⚾️ ‘New pope, new me’: Devout Catholic baseball star finds his hitting groove 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged ARLINGTON, Texas — After a slow start to his first season with the Texas Rangers, Jake Burger is crushing the ball again. The secret to the 29-year-old … Continue reading ⚾️ ‘New pope, new me’: Devout Catholic baseball star finds his hitting groove 🔌

⚾️ Reporting on baseball and faith: A religion writer combines two loves 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged DETROIT — Cecil Cooper. Bobby Murcer. Rod Carew. Frank Tanana. As a boy growing up in the 1970s, I scoured the stats on the backs of their baseball … Continue reading ⚾️ Reporting on baseball and faith: A religion writer combines two loves 🔌

A pitch to follow Jesus: Baseball fans embrace players’ faith testimonials

By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged DETROIT — The preacher made his pitch like a pro. Frank Tanana held a Bible in his left hand — the one he used to strike out 2,773 batters in a 21-season major league career — as he urged a pregame crowd of 3,074 fans to follow Jesus. “I beg of you, today is the day of salvation,” Tanana told the … Continue reading A pitch to follow Jesus: Baseball fans embrace players’ faith testimonials

🎸 Top 10 faith-infused country songs: The ACM’s all-time best honorees 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged “Telling folks that Jesus is the answer can rub them wrong,” as Brad Paisley put it in a 2010 song. “But this is country music,” Paisley proclaimed, “and we do.” … Continue reading 🎸 Top 10 faith-infused country songs: The ACM’s all-time best honorees 🔌

🌪️ WWJD: How journalists can cover natural disasters without exploiting victims 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged CHICAGO — Don’t ask me to explain nuclear science, but I can offer intelligent insight on a few subjects. The beauty of baseball. My love for Chick-fil-A. News … Continue reading 🌪️ WWJD: How journalists can cover natural disasters without exploiting victims 🔌

⛪️ ‘The pope is dead!’: How news outlets prepared in advance to cover Francis’ passing 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged “The pope is dead!” Religion writer Kelsey Dallas shouted those words to her husband — or something to that effect — when she awakened to a push … Continue reading ⛪️ ‘The pope is dead!’: How news outlets prepared in advance to cover Francis’ passing 🔌

📝 ‘We Will Never Forget’: How covering the biggest story of my life changed me 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged OKLAHOMA CITY — The last week or two, I started feeling stressed. Agitated even. For no apparent reason. Then it hit me: The anniversary. Saturday marks 30 … Continue reading 📝 ‘We Will Never Forget’: How covering the biggest story of my life changed me 🔌

🚊 Meet Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged’s executive editor: 7 things to know 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged WASHINGTON — Ordinarily, an Amtrak ride from Penn Station in Manhattan to Union Station in Washington takes about three hours. But last week, New York-based journalist Clemente Lisi’s … Continue reading 🚊 Meet Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged’s executive editor: 7 things to know 🔌

🤖 #RNA2025: What the nation’s top religion writers — and AI — are talking about 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged ARLINGTON, Va. — I’m hanging out this week with 169 of my closest Godbeat friends. The Religion News Association kicked off its annual three-day meeting Thursday at the … Continue reading 🤖 #RNA2025: What the nation’s top religion writers — and AI — are talking about 🔌