🏆 Weekend Plug-in year in review: The best religion journalism of 2023 🔌
More than 60 top religion journalists share their best story
By Bobby Ross Jr.
Good morning, Weekend Plug-in readers!
For today’s special year-end edition, I asked some of the nation’s top religion journalists to share their favorite or most important story they produced in 2023.
It’s a holiday week, so I didn’t catch up with everybody. But once again this year, I sure appreciate those who responded — more than 60 in all.
Feel free to jump straight to the list, but I can’t resist a few quick notes:
• I’m wrapping up four years since launching Plug-in. This newsletter goes to more than 10,000 subscribers via email before it’s published at ReligionUnplugged.com. I’m grateful for everyone who reads and shares Plug-in. Our goal is to provide the best roundup of religion news anywhere.
• I follow religion news and save interesting links throughout the week, but I typically write Plug-in early Friday. In other words, it’s a deadline labor of love with the typos to prove it. This part-time gig helps me stay on top of news and trends in the world of faith, but my full-time job is serving as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. In 2023, I was blessed to report from a dozen states and four countries (Australia, Cuba, Mexico and Vanuatu). My story from Down Under will publish early next year.
• I’ve spent 33 years in full-time journalism, including nearly a quarter-century focused on religion news (starting with Pope John Paul II’s visit to St. Louis in 1999). I’m inspired by longtime Godbeat pros — such as Adelle M. Banks, Michelle Boorstein, Greg Garrison, Carla Hinton, Frank Lockwood, Terry Mattingly, Bob Smietana, Peter Smith and Peggy Fletcher Stack — who keep producing amazing journalism. And those are just the ones I managed to reach this week. Besides the old-timers, I’m excited about the newcomers — including Joy Ashford and Eric Killelea — covering religion.
• Many who shared links found it difficult to pick just one. Several submitted multiple possibilities and asked me to choose. Menachem Wecker wins the award for most stories shared with 10. I included two links from only one writer, Clemente Lisi. He is ReligionUnplugged.com’s executive editor and the boss, after all! One Godbeat pro who had no difficulty with her pick was Sarah Pulliam Bailey. The award-winning religion writer is “taking a pause to hang out with my girls.” Thus, she quipped, “I wrote exactly one story so I guess this would be it!”
• A confession before we get to the list: I started this year-end approach a few years ago as a way to do a quick, easy post during the holidays. What in the world was I thinking? The reality is that this takes much longer than a normal Plug-in, but that’s OK. I truly enjoy connecting with my fellow journalists and sharing their best work.
Enjoy!
Power Up: The Year’s Best Reads
Journalists who write about religion pick their top story of 2023.
• Liam Adams, The Tennessean: Scott Sauls envisioned Christ Presbyterian as a city on a hill. Why it didn't last.
• Joy Ashford, Dallas Morning News: Dallas’ Cathedral Guadalupe to celebrate its national shrine status.
• Cheryl Mann Bacon, Christian Chronicle: One hurricane, two churches.
• Sarah Pulliam Bailey, New York Times: A $96 million Hindu temple opens amid accusations of forced labor.
• Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service: Women at the first March on Washington: a secretary, a future bishop and a marshal.
• Emily Belz, Christianity Today: The young Christian who took Johnson & Johnson to court.
• Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post: Catholic group spent millions on app data that tracked gay priests.
• Gregg Brekke, Broadview: How nuns are helping displaced Ukrainians amid the Russian invasion.
• Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WWII re-enactments draw dozens in Nazi uniforms — and one Jewish educator working to make sure the Holocaust is remembered.
• Michele Chabin, Religion News Service: Stung by anti-Israel protests and hate, many Jews are reasserting their identity.
• Calvin Cockrell, Christian Chronicle: ‘Somebody has to die for me to live,’
• David Crary, Associated Press: Some critics see Trump’s behavior as un-Christian. His conservative Christian backers see a hero.
• Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News: The law that changed religious freedom forever.
• Robert Downen, Texas Tribune: Key supporter of Texas school chaplain bill has pushed for evangelism in schools.
• Julia Duin, The Free Press: Fresh off a Supreme Court win, the praying coach takes the field.
• Aaron Earls, Lifeway Research: AI-powered preaching: How much should Silicon Valley impact sermon prep?
• Mariam Fam, Associated Press: Morocco’s historic Women’s World Cup performance inspires girls even if some in Arab world ignore it.
• Greg Garrison, AL.com: United Methodist split: changing signs reflect upheaval.
• Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service: Vatican summit tackles women’s ordination with a nod from Pope Francis.
• Paul Glader, ReligionUnplugged.com: Oslo’s hidden gem: Exploring the Nordic Bible Museum.
• Ruth Graham, New York Times: ‘Woodstock’ for Christians: Revival draws thousands to Kentucky town.
• Hamil R. Harris, Christian Chronicle: Maryland Pilots for Christ on a higher mission.
• Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman: 'Let them go': How St. Luke's survived efforts to thwart its United Methodist exit plans.
• Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press: Rastafari gain sacramental rights to marijuana in Antigua and Barbuda, celebrate freedom of worship.
• María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press: In Chile, justice eludes victims of Catholic clergy sex abuse years after the crisis exploded.
• BeLynn Hollers, Religion News Service: In rural Texas, spending taxpayer money on private schools is a hard sell.
• Joseph Holmes, ReligionUnplugged.com: How the sexual revolution killed the Hollywood rom-com.
• Rebecca Hopkins, The Roys Report: Woman says IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle used prophecy to sexually abuse her.
• Audrey Jackson, Christian Chronicle: ‘If they go into full-time ministry, they’ll go back to poverty.’
• Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service: How big Christian nationalism has come courting in North Idaho, published Feb. 22.
• Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times: How antisemitism came roaring back into American life.
• Louis Keene, The Forward: The college is Christian. Its point guard wears a yarmulke.
• Mark A. Kellner, Washington Times: Voice of reason: Senate chaplain part of ‘great conversation’ during 20 years on Capitol Hill.
• Tamarra Kemsley, Salt Lake Tribune: Calyann Barnett is smashing the mold of a devout LDS woman — simply by being herself.
• Sam Kestenbaum, Montez Press Radio: ‘The Old-Time Cosmic Revival Hour.’
• Eric Killelea, Houston Chronicle: What it's like to lose your religion in Houston — and where you go next.
• Sophia Lee, Christianity Today: How one family’s faith survived three generations in the pulpit.
• Clemente Lisi, ReligionUnplugged.com: 'Vatican Girl' disappearance continues to baffle 40 years later, published June 20; and ‘Miracle we got out alive’: Jews recall horror of Hamas attacks.
• Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: A fond farewell, then a sex case.
• G. Jeffrey MacDonald, LivingChurch.org: Lay preachers meet growing need.
• Terry Mattingly, Universal syndidate: Covenant pastor preached on death, grief and the tears of Jesus — weeks before the attack.
• Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service: Adult egg hunts and kiddie pools full of gifts: Is Easter the new Christmas?
• Holly Meyer, Associated Press: How a South Dakota priest inspired 125 years of direct democracy — and the fight to preserve it.
• Chris Moody, ReligionUnplugged.com: Mark Driscoll’s safe space: How the embattled pastor built a new church.
• Richard Ostling, GetReligion.org: New probe of origins of Islam's Quran resembles 200 years of New Testament conflict.
• Kathryn Post, Religion News Service: Queer bars offer sacred space for LGBTQ community.
• Harvest Prude, formerly with The Dispatch, now with Christianity Today: ‘The worst of our worst nightmares.’
• Francis X. Rocca, Wall Street Journal: Our many Jesuses.
• Arno Rosenfeld, The Forward: Did everyone miss an antisemitic campus murder?
• Bobby Ross Jr. (hey, that’s me!), ReligionUnplugged.com: Jesus at the ballpark: Why MLB teams host faith nights.
• Julie Roys, The Roys Report: Analysis: Top 10 churches that participated in Hillsong Family’s ‘celebrity preacher’s scam.’
• Meagan Saliashvili, Religion News Service: Ukrainian Orthodox churches purge vestiges of Russian influence.
• Katie Collins Scott, National Catholic Reporter: Catholic clergy abuse survivors of color endure compounded trauma.
• Kate Shellnutt, Christianity Today: At McLean Bible, Mike Kelsey is reimagining the multiethnic church.
• Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today: ‘No celebrities except Jesus’: How Asbury protected the revival.
• Bob Smietana, Religion News Service: For church worship teams, Auto-Tune covers a multitude of sins. Especially online.
• Peter Smith, Associated Press: Grassroots faith leaders navigate a Northern Ireland in flux.
• Peggy Fletcher Stack, Salt Lake Tribune: After 5 years under Russell Nelson, is the LDS Church healthier today than when he took charge?
• Tiffany Stanley, Associated Press: In the U.S., Black survivors are nearly invisible in the Catholic clergy sexual abuse crisis.
• Jovan Tripkovic, ReligionUnplugged.com: NBA’s Jonathan Isaac and his mission: ‘Find identity in God rather than basketball.’
• Erik Tryggestad, Christian Chronicle: A message for the hurting: ‘God’s eyes are upon you.’
• Menachem Wecker, Jewish News Syndicate: ‘It’s clear to me now that I need to be much more careful,’ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tells JNS.
• Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter: For a brief moment, Rod Dreher is a Pope Francis fan, published May 16.
• Gil Zohar, ReligionUnplugged.com: Israel releases grisly videos of Hamas massacre targeting Jews.
The Final Plug
Next week we’ll do another special year-end Weekend Plug-in and highlight ReligionUnplugged.com’s most popular stories from 2023.
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the holiday weekend.
Bobby Ross Jr. writes the Weekend Plug-in column for ReligionUnplugged.com and serves as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 18 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.