Hi ReligionUnplugged readers,
The Promised Land Covenant Church in the Bronx has been plagued with tribulations since the pandemic began. Their congregation of 200 lost 15 people to COVID-19, including a child. Then the church building was ravaged by a fire in January and flooded by Hurricane Ida’s downpour in September. Despite it all, the church community has remained resilient and steadfast. They’ve continued to meet and worship in backyards, basements and over Zoom.
ReligionUnplugged interns Bethany Johnson and Sofia Kioko visited the church to report their story — and where they’re headed in the future.
“I feel like that one word [love] says it all,” Pastor Donald Carrow said. “Everything we do week to week in this community is about love. We love each other, and this family is a gift to each other. The church is a family, is what keeps us connected.”
See you next week! And if you like what you read, share this with your family and friends.
Video: Plague, Fire And Flood: This Bronx Church Triumphs Over Them All
YouVersion Bible App First Faith-Based App To Hit 500 Million Installations by Jillian Cheney
Bible app YouVersion has been installed 500 million times worldwide, marking a milestone in the app’s development.
Japanese Temples Are Holding Funerals For Unwanted Dolls by Heather Greene
Disposing of unwanted dolls and toys in Japan is not so easy. Throughout the year temples across Japan hold a “ningyo kuyo” (人形供養), a funeral ritual for unwanted dolls, especially traditional dolls. Held in both Buddhist and Shinto temples alike, the ceremony is a spiritual send-off to thank dolls for their service and properly put them to rest.
In Crimea, Jehovah's Witnesses Jailed For 'Extremism,' Sent To Russian Labor Camps by Felix Corley
A Crimean court jailed 49-year-old Jehovah's Witness Igor Schmidt for six years on "extremism"-related charges to be followed by six years of restrictions, although the prosecution presented no victims of any wrongdoing in court. Schmidt is the fourth Crimean Jehovah's Witness handed a long jail term. Another is on trial and at least 11 more face criminal cases.
Amid Pandemic In Honduras, Christian Ministry Becomes Food Delivery Service by Erik Tryggestad
As Hondurans deal with COVID-19 deaths and lockdowns and recover from two hurricanes, Christian Relief Fund delivers bags of rice, beans, coffee and sugar — by truck, bike or donkey — to hungry families of the children it sponsors.
Missionaries To Amazon Unwelcome By Indigenous People And Prohibited By Law by Steve Rabey
(REVIEW) Entering the main gallery is a religious experience of sorts — the sequences of tableaux that punctuate all four sides of the space serve as stations for reflection. Büttner leaves us with a restorative vision of the future, encouraging us to earnestly consider the meaning of faith, hope and love.
'The Jesus Music' Explores Christianity From The Perspectives Of Iconic Artists by Jillian Cheney
(REVIEW) The new documentary “The Jesus Music” interviews iconic Christian artists like Amy Grant, TobyMac, Michael W. Smith and more. It’s a fun documentary, but its nostalgia overshadows many more important discussions on the current state of Christian music — for Christians and non-Christians alike.
‘Bible In A Year’ Among Apple’s Top Podcasts, Spanish Version Due Out Next Year by Clemente Lisi
Mike Schmitz has become an unlikely podcast star. He isn’t only a Catholic priest, but Schmitz’s chart-topping daily podcast has become a huge hit since debuting on New Year’s Day. In January, the podcast debuted at No. 1 on Apple iTunes in all categories and over the past 10 months has become the greatest Catholic podcast ever.
Opinion
Touch, Prayer And The Role Of Clergy At Executions: SCOTUS Weighs Religious Freedom
In Friday’s Weekend Plug-In column, Bobby Ross Jr. explains a Texas case that appeared before SCOTUS on Nov. 9. It questions the role of clergy in executions after one man on death row asked to have his pastor pray over him as he died.
Don’t forget! You can subscribe to receive Bobby’s column early on Fridays for only $5 a month. Click the button below to subscribe!
Many Scientists Are Atheists, But That Doesn’t Mean They Are Anti-Religious by Elaine Howard Ecklund
Don't Neglect The Supreme Court's Potentially Weighty Case On Religious Schools Funding by Richard Ostling
God Is Meta — Zuckerberg's Company, Not So Much by Dr. Michael Brown
Human Rights Institute Is Helping Women Escape Afghanistan, But States Must Do More by Ewelina U. Ochab
How A Catholic Schoolboy Became An Anglican Bishop — Then A Catholic Priest by Terry Mattingly
As Pandemic Programs End, Churches Play Bigger Role In Fighting Food Insecurity by Brad R. Fulton
Don’t miss our latest podcast
Religious About Jabs
A Jain temple in India’s western metropolis, Mumbai, urgently pedals to vaccinate as many people as it can - caste, religion no bar. Jinesh Shah who started this initiative has worked tirelessly to accommodate vaccination camps for even the homeless. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or listen directly on our website.
In case you missed it
Editorial picks from our archives
Colin L. Powell's Lifetime Of Service Informed By His Episcopal Faith by Hamil R. Harris
In life, Colin Luther Powell, the son of Jamaican Anglican immigrants, rose to become an Army general, a White House aide to four presidents and the first Black American to serve as the United States secretary of state. Powell passed away Oct. 18 at age 84 due to complications of COVID-19.
The Real Reason We Have Another (Terrible) God’s Not Dead Movie by Joseph Holmes
(REVIEW) The movie “God’s Not Dead: We The People” is another very bad entry in a very bad franchise. But the real issue is that no one is making movies that express the experiences of the Christian conservative audience in ways that are high-quality, nuanced and productive and encourage the best angles of those people.
Thanks again for reading!
ReligionUnplugged is a non-profit news organization that benefits greatly from your contributions. Your monetary donations allow us to continue our reporting and expand our coverage. You can always donate on our website by clicking the button below.
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. For $5 a month, subscribe to our Weekend Plug-In Substack. Any news tips for us? Is there a story you think we should be covering? We want to know! Email our managing editor Meagan at meagan@themediaproject.org.