Faith And Politics: Winners And Losers In The 2022 Midterm Elections
Weekend Plug-in 🔌
Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” features analysis, fact checking and top headlines from the world of faith. Subscribe now to get this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. at therossnews@gmail.com.
(ANALYSIS) America voted.
But you knew that already, so we’ll make this quick.
Big winners included abortion rights proponents and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a potential 2024 GOP presidential contender.
Among the notable losers: a predicted red wave and former President Donald Trump. Alas, Trump is not one to acknowledge electoral defeat. The question becomes: Will the Republicans who’ve enabled him finally do so and move on?
Still to be decided: Georgia’s crucial U.S. Senate race, which is headed to a Dec. 6 runoff between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. In the general election campaign, the two offered clashing religious messages, as noted by The Associated Press’ Bill Barrow.
For more insight on Tuesday’s voting, check out these religion stories:
• Abortion rights scored the biggest midterm victory (by Yonat Shimron and Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
• Republicans win on inflation but lose on abortion (by Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today)
• After wins at the ballot, abortion rights groups want to ‘put this to the people’ (by Sarah McCammon, NPR)
• Catholic leaders say abortion referendum results ‘does not bode well for the future’ (by John Lavenburg, Crux)
• Despite Mastriano’s loss, don’t count out Christian nationalism (by Jack Jenkins, RNS)
• In existential midterm races, Christian prophets become GOP surrogates (by Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post)
• Between Kanye and the midterms, the unsettling stream of antisemitism (by Michael Paulson and Ruth Graham, New York Times)
• In ‘God made a fighter’ ad, DeSantis paves way to replace Trump as anointed one (by Jack Jenkins, RNS)
• U.S. tensions are high. Chaplains at the polls tried to keep peace (by Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post)
• Hasidic rabbi assails Trumpism rampant among the Orthodox (by Jacob Kornbluh, Forward)
• Texas voters elect first-ever Muslim state lawmakers (by Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News)
Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. Explainer: Laws and customs in Qatar ahead of 2022 World Cup: The autocratic country “has sought to portray itself as welcoming to foreigners but traditional Muslim values remain strong in the hereditarily ruled emirate,” The Associated Press’ Isabel Debre explains.
Qatar “says it will loosen up for the unprecedented influx of tourists. But fans attending the World Cup should be mindful of Qatar’s laws and cultural customs, including policies for alcohol, drugs, sexuality and dress code.”
In a related story, the AP religion team’s Mariam Fam and Luis Andres Henao report that some LGBTQ fans are skipping the World Cup, fearing hostility.
2. Who wants to live with Catholic nuns? College co-eds: “At Pennsylvania’s Neumann University, undergraduates share a convent with sisters,” The Wall Street Journal’s Melissa Korn reports.
“Sisters and students are now getting in the habit of meeting up for nature walks, trading travel tips, planning knitting lessons, extending occasional dinner invitations and marveling at the lives one another leads,” this front-page A-Hed feature notes.
3. Elon Musk loves The Babylon Bee. Will he let the site back on Twitter?: “The Christian satire site’s connection to Musk is the latest example of the Bee’s rise from a would-be pastor’s side project to a conservative powerhouse,” Religion News Service’s Bob Smietana reports.
Smietana does an excellent job of detailing the site’s history and tracing its progression from mostly church jokes to a focus on anti-woke political content.
More Top Reads
• Like U.S., Mexico faces a state-by-state divide over abortion (by María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
• Israel poised to have its most religious government; experts say no theocracy yet (by Judah Ari Gross, Times of Israel)
• Private school vouchers open faith options for kids of color (by Giovanna Dell’Orto and Cheyanne Mumphrey, AP)
• New Hulu documentary recaps rise of Moral Majority and downfall of Jerry Falwell Jr. (by Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service)
• Pope’s stand on death penalty will be Bahrain trip’s legacy, says inmate’s wife (by Christopher White, National Catholic Reporter)
• A Vatican auditor says he dug up too much dirt, and was buried (by Jason Horowitz, New York Times)
• Anchorage Zen Community seeks awareness sitting in silence (by Luis Andres Henao, AP)
• Tennessee church closes after pastor’s history of abuse reported; another church takes over (by Liam Adams, The Tennessean)
• After COVID-19, years away, COGIC saints return to Memphis for Holy Convocation (by Katherine Burgess, Memphis Commercial Appeal)
• With a small shift in evangelical votes, Brazil elects Lula (by Morgan Lee and Mariana Albuquerque, Christianity Today)
• City of Boston agrees to pay $2.1 million in Christian flag case (by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe)
• French Cardinal admits abusing 14-year-old girl (by Francis X. Rocca and Noemie Bisserbe, Wall Street Journal)
• A new Billy Graham archive opens on the late evangelist’s birthday (by Yonat Shimron, RNS)
• Think piece: The demise of Jerry Falwell Jr. makes for great media fodder. But how should Christians be engaging it? (by Marybeth Baggett, Christianity Today)
Inside The Godbeat: Behind The Bylines
The Washington Association of Black Journalists will honor Adelle M. Banks, longtime Religion News Service writer and editor, with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Meanwhile, Hamil R. Harris, a former longtime Washington Post journalist, will receive the organization’s Legacy Award. Harris now teaches at Howard University and writes for publications such as ReligionUnplugged.com and The Christian Chronicle.
Congrats to Adelle and Hamil!
Charging Station: In Case You Missed It
Here is where you can catch up on recent news and opinions from ReligionUnplugged.com.
• Bob Jones University alumni rally around embattled president (by Steve Rabey)
• After Oklahoma tornado, church shelter becomes base of Red Cross operations (by Audrey Jackson)
• Can believers find political unity in the pews these days? (by Terry Mattingly)
• ‘Spirit of Toumliline’ interfaith inquiry lives on 50 years after Moroccan monastery closed (by Julia Bicknell)
• Harlem Rev. Calvin Butts remembered as a man of the people (by Hamil R. Harris)
• Stuck in the bardo again (by Ira Rifkin)
• Pastor in Laos tortured, brutally murdered (by Anonymous)
• Dr. Oz campaign part of subtle shift in Muslim American voting patterns (by Joseph Hammond)
• Excerpt from ‘The FIFA World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event’: ‘Hand of God’ made Maradona an idol (by Clemente Lisi)
The Final Plug
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has brought lots of changes to the social media site.
Among them: @Jesus now has a blue check mark.
In the past, that mark identified a notable account verified by Twitter. Now, it can mean that or — in Jesus’ case — that the user agreed to pay $8 a month for a Twitter Blue subscription.
Happy Friday, everyone! Enjoy the weekend.
Bobby Ross Jr. is a columnist for ReligionUnplugged.com and editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle. A former religion writer for The Associated Press and The Oklahoman, Ross has reported from all 50 states and 15 nations. He has covered religion since 1999.