New York Times revisits abortion buffer zone ruling. Published July 1. ESPN features pastor who loves umpires, hates baseball. Published July 2. Big news report card: Hobby Lobby and contraceptives. Published July 3. Al Jazeera America: a solid piece of religion journalism? Published July 7. Babies and holy ghosts in Texas surrogate pregnancies story. Published July 8. Surprise! Same-sex couples produce happier kids, media say. … Continue reading July 2014: GetReligion

Big news report card: Grading abortion buffer zone coverage GETRELIGION.ORG — As my GetReligion colleague Jim Davis highlighted this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a Massachusetts abortion buffer zone law. News junkie that I am, I enjoyed perusing today’s front pages and searching Google News to see how various news organizations handled the story. Using my media critic’s prerogative, I decided to grade some of the coverage. My major criteria: … Continue reading Big news report card: Grading abortion buffer zone coverage

Building religion IQ in reporters? We say, ‘Amen!’ Published June 3. Church to boycott Redskins? Not enough to fill a stadium. Published June 5. We don’t need no religion education, or do we? Published June 5. United (for now) Methodists and the same-sex debate. Published June 8. #SBC14: Race, sex and Muslims make Baptist headlines. Published June 10. Ghosts after Seattle Pacific shooting? Not in … Continue reading June 2014: GetReligion

Newspaper reporter critiqued by GetReligion fires back. Published May 2. Little argument, and little religion, after botched execution. Published May 5. NBA MVP Kevin Durant thanks God, but media fail to notice. Published May 7. Putting a real face on Pew’s Latino religious identity survey. Published May 8. AP’s one-sided report on teaching Bible in public schools. Published May 9. NYTimes leans to the right … Continue reading May 2014: GetReligion

More on politics, sin and Louisiana’s kissing congressman GETRELIGION.ORG — For anyone unfamiliar with Rep. Vance McAllister, he’s a Louisiana congressman who ran on a Christian family values platform. But now he’s in trouble with some voters — and presumably his wife — after he got videotaped kissing a staff member (not a peck on the cheek, by the way). Last week, I praised the serious, respectful nature of the New … Continue reading More on politics, sin and Louisiana’s kissing congressman

Pod people: Hobby Lobby and the Mennonite angle. Published April 1. And for a change, a ‘Noah’ movie story that sails smoothly. Published April 3. About that ‘complex’ doctrine Catholic teachers must follow. Published April 4. Final Four ghosts in long story on Kentucky’s Julius Randle. Published April 5. Ghosts in story on Catholic schools: real or imagined? Published April 8. Washington mudslide disaster: the … Continue reading April 2014: GetReligion

Ready, set, go! Hobby Lobby at the Supremes GETRELIGION.ORG — Hobby Lobby gets its hearing before the Supreme Court this morning. This is big, folks. As the Los Angeles Times describes it: WASHINGTON — A challenge to part of President Obama’s healthcare law that hits the Supreme Court on Tuesday could lead to one of the most significant religious freedom rulings in the high court’s history. USA Today puts it even more dramatically: WASHINGTON — President … Continue reading Ready, set, go! Hobby Lobby at the Supremes

Half-naked dancers and public prayers in Oklahoma City. Published March 1. Dallas paper advocates for Methodist same-sex marriage. Published March 4. 5Q+1: CNN Godbeat pro on his remarkable Lampedusa story. Published March 5. Dallas Morning News advocacy journalism, the prequel. Published March 6. Kentucky church gun giveaway story shoots straight. Published March 7. * Giving both sides a voice in Methodist same-sex debate. Published March … Continue reading March 2014: GetReligion