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Art adorning U.K. churches

'Vessel' seeks to preserve history and architecture while celebrating art

Religion Unplugged

Oct 16

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Hi Religion Unplugged readers,

Contemporary art exhibition “Vessel” spreads out along a trail of churches in the U.K.’s Black Mountains and beyond, through tranquil countryside and small villages.

Seven churches are featured in the project, which aims to care for places of worship that are now largely just relics. Each church features one or more works, all interpretations of the definition of “vessel.”

In today’s top story, U.K. contributor David Trigg writes on the exhibition and its notable pieces, explaining the important symbolism behind each.

‘Vessel’: An Art Trail Along Remote Rural Churches In The Black Mountains Of Wales

(REVIEW) The England–Wales border is dotted with ancient churches, many of which have not heard a sermon or hymn in decades. They are the lonely stone relics of declining rural communities where faith has all but faded away. Since 1957, Friends of Friendless Churches has cared for many of these places of worship, working to protect their rich history and architectural legacy. by David Trigg

Over the past few months, Republicans have been crisscrossing rural parts of Pennsylvania with one mission: Turn this reluctant and reclusive religious group into MAGA voters. This untapped pool of 80,000 voters — the same number by which Trump lost to President Joe Biden in 2020 — could result in the former president winning the crucial battleground state. by Clemente Lisi

Do Religious Teenagers Make For Better Students?

(ANALYSIS) In recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in academic performance across the United States and beyond, coupled with a significant decrease in religious belief. This dual trend got me thinking. Are these two developments connected? In fact, the relationship between religious belief and academic success has been explored in various studies. by John Mac Ghlionn

Hollywood And Heaven: What Did Al Pacino See When He Almost Died?

(ANALYSIS) In Hollywood Heaven, good people get good things because love is all that matters. You know? Bad people get something else, maybe. by Terry Mattingly

Crossroads Podcast: Dallas Super Pastors Behaving Badly

Anyone who has been paying attention to religion news has heard of the “Nones” — the “religiously unaffiliated” people who have little or no connection to any form of institutional religion. Then there are “Nons,” the term that religion-data expert Ryan Burge has pinned on the other big trend (“The Future of American Christianity is Non-Denominational”) that is reshaping the religion marketplace. by Terry Mattingly

Watch: How An Indian Mother Overcame A Societal Taboo

In 2020, Swagata Majumdar faced the unimaginable grief of losing her twins. The grief of losing her children became overwhelming. She also realized that child loss is a significant taboo in India, leading to the isolation of bereaved mothers. Determined to challenge this stigma and support others, she started a support group for mothers who have lost a child. by Mariya Rajan

Concerning Another Hurricane Of Media-Bias Chatter

(ANALYSIS) One of the realities of being a journalist of a “certain age” is constantly hearing people ask, in digital and analog contacts, questions that sound like this: “What do you think of (insert a trend in the modern world or a specific event in news or entertainment)?” by Terry Mattingly

8 Religious Charities Helping With Back-To-Back Hurricane Recovery Efforts

Daystar University, a Kenyan school whose academic programs started with a certificate course from Wheaton College and later rose to be a leader in the training of communicators in Africa, has been forced to defend its Christian identity after a Muslim member of parliament accused it of discriminatory practices. by Clemente Lisi

‘Salem’s Lot’ Brings Satisfying Classic Vampire Tropes — And Half-Cooked Themes

(REVIEW) Unlike exorcism movies, which have largely gone unchanged since the 1973 film ‘The Exorcist,” vampire films have gone through interesting cycles of evolution. While vampires originally were portrayed as evil, alien creatures, franchises such as “Twilight” and “The Vampire Diaries” showed them as hot antiheroes and even — at times — as wholesome and misunderstood. by Joseph Holmes

🏟️ Faith And Baseball: Why These Fans Feel A Special Connection To MLB’s Playoff Teams 🔌

It's baseball playoff time, and six remaining teams look to make it to baseball's proverbial promised land. Here's why some of their fans have such a special — even spiritual — connection to the teams. by Bobby Ross Jr.

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