Monthly Archives: August 2011

World Religions on Hallowed Ground

by Sandi Dolbee The polarizing notion that the United States is a “(Judeo-)Christian” nation–and the reluctance of politicians and media types to challenge or complicate that idea–is nowhere more apparent than at Ground Zero. First, some background. As Courtney Bender … Continue reading

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Elephant Gun: Bill Keller Hits the Target, and Then Some

by Maura Jane Farrelly The New York Times' Executive Editor Bill Keller struck a nerve when his weekly column in the Times Magazine called for journalists to pay “closer attention” to what the GOP's candidates for president “say about their … Continue reading

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Journalism and 9/11

In the decade since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the country, our culture and the world have changed dramatically. As has journalism itself. Over the next two weeks we'll posting a special series of guest blogs that focus on how … Continue reading

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Journalism and 9/11

by Nicole Neroulias The ten-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks is a few weeks away, and American Muslims, interfaith advocates and the mainstream media are switching to offense against the inevitable Islamophobia kicked up by this tragic day. Life … Continue reading

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The West Memphis Three: Demons in the Dock…Or the Pressbox?

by Sarah M. Pike Three young men known as the “West Memphis Three” were released last week after spending half their lives in prison largely because they were teenage outcasts who wore black clothing and listened to heavy metal music. … Continue reading

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Lilly Scholarships in Religion

RELIGION | NEWSWRITERS invites all journalists to apply to its Lilly Scholarships in Religion Program. The scholarships give full-time journalists up to $5,000 to take college religion and spirituality courses. With religion headlines taking center stage, now is the perfect time … Continue reading

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Recipients of 2011 Knight Grants

On August 20, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism announced the recipients of the 2011 Knight Grants for Reporting on Religion and American Public Life. Among many outstanding applications, nine projects were chosen to receive grants between $5,000 … Continue reading

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Covering Israel's Belated "Arab Spring"

Last month hundreds of Israelis launched a protest against the government's economic policies, which have led to sky-high costs for basic necessities. The widening gulf between the country's super-rich and everyone else has placed home ownership out of reach for … Continue reading

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Leiby Kletzky and Religious "Otherness"

by Judith Weisenfeld Recently in New York, a court-appointed psychiatrist found 35-year-old Levi Aron competent to stand trial for the murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky. Aron has confessed to kidnapping, killing and dismembering the boy, who had become lost while … Continue reading

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In Political Reporting, Religion Questions Are Hardly Out of Bounds

by Chris Tokuhama In a widely anticipated move, Texas governor Rick Perry officially declared his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination this Saturday. Perry's entry into the campaign, coming on the heels of his controversial faith-based rally, “The Response,” reminds … Continue reading

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