(OPINION) Choosing to remain childless used to be a decision frowned upon by the larger culture. Now, childlessness is rapidly becoming our culture. But while having kids might be only a choice, it’s a choice I can’t imagine having forgone. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/3/…

As Christian nationalism grew within his own church, Pastor Caleb Campbell set out to understand its appeal and how to help Christians minister to their close friends and family committed to it. Read this Q&A with the author of “Disarming Leviathan.’ religionunplugged.com/news/2024/8/5/…

(ANALYSIS/Ryan Burge 📊) Let’s visualize how the two major parties have diverged on belief, behavior and belonging. Let’s start with belief in God, a question that’s been included in the General Social Survey with regularity since the early 1990s. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/9/…

(REVIEW/Joseph Holmes) “The Front Room” uses the modern horror format to look at toxic Christian fundamentalism and present the return of pre-Christian paganism as a return of the good guys. Unfortunately, its neither smart nor entertaining. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/10…

A church in Wisconsin has announced it will disaffiliate from the Network, a nondenominational network of churches accused of operating like a cult. Citing an inability to “address issues and resolve concerns,” the church is the first to leave religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/6/…

Providence Baptist Church has an elder making a mockery of the term “remote work.” Over the last several months, astronaut Barry Wilmore has proven that long distances shouldn’t keep one from being an active church member. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/5/…

After spending almost nine months in a Nicaraguan prison, 13 pastors and attorneys associated with the Texas-based Mountain Gateway ministry were released. They were part of 135 unjustly detained political prisoners released on humanitarian grounds. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/6/…

(PHOTO ESSAY/Clemente Lisi) The U.S. president has the Secret Service as protection. The pope has the Swiss Guard. Who are these men donning multi-colored uniforms designed during the Middle Ages who march around St. Peter’s Square? religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/11…

Mia Le Roux made history on Aug. 10 by becoming the first deaf women to be crowned Miss South Africa at the 66th pageant finale held at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/8/19…

(ANALYSIS/Terry Mattingly) Visiting an often tense land — with a population that is 87% Muslim and 3% Catholic — the pope did everything he could to praise the beliefs and traditions of his hosts. In that context, his pro-family views were welcomed. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/11…

(OPINION/Dr. Michael L. Brown) Politics are very important. Politics played a role in the abolition of slavery and overturning of Roe v. Wade. Conversely, they brought Hitler to power. But politics are not the gospel. Let’s not confuse the two. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/11…

🚨🚨🚨 WEEKEND PLUG-IN 🔌🔌🔌 1. 📰 Is Pulitzer winner JamesVGrimaldi's move from The Wall Street Journal to NCR surprising? Not overly 🔌 My latest for Religion Unplugged religionunplugged.com/news/2024/09/1… #journalism #Godbeat #religion

A coalition of civil society groups, activists, influencers and ordinary citizens — including Christians and Muslims — launched a protest this summer called #EndBadGovernance to address Nigeria’s rising inflation, unemployment and insecurity. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/8/19…

2. See feedback on JamesVGrimaldi's move by Ken Chitwood, Richard Ostling and Bob Smietana, plus mentions of Joshua McElwee, Sarah Pulliam Bailey 🖋️🖋️🖋️, Paul Glader, @clementelisi, Jodi Rudoren, Francis X. Rocca and kate shellnutt. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/09/1…

JamesVGrimaldi Ken Chitwood Richard Ostling Bob Smietana Joshua McElwee Sarah Pulliam Bailey 🖋️🖋️🖋️ Paul Glader Clemente Lisi Jodi Rudoren Francis X. Rocca kate shellnutt 3. Inside the Godbeat: Deseret News's Jacob Z. Hess interviewed longtime religion writer and columnist Terry Mattingly. Not surprisingly, @tmatt had a lot to say. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/09/1…

4. Final plug: Wednesday marked the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that propelled the United States into two decades of war. I wrote a feature on a ministry that’s helping 9/11 military heroes who are still fighting a war at home. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/09/1…

The political gender gap between young female voters and young male voters is real — but nothing new. Megastar Taylor Swift’s decision to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris was the hook for this week’s “Crossroads” podcast with Terry Mattingly. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/12…

After a difficult economic stretch for many churches and pastors, Lifeway Research shows compensation for Southern Baptist senior pastors, full-time staff ministers and full-time office personnel outpaced inflation over the past two years. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/11…

In Bobby Ross Jr.’ Weekend Plug-in, JamesVGrimaldi leaves a long, successful career in secular newspapers to join NCR. Plus, Deseret News’s interview with Terry Mattingly. And Bobby’s feature on on a ministry that’s helping 9/11 military heroes. religionunplugged.com/news/2024/09/1…

Pope Francis chimed in on the upcoming U.S. presidential election, instructing U.S. Catholics to use their “conscience” when voting and to choose the “lesser evil,” saying both Donald Trump and Kamalar Harris are “against life.” religionunplugged.com/news/2024/9/13…