😎 From moon pies to solar-theme tracts, religious groups ready for the eclipse 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Astronomical legal action: How religious an event is the eclipse for some? So much so that six New York inmates have sued to see it, ReligionUnplugged.com’s own Clemente Lisi … Continue reading 😎 From moon pies to solar-theme tracts, religious groups ready for the eclipse 🔌

📊 Is America losing its religion? Four intriguing stats from a new national survey 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged 80%: Eight out of 10 U.S. adults agree “religion’s role in American life is shrinking — a percentage that’s as high as it’s ever been in … Continue reading 📊 Is America losing its religion? Four intriguing stats from a new national survey 🔌

🏆 Hello, Adelle: Longtime RNS journalist to receive Lifetime Achievement Award 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Best of the best: “Surely there’s someone out there who doesn’t like Adelle M. Banks. “I just haven’t found that person yet.” Noting the respect afforded … Continue reading 🏆 Hello, Adelle: Longtime RNS journalist to receive Lifetime Achievement Award 🔌

🤷🏻‍♀️ Are the feds still investigating Southern Baptist sex abuse? That’s a good question 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Good morning, Weekend Plug-in readers! Since we last convened, we had Super Tuesday (the Biden-Trump rematch is all but set) and the State of the Union … Continue reading 🤷🏻‍♀️ Are the feds still investigating Southern Baptist sex abuse? That’s a good question 🔌

🧪 Faith and frozen embryos: Alabama’s IVF ruling stirs religious debate 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Does God oppose in vitro fertilization?: Religions hold differing views, according to the Washington Post’s Michelle Boorstein: In an Alabama Supreme Court ruling equating IVF embryos … Continue reading 🧪 Faith and frozen embryos: Alabama’s IVF ruling stirs religious debate 🔌

🐘 Left wants ‘to tear down crosses’: Trump talks to National Religious Broadcasters 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Good morning, Weekend Plug-in readers! Is Nashville, Tennessee, the center of the religion news universe? We’ve asked that before. It’s maybe an appropriate question again this … Continue reading 🐘 Left wants ‘to tear down crosses’: Trump talks to National Religious Broadcasters 🔌

🚨 5 takeaways from the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged We start with five takeaways from Sunday’s shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston. 1. What happened: Genesse Moreno, 36, “allegedly fired an AR-style rifle and … Continue reading 🚨 5 takeaways from the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church 🔌

🏈 Faith and football: Would Jesus bet on the Super Bowl? 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged The numbers game: “An estimated 67.8 million Americans are expected to bet on Sunday’s Super Bowl, a 35% increase from … Continue reading 🏈 Faith and football: Would Jesus bet on the Super Bowl? 🔌

How covering Pope John Paul II’s 1999 visit to St. Louis changed my journalism career

By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged OKLAHOMA CITY — From a young age, I’ve loved Jesus and journalism. I never intended, though, to become a religion reporter. My career trajectory changed 25 years ago when — to my surprise — editors of The Oklahoman assigned me to cover Pope John Paul II’s Jan. 26-27, 1999, visit to St. Louis. At the time, I was a 31-year-old education … Continue reading How covering Pope John Paul II’s 1999 visit to St. Louis changed my journalism career