rural evangelicals; now it needs to talk to them. Published Dec. 21.

Surface-level journalism: New York Times fails to cover heart and soul of pro-Trump town. Published Dec. 28.

Click below for additional December 2016 columns.

Continue reading “Best of GetReligion: December 2016”

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Christian Chronicle

Cold nights, warm hearts: Churches become homeless shelters

From Idaho to Maryland, congregations open their doors to strangers in need of food and rest. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle Each Friday night, a van picks up 15 homeless men in downtown Nashville, Tenn., and takes them to the Woodson Chapel Church of Christ for food, Bible study and rest. Four to six weeks per year, the Dalton Gardens Church of … Continue reading Cold nights, warm hearts: Churches become homeless shelters

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Christian Chronicle

A holy cure for ‘post-election stress disorder’

A holy cure for ‘post-election stress disorder’: Leaders of Churches of Christ urge believers to put their hope in the ‘king of kings,’ not politicians. By Bobby Ross Jr. | The Christian Chronicle As Christians who voted for Republican Donald Trump see it, America avoided the worst-case scenario in a nasty election featuring two of the most distrusted, unpopular presidential candidates ever. Other people of faith … Continue reading A holy cure for ‘post-election stress disorder’

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