Plus an interview with 'The Family Roe' author and more headlines  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

	Open in browser A 100-year-old Lutheran church reckons with decline Plus an interview with 'The Family Roe' author and more headlines Religion Unplugged Aug 3 Hi ReligionUnplugged readers, The Central Lutheran Church of Dallas celebrated its 100th birthday last week. Despite its legacy, the church has seen significant declines in attendance and participation — particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. A bishop told ReligionUnplugged that the majority of White congregations “have been in decline, frankly, for 20-plus years.” According to denomination research, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will have fewer than 67,000 members in 2050. The story of the ELCA and its Dallas church is just one window into the way mainline traditions have shifted with the rise of online worship and other factors. Contributor BeLynn Hollers reports on the church’s struggles and how they’re hoping to adapt. You also won’t want to miss this conversation between executive editor Paul Glader and author Joshua Prager about his book “The Family Roe.” The book — which does a deep dive on the history of the Roe v. Wade plaintiff — was a 2022 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction and is widely praised for its thorough research. Prager talks about his book in the context of post-Roe America, the research process and what it means to be a journalist pursuing fairness. See you next week! If you like what you read, share this with your family and friends. Share Reaching 100 Years In Dallas, Lutheran Church Grapples With COVID And Decline The Central Lutheran Church of Dallas just celebrated its 100th anniversary. The congregation, which recently merged with 70-year-old Bethany Lutheran Church of Dallas, is starting to reckon with the decline in attendance and membership that is plaguing mainline traditions across the United States. by BeLynn Hollers Beyond Roe V. Wade, Author Joshua Prager Explores ‘The Family Roe’ by Paul Glader Joshua Prager’s book, “The Family Roe” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction and received broad acclaim for Prager’s painstaking research into the life of the Roe v. Wade plaintiff — Norma McCorvey in real life and “Jane Roe” to the court — and many people connected to her, including the daughter born to her before abortion was legalized. Prager discovered the story centered on sex and religion as well as gender and class. Revisit Of ‘Due Process’ Rights Led To Reversal Of Roe by Kenneth Pybus States, lawyers and legal scholars are continuing to evaluate the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, which overturned the decision in Roe v. Wade and subsequent abortion cases and held the U.S. Constitution does not, in fact, recognize a right to terminate a pregnancy. The Gambia Presses Case Against Myanmar At International Court Of Justice by Ewelina U. Ochab (ANALYSIS) The Gambia initiated proceedings against Myanmar, alleging it has been involved in atrocities against the Rohingya Muslims, including “killing, causing serious bodily and mental harm, inflicting conditions that are calculated to bring about physical destruction, imposing measures to prevent births, and forcible transfers, (which) are genocidal in character because they are intended to destroy the Rohingya group in whole or in part.” DC Camp Helps Children Explore Their Diverse World And Build Faith Connections by Gabriel Grant Huff For four weeks each summer, Kids & Christian Camp brings children ages 3 to 12 together in the nation’s capital to cook Jamaican food, listen to African music, learn about Mexican history and Japanese clothing, practice Brazilian martial arts and tour the Tanzanian embassy. Pope Francis Says Canada Trip Will Force Him To Cut Back On Future Travel, Leaves Door Open To Retirement by Clemente Lisi Following a six-day voyage across Canada that included five stops and nine public appearances in Edmonton and Quebec City, Pope Francis said that the trip will result in reduced future travel and even the possibility he may choose to someday retire. In ‘Our Father,’ A Fertility Doctor Justifies His Unethical Practice With Bible Verses by Jillian Cheney (REVIEW) Dr. Donald Cline was once regarded as one of the best fertility doctors in the state of Indiana. But the rise in home DNA testing revealed years of invasive, unethical practice. For dozens, it brought into question Cline’s religious beliefs and position as a church elder. School Choice For The Next Generation by Chelsea Langston Bombino (ANALYSIS) Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision clearly stating that religious schools cannot be excluded from state school choice programs. This means, in short, a major potential change for the future of private faith-based education. The Man Who Could Be Pope Hopes To Shape Italian Politics, But Will Voters Listen? by Clemente Lisi (ANALYSIS) Pope Francis, along with the European Union and Italy’s left-wing voters, face a major headache since a coalition of right-wing parties could emerge victorious in Italy’s elections. The parties have been at odds with the Vatican over immigration. Can Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna make the difference this summer? Opinion The Most Compelling Headlines From Pope Francis’ ‘Penitential Pilgrimage’ To Canada In Friday’s Weekend Plug-In column, Bobby Ross Jr. highlights Pope Francis’ trip to Canada to apologize to Indigenous peoples for abuses at church-run residential schools. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith. 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! Subscribe to Weekend Plug-In How Do We Define 'Progressive Christianity'? by Dr. Michael Brown Contrary To The Perception, Most Preachers Avoid Politics — Here’s Why by Paul Prather People Will Let You Down. Expect It. Accept It. Show Mercy. Move On. by Paul Prather Here’s A Soundbite For You: In The Bible, Does St. Peter Call Women The ‘Weaker Sex’? by Richard Ostling The Marvel Universe Contains Many Gods — Including Jesus? by Terry Mattingly Don’t miss our latest podcast The 2022 EJI Freedom of the Press Award Religion Unplugged Executive Editor Paul Glader interviews Czech journalist Daniel Raus on the complicated dynamics of assessing religious affiliation in former Soviet nations such as the Czech Republic, which is arguably the most atheistic country on earth. We also learn about Raus’ history in radio, audio production at Radio Free Europe, Czech Radio and his recent freedom of the press award from The Media Project and The Fund for American Studies. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or listen directly on our website.  In case you missed it Editorial picks from our archives This Catholic Nun Rejects The Pro-Choice/Pro-Life Binary by Linda Freund Catholic nun and medical doctor Teresa Forcades says women should make their own abortion decisions. Forcades is quick to clarify that she is not “pro-choice” and that she, too, believes in the sanctity of life, but the situation is “way more complex” to squeeze into the pro-choice/pro-life binary that frames today’s abortion debate. Pope Francis Apologizes To Canada's Indigenous Peoples For Church Role In Past Abuse by Clemente Lisi Pope Francis apologized to Canada’s Indigenous communities for the Catholic church’s role in forcibly converting them to the faith that led to generations of physical and sexual abuse. “I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” the pope said. 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. Donate 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. Thanks for reading Religion Unplugged’s Week in Headlines! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. Subscribe now Like Comment Share Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. For $5 a month, subscribe to receive our Weekend Plug-In in your inbox.  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.  © 2022 Religion Unplugged 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104 Unsubscribe