Beyond 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'
Bono talks faith in new U2 documentary
Hi Religion Unplugged readers,
It’s difficult to find an accurate representation of the faith of the band U2, writes Maddy Fry in today’s top story. In the new documentary “Stories of Surrender,” Bono provides a nuanced portrait of the group and pushes back against sectarianism.
Fry writes on the film and the band’s religious history explored in depth—read more to finally find what you’re looking for.
More Than ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’: U2, Faith and the Fight Against Sectarianism
(REVIEW) When it comes to U2, perhaps the only thing harder to find than a nuanced opinion of them is an accurate portrayal of their faith. It was a shock to some that the Dublin-based band — who became big in the 1980s — refused to be pigeonholed as apologists for Irish nationalism. Anyone who looks at their religious makeup shouldn’t have been surprised. by Maddy Fry
The Dangers Of Religious Nationalism In Global Conflict
(ANALYSIS) Whatever one’s position in a conflict, certain actions cannot be justified. Targeting civilians, destroying essential services, blocking aid, using civilian areas for military purposes or punishing entire populations for the acts of a few are all violations of international law and human conscience. by Vishal Arora
Holy Ground: The Faith-Fueled Science Behind the Birth of Biblical Archaeology
(REVIEW) In 1838, American clergymen Edward Robinson and Eli Smith began a Bible-guided survey of the Holy Land, producing a landmark archaeological record. Allan Chapman’s new book traces how 19th-century explorers and missionaries — from pyramid-measuring mystic Charles Piazzi Smyth to Ur excavator Sir Leonard Woolley — sought evidence for Biblical truth. by Tom Verde
‘28 Years Later’ Argues A Secular Death Better Than A Christian One
(REVIEW) Zombies resemble humans without retaining anything about our distinct personalities or relationships also have a visceral ability to articulate our fear of the end. Death is an ever-present fact of life, so symbols of death, like skulls or the Grim Reaper, are natural. This is particularly true during times when religious symbols of death and what comes after (like the Christian cross) appear to be out of style. by Joseph Holmes
‘There Is Grief In Good Things’: Q&A With Writer And Minister Jeff Chu
Roughly two-thirds of the way through his new book, “Good Soil: the Education of an Accidental Farmhand,” Jeff Chu, then a student at Princeton Theological Seminary and a worker at the school “Farminary” (working farm), reflects on the New Testament parable of the seed sower. What was its significance for him, a gay child of immigrants from Hong Kong raised in a conservative Christian family teeming with preachers and Sunday school teachers? by Elizabeth Eisenstadt Evans
A Hindu’s Heroism In A Muslim School: When Having Faith Means Saving Lives
When a shell slammed into a madrassa (an Islamic school) housing over 1,200 children, its caretaker, Sayyed Habib, didn’t dial the army or the police. He didn’t call emergency services. He called Pradeep Sharma, a Hindu and former lawmaker, and his best friend since ninth grade. it was an example of how people of differing faiths found it in their hearts to help one another. by Zaffar Iqbal
On Religion: Who Will Lead America’s ‘Small Churches’?
(ANALYSIS) One of the crucial services the Rev. Tony Marr provides as the leader of the Higher Ministries consulting firm is to connect young pastors — fresh out of seminaries and Bible colleges — with churches that need new leaders. There's a problem. Most of these churches seeking pastors have fewer than 150 members and are considered “small churches” in the Protestant marketplace. by Terry Mattingly
When Jesus Goes Prime Time: Wrestling With ‘The Chosen’
(ANALYSIS) If we agree that on-screen depictions of Jesus that add things to Scripture aren’t automatically evil, then “The Chosen” actually comes out seeming like something of a miracle. It sticks pretty darn close to Scripture when it comes to Jesus’ own words and actions, mostly developing other characters. And what it does add to Jesus’ words is within the realm of typical Christian orthodoxy. by Joseph Holmes
🏟️ NBA Finals Prayers, Pope Rally At The Ballpark And NFL Coach’s Faith 🔌
The Oklahoma City Thunder are still praying. Presumably, so are the Indiana Pacers. Plus, a big rally for Pope XIV at the Chicago White Sox ballpark, and an NFL head coach says God guides him. by Bobby Ross Jr.
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