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🎃 Legendary Sleepy Hollow church celebrates Halloween

How the tourist site remains faithful through the season

Religion Unplugged

Oct 30

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Hi Religion Unplugged readers,

Tomorrow’s Halloween — but throughout the fall, a little village in upstate New York has been packed to the brim with tourists celebrating the spooky season.

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is America’s first short story, and the visitors Sleepy Hollow gets each year is a testament to that story’s legacy. The church immortalized in that story, the Old Dutch Church, is often seen as a “spectacle” — but church leadership is more concerned with faith than it is Halloween entertainment.

In today’s top story, intern Matthew Peterson writes on the church’s mission, the history of Sleepy Hollow and faithfulness during the season.

How A Legendary Church In Sleepy Hollow Stays Faithful In A Halloween Mecca

Along the Hudson River, about an hour north of New York, is a church perched atop a hill in a village called Sleepy Hollow. When Washington Irving immortalized the Old Dutch Church with its Headless Horseman in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” it became a literary mainstay. For 300 years, the ghost who haunts the churchyard has frightened people. These days, a new force distresses the locals. by Matthew Peterson

(ANALYSIS) Behind the sensational headlines, the Sunshine State has another, far more solemn side. Not only is Florida a religious state, but according to recent rankings, it is one of the most religious states in the nation — a fact that might surprise some. Florida’s zest for the transcendent extends beyond the Bible Belt. The Cuban-American community has had an impact on the state's religious landscape. by John Mac Ghlionn

Guide To The US Presidential Candidates: What They Say About Faith

Nearly all U.S. adults say it is important to have a president who lives a moral and ethical life, and almost half say it’s important for the president to have strong religious beliefs. Here’s a guide to this year’s presidential candidates, their religious affiliations and notable statements they’ve made about faith. by Clemente Lisi

‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man’ Espouses Christian Values In The Fight Against Evil

(REVIEW) Hellboy is an odd character with a bumpy cinematic history. Based on a comic book series, Hellboy is the son of a demon and a witch who was brought from hell into the world by Nazis. He was rescued and raised by Professor Broom of the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) who became his surrogate father and trained to help save the world from monsters. by Joseph Holmes

Crossroads Podcast: Harris’ Hot Words In Response To ‘Jesus Is Lord’

Once upon a time, a MAGA-hat adorned teen at the annual March for Life — Nicholas Sandmann, by name — offered an enigmatic smile while a Native American activist pounded a drum in his face. Mainstream journalists were certain that this Donald Trump-era incident was a big news story and used oceans of digital ink while covering it. by Terry Mattingly

Inside The Vatican: How Are Catholic Bishops Chosen?

(ANALYSIS) Before the final session of a Synod of Bishops that concludes at the Vatican October 27, much printer’s ink was spilled because Pope Francis removed the issue of allowing women deacons from the agenda. by Richard Ostling

On Religion: When A Doritos Meme Turns Into A Clash About Holy Communion

(ANALYSIS) In her campaign against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump — whose 2016 victory angered her — the Harris team has used Doritos as a symbol of the feisty, combative side of the vice president’s personality. by Terry Mattingly

Salesian Sisters Lead the Fight Against Drug Addiction in War-Torn Manipur

Amid the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, a group of Salesian nurses are helping women combat drug addiction. Manipur — an Indian state nestled in the mountains along the border with Myanmar — has been gripped by ethnic violence since last year. Approximately 250 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced. by Rishabh Jain

Mothers Who Keep Their Fatal Pregnancies Turn To Faith: ‘Who am I to kill this baby?’

No publicity has gone to women who have chosen a different path. The Catholic Church, for example, opposes aborting the handicapped unborn on the grounds that all life — no matter how disabled — has “inherent dignity.” This debate has been reignited as Vice President Kamala Harris, who favors expanding abortion rights, runs for president. by Julia Duin

🍔 In The Race For President, Why Are We Talking About McDonald’s? 🔌

In some ways, McDonald's is like a church. Nearly every town has one. And people of all kinds are welcome. by Bobby Ross Jr.

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