Plus a literary mystery surrounding fundamentalist beliefs and the dishonesty of a new anti-abortion film "Lifemark"  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

	Open in browser Meet the woman who could be Italy's next leader Plus a literary mystery surrounding fundamentalist beliefs and the dishonesty of a new anti-abortion film "Lifemark" Religion Unplugged Sep 22   ▷  Listen SAVE   Hi ReligionUnplugged readers, A summer of fierce campaigning and feisty debates in Italy will culminate in national elections on Sunday. If polling numbers are accurate, Catholic new-conservative Giorgia Meloni will become the country’s first female prime minister. Thanks for reading Religion Unplugged’s Week in Headlines! Subscribe for free to receive new posts. Subscribe Meloni founded the Brothers of Italy party in 2012. The group has roots in the post-war fascist movement and heralds the legacy of dictator Benito Mussolini. Italy’s Catholics, which make up a majority of the country’s population, don’t belong to a specific political party. However, Meloni’s personal faith and “God, homeland and family” platform have appealed to several religious groups despite differences on some political issues. Senior contributor Clemente Lisi reports about Meloni and her political history ahead of this week’s election. Lisi also reports on the trial of Cardinal Joseph Zen, a Catholic activist in Hong Kong arrested for his role in administering funds to support pro-democracy efforts. This week in our culture section, reporter Jillian Cheney delves into the mystery of who wrote “Corinne,” an erotic romance novel about a young woman kicked out of her fundamentalist religious community. The book was written under a pseudonym, and readers believe this was done to prevent pushback from the author’s real-life religious community. Read more about the book and some suspected authors, one of whom is Stephanie Meyer of the “Twilight” series. Also this week in culture, contributor Joseph Holmes writes on “Lifemark,” the new movie from well-known Christian filmmakers the Kendrick Brothers. The movie is pro-life and pro-adoption, and it aims to be wholesome and uplifting. It fails, however, by completely getting rid of all conflict. See you next week! If you like what you read, share this with your family and friends. Share Giorgia Meloni’s Politics And Faith: Meet The Woman Who Could Be Italy's Next Leader Italians will vote in national elections on Sunday. If polls are correct, then history could be made once the votes are counted. Giorgia Meloni, who heads the Brothers of Italy party, could become the country’s first female prime minister since the nation became a republic in 1946. Here’s everything you need to know about her faith and politics. by Clemente Lisi Cardinal Joseph Zen Set To Go On Trial In Hong Kong On Charges Tied To Pro-Democracy Fund by Clemente Lisi Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen, an outspoken Catholic cleric arrested on national security charges earlier this year, and four others will stand trial starting this week in a Hong Kong courtroom. The 90-year-old activist and religious freedom fighter was arrested last May in connection with his role as administrator of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund. A Literary Mystery: Who Wrote The Erotic Novel That Grapples With Fundamentalist Beliefs? by Jillian Cheney A new novel “Corinne” is an erotic romance that follows the life of a woman who was cast out of her fundamentalist religious group and, later, is brought back in contact with them. The book was published under a pseudonym, which has raised questions about who the author of the book may be. Suggestions include Stephanie Meyer of the “Twilight” series and others. "Lifemark" Is Boring And Dishonest, Even For A Christian Film by Joseph Holmes (REVIEW) The anti-abortion, pro-adoption movie “Lifemark” is the latest movie from big-name Christian film producers the Kendrick Brothers. The movie is sweet and wholesome — but it contains almost no conflict, which effectively ruins it as a useful faith-based film. Why Survey Data Of Religious Nones, Decline Of Christianity Differs by Ryan Burge Religion data scientist Ryan Burge answers why unfortunately, there’s just not a single answer to a question like: how many nones are there? Or how many Christians? Glenn Beck’s Nazarene Fund Won’t Say How It Spent $35 Million Raised For Afghan Evacuations by Steve Rabey Glenn Beck, the conservative LDS Church media star, helped raise $35 million for his two charities, Mercury One and the Nazarene Fund, to pay for evacuations of Afghans amid the U.S. withdrawal of troops. The organizations are claiming they evacuated 12,000 people but have provided few details about how the money has been spent. Following RZIM’s Money, And What’s Going On At American Bible Society? by Warren Cole Smith (ANALYSIS) With Lighten Group and RZIM shut down, important questions remain unanswered. First, how much money went from RZIM to Lighten Group? How was that money spent? How much remains? Meanwhile, American Bible Society has been plagued with turmoil for years. The organization has had five presidents in the past 10 years. 2,000 Churches And Christian Ministries Ask Senate To Oppose Respect For Marriage Act by Kim Roberts Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal defense group, sent a letter on behalf of 2,000 “pastors, ministers of faith, and leaders of religious nonprofit organizations” asking the U.S. Senate to oppose the Respect for Marriage Act, H.R. 8404, which it said puts churches and ministries in danger of injustice. Calif. Pastor Pleads Guilty To Exploiting $100,000 In Homeless People’s SNAP Benefits by Jessica Eturralde Former California pastor of Imperial Valley Ministries Victor Gonzalez, alleged to have locked participants inside IVM “restoration” homes and used their government benefits for personal financial gain, entered his guilty plea along with three others to one count of conspiracy to commit benefits fraud. Mississippi And Illinois Rank Highest In Nation’s Religious Liberty, New Study Shows by Jovan Tripkovic The majority of Americans live with less than half of the legal protections of religious freedom available in other states, according to new research by the conservative think tank Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy. CRCD is part of First Liberty Institute, the largest nonprofit law firm in the country solely focused on religious freedom. Faith Sustained The World’s Best Athlete Through Years Of Grinding Poverty by Dr. Robert Carle Mary Keitany is one of the finest athletes in the history of the world, with seven major marathon wins. She’s also a Catholic, mother, business owner and nonprofit board member who as a teen in poverty, dropped out of school to work as a housemaid. “God did amazing things for me,” she said. American Indian Artist Oscar Howe Wrestled With Art, Faith, Modernism And Native Identity by Paul Glader “Howe was raised with Dakota cultural and spiritual beliefs but was also an active Episcopalian,” the exhibit notes. “The blending of and interconnectedness between these two belief systems is apparent in his painting of Native and Christian cultural figures.” It points to his painting about Buffalo Calf Woman in which the wings of the eagle echo the appearance of an angel. Viewers also see Howe’s paintings of sun dancers in a transcendent state as resembling Jesus Christ. The News Is Broken: Christians Know This, But Still Must Read Journalist Chris Stirewalt’s Book by Clemente Lisi (REVIEW) We are all consumers of news. Many have shunned the news altogether in recent years. Increasingly, Christians are those people — especially the mainstream media — because they don’t see in it the values that reflect their lives. If you’re one of those people, then a new book out now helps you understand why and how to fix it. Mariam Ibraheem’s Triumph Over Persecution In Sudan by Deborah Laker Born in a refugee camp in eastern Sudan to a Muslim father and a Christian mother, Mariam Ibraheem says “danger lurked in every dark corner.” Disease, abuse and poverty plagued her life. In 2013, a Sharia court sentenced Ibraheem to death for marrying a Christian man. She was pregnant with her second child at the time and gave birth to Maya while shackled in prison. Her story since then has sparked international outcry and admiration. Yelp, Google Add Disclaimers For Faith-Based Pregnancy Resource Centers by Kim Roberts Yelp announced last week that it would add a notice stating that pregnancy resource centers “provide limited medical services and may not have licensed medical professionals onsite.” Google has also joined the move, announcing that it would add labels to search and map functions to identify those clinics that provide abortions and those that don’t. Will Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act Overlook Black Churches For Secular Organizations? by Chelsea Langston Bombino (ANALYSIS) This month President Joe Biden signed a new bill into law, the Inflation Reduction Act, aimed at lowering the deficit, reducing inflation, knocking down prescription medicine prices, taxing the profits of large corporations and significantly addressing climate change. At first glance, this legislation does not immediately appear to be a law that intersects much with religious freedom. Yet there are surprising connections worth considering. Israel’s African Outpost: Inside Nairobi's Jewish Community by Dr. Robert Carle The Nairobi Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1912 to serve the Jewish diaspora doing business in Kenya. Today, most of the two dozen congregants gathered for Shabbat on Saturday mornings are Kenyan-born converts to Judaism. Opinion Why ‘The Waltons,’ The Classic TV Show That Just Turned 50, Wasn’t Afraid Of Religion In Friday’s Weekend Plug-In column, Bobby Ross Jr. opens with the 50th anniversary of “The Waltons,” a family drama that incorporated religious stories when the TV networks tended to avoid them. 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 The Quiet, Yet Public, Faith Of Elizabeth II by Terry Mattingly Is Celebrity Culture Eroding American Evangelicalism? This Publishing Insider Says Yes by Richard Ostling Why The British Monarchy Survives Against The Odds by Dr. Jenny Taylor Writer Says Christian Political Ethics Have Flipped Upside Down by Paul Prather One Year After Withdrawal, Afghanistan Christians Are In Hiding Or On The Run by David Curry What Will American Protestantism Look Like After The Wars Inside The ‘Seven Sisters’ Are Done? by Richard Ostling The Faith Questions That Haunted The Life Of Gorbachev by Terry Mattingly Endangered Afghans Continue To Run For Their Lives — A Year After Biden’s Abrupt Withdrawal by Lela Gilbert Don’t miss our latest podcast The Patrician Father of Kenyan Running Brother Colm O’Connell, the “godfather of Kenyan Running,” is a Patrician monk from Cork County, Ireland. Brother Colm came to St. Patrick’s High School in Iten, Kenya in 1976 to teach geography. Brother Colm knew little about running or coaching when he volunteered to coach St. Patrick’s athletics team. In the 46 years he has lived in Iten, Brother Colm has coached scores of world record holders and Olympic medalists, including David Rudisha, Lornah Kiplagat, Ibrahim Hussein, Isaac Songok, and Mary Keitany. Brother Colm has been crucial in turning the small, remote village of Iten, Kenya in the Great Rift Valley into the world’s most significant center of long-distance running talent. In this podcast, Brother Colm offers us his philosophy and spirituality of coaching elite athletes. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or listen directly on our website.  In case you missed it Editorial picks from our archives Inside The Spirituality Of K-Pop Sensation BTS by Myrian Garcia (ANALYSIS) K-pop group BTS is having its best year yet. The seven-member Korean boy band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, broke 13 new Guinness World Records hitting a total of 23 and visited the White House. The band draws on the spirituality of self-realization, psychology, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Greek mythology and more to create its fictional universe. ‘Rings Of Power’ Is Beautiful But Boring by Joseph Holmes (REVIEW) ReligionUnplugged film contributor Joseph Holmes reviews the Sept. 1 premiere of “Rings of Power,” inspired by “The Lord of the Rings.” Religious fans have wondered how badly the Amazon series would depart from Tolkien’s Catholic worldview and original characters, but the biggest issue Holmes sees is that the first two episodes are simply boring. 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 my work. Subscribe 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