These female rabbis in France are carving their own path in Judaism
Plus Biden's meeting with the Pope and more headlines
Hi ReligionUnplugged readers,
Over the pandemic, 29-year-old Iris Ferreira became the first female rabbi ordained in France. She has since been joined by four other ordained female rabbis, all of whom are committed to reforming Jewish tradition in the country. They and many others that the religion will only survive in the country if both men and women become faith leaders.
Contributor Hannah Steinkopf-Frank spoke to these women about how they’re increasing rabbinical studies and hoping to pass down Judaism to future generations.
Also this week, President Joe Biden met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Though the meeting took place in private, Biden spoke to the media afterward: “We just talked about the fact that he was happy I’m a good Catholic and I should keep receiving Communion,” he said. That comes after many bishops have called for Biden to be prohibited from receiving communion for his stance on same-sex marriage and abortion.
Senior contributor Clemente Lisi writes on both the meeting and the Catholic media coverage following.
Student contributor Abby Miller also reviews Squid Game, the bloody Korean-made Netflix series that’s become a global sensation. Miller writes on how the series critiques Korean Christianity.
See you next week! And if you like what you read, share this with your family and friends.
Women Rabbis In France Carve Their Own Path
Biden Is A 'Good Catholic': How The Press Covered His Meeting With Pope Francis by Clemente Lisi
(ANALYSIS) A funny thing happened when President Joe Biden visited Pope Francis at the Vatican. The event actually made news, especially with Biden quotes about what allegedly happened in private. It was big news across the media ecosystem because of 20 words the president uttered to reporters in Rome after the face-to-face.
Kenya Bans Gay-Themed Movie, Sparking Debate On LGBTQ Rights by Tom Osanjo
The Kenya Film Classification Board recently banned a documentary film, “I am Samuel”, about a religious gay man’s struggle for acceptance from his family and country, sparking debate on the rights of the LGBTQ community as well as interpretations of the Bible on same-sex relationships.
South African Churches Pray Against COVID-19 At Election Day Polls by Vicky Abraham
As millions of South Africans visited the polls this week, the South African Council of Churches prayed that the local municipal elections would not trigger more spread of COVID-19. The nation has been one of the world’s hardest hit during the pandemic in terms of coronavirus infections and death rate, with 2.92 million cases and 89,179 deaths.
Biden Says Pope Francis Called Him A ‘Good Catholic’ As Vatican Declines To Comment by Clemente Lisi
President Joe Biden said Pope Francis told him on Friday that he’s “a good Catholic” who should continue to receive Holy Communion. The comments widen the rift between the pope and a group of U.S. bishops because of the president’s support for abortion rights. The Vatican declined to comment on the veracity of Biden’s statement.
How The Bloody Netflix Sensation 'Squid Game' Critiques Korean Christianity by Abby Miller
(REVIEW) The horrifyingly addictive Netflix Korean thriller “Squid Game” has become the number one television show in more than 90 countries. But beyond the surprising visuals and horrific violence that touch on an array of themes, the show also has something to say about religion — specifically, Korean forms of Christianity.
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.
Video: A Dalit Family Shares The Discrimination, Violence It Faces In India by Harshita Rathore
Jawahar Singh is one of the more than 160 million people in India once considered “untouchables” due to the caste hierarchy in Hinduism. In this episode of “The Dinner Table” produced by Newsreel Asia in partnership with ReligionUnplugged, the Jatavs explain the layers of discrimination from upper caste Hindus that exist in their village.
Case To Protect Sacred Apache Site In Arizona Goes Beyond One Tribe Or Religion by Chelsea Langston Bombino
(ANALYSIS) Oak Flat is regarded as holy by the San Carlos Apache Tribe, but it rests on about 40 billion pounds of copper. In 2014, legislation was passed by the U.S. government to transfer the land to the Resolution Copper mining company. This year, the tribe is fighting back in a case that tells us all something about what it means to be human.
Christian Couple Share Jesus Through Baseball And Adoption by Bobby Ross Jr.
Patrick and Katie Beth McCarthy see the baseball diamond as a mission field — a way to introduce players, many recruited from difficult backgrounds, to Jesus. Adoption is a big part of their story, too. Last year, the Family Guidance Center of Alabama recognized the McCarthys with one of its “Families of the Year” awards.
New Study Finds Values Gap Between Gen Z And Religious Institutions by Anna Carlson
A new study shows that young Americans increasingly distanced themselves from religious institutions like churches, mosques and synagogues in 2020 — which they feel don’t care about social justice issues important to them. Instead, they found spirituality in practices like tarot card readings while sharing fears and musings in online spaces.
Opinion
Boo! Just In Time For Halloween, Frightening Headlines About Evangelicals
In Friday’s Weekend Plug-In column, Bobby Ross Jr. shares some of the most recent evangelical news: including stories of sexual assault at Liberty, the evangelical divide and more.
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!
Business Meets Charity: Airbnb's Nonprofit Wing Houses Afghan Refugees by Ewelina U. Ochab
Press Eagerly Watches Evangelicals Fracture As Elites Argue Over Politics by Richard Ostling
Israelis Wonder If They Should Keep Taking US' Aid by Dave Schechter
I Warned That Doctors Were Experimenting With Transgender Children. Now A Leading Transgender Doctor Is Sounding The Alarm by Dr. Michael Brown
People Have Been Asking: Is The COVID Vaccine The Bible's Sinister 'Mark Of The Beast'? by Richard Ostling
Like Berlin 1936, World Ignores China's Treatment Of Uighurs For Beijing 2022 Olympics by Ira Rifkin
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
Pastors Question Whether To Unplug From Online Services When The Pandemic Ends by Paul Glader and John Semakula
Many pastors around the U.S. and the world are wondering how and when church life can transition back into real-life gatherings, with church members weaned off the safety and convenience of online church. ReligionUnplugged.com spoke to a dozen pastors from Africa to America to hear about the challenges of digital church post pandemic.
Restored 1896 Footage May Reveal New Details Of Pope Leo XIII, Earliest-Born Person On Film by Timothy Nerozzi
A restoration project on YouTube has rendered a short piece of film depicting Pope Leo XIII into never-before seen quality. David Martin, who restored the footage from 1896 into color, spoke to ReligionUnplugged.com about the scenes of Pope Leo XIII captured and the identities of the men surrounding him, long forgotten.
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