Bob Smietana

Head of embattled SBC public policy arm resigns (RNS) — The SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission has been criticized for failing to fall in line with the MAGA agenda.

Brent Leatherwood, head of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, has stepped down

religionnews.com/2025/07/31/b...

New Jersey church threatened by eminent domain gets a reprieve – for now (RNS) — Church leaders and Mayor Dan Rodrick have been at odds for months over the future of the property.

New Jersey church threatened by eminent domain gets a reprieve – for now religionnews.com/2025/07/30/n...

yes! has that happen with a credit card company the other day. The company has messed up. just called up, was polite and asked for help. the rep was more than happy to do so

Publisher pulls biblical counseling guide by Tim Clinton over missing citations (RNS) — Clinton, head of the American Association of Christian Counselors, has long been accused of plagiarism.

A popular guide to biblical counseling, co-authored by Christian counseling expert and Trump backer Tim Clinton, has been pulled by the publisher

religionnews.com/2025/07/17/p...

The percentage of published authors who can write full-time without either a day job or a spouse with a day job is very, very low, barely in the single digit range.

2099 here we go

John MacArthur, megachurch pastor and voice of 'Grace to You' radio ministry, has died (RNS) — Known for his expository preaching and his penchant for controversy, MacArthur was one of evangelicalism's most influential pastors for decades.

John MacArthur, megachurch pastor, radio preacher and culture warrior, has died. He was 86. Beloved by his church and his people, he was a magnet for controversy.

religionnews.com/2025/07/14/j...

that was a beautiful thing

#RedSox 1, #Rays 0, Final.

Crochet (10-4, 2.23) goes the distance. His first career CG.

Sox (52-45) have won nine straight and 11 of 12.

Time of game: 2:08

Apply for the 2025-26 RNS/Interfaith America Religion Journalism Fellowship Deepen your understanding of religious expression and develop your reporting and writing skills specific to covering belief, spirituality, interfaith cooperation and civic pluralism.

RNS and Interfaith America are pleased to announce the Religion Journalism Fellowship is returning for its fifth year! For more information, and to apply for the 2025-26 fellowship, visit religionnews.com/2025/06/17/a...

Some nonprofit newspapers endorse candidates. So why can't churches, new lawsuit asks. (RNS) — The federal lawsuit, filed by the National Religious Broadcasters, is the latest challenge to the so-called Johnson Amendment, which bars charitable nonprofits from taking sides in campaigns.

The minute I read this lawsuit, I thought, the ban on churches endorsing candidates is toast. from last summer

religionnews.com/2024/08/30/s...

IRS says churches can now endorse political candidates Since 1954, an IRS rule had barred houses of worship from explicitly endorsing political candidates.

The IRS just lifted a decades-long ban on clergy endorsing political candidates.

But most Americans don't want to hear endorsements from the pulpit, according to surveys

Here's the story, with @jackjenkins.me & @bmietana.bsky.social

www.npr.org/2025/07/08/n...

Former member sues John MacArthur’s megachurch for public shaming (RNS) — A lawsuit filed in California state court accuses the church of violating a former member’s privacy and inflicting emotional harm.

A former member of John MacArthur’s Los Angeles church sues after a public shaming
religionnews.com/2025/07/08/f...

Churches can endorse politicians, IRS says in court filing (RNS) — The IRS hopes to settle a lawsuit brought by a pair of Texas churches and a group of religious broadcasters over rules that bar houses of worship and other nonprofits from getting involved in ...

Americans don't want churches or other houses of worship to endorse candidates. But the IRS may all such endorsements, if a proposed settlement goes through. religionnews.com/2025/07/08/c...

Some nonprofit newspapers endorse candidates. So why can't churches, new lawsuit asks. (RNS) — The federal lawsuit, filed by the National Religious Broadcasters, is the latest challenge to the so-called Johnson Amendment, which bars charitable nonprofits from taking sides in campaigns.

Some background -- last summer, the National Religious Broadcasters and some churches sued the IRS--asking why some nonprofit newspapers and other publications are allowed to endorse candidates but churches are not.
religionnews.com/2024/08/30/s...

Narváez has caught 560.2 innings. His previous high for a season was 565.1 in 2023 as a minor leaguer.

Deserving as he may be, not the worst thing for the Sox for him to get four days off and re-charge.

Will the federal government be ready for natural disasters this year? | Brookings FEMA appears to be woefully understaffed and lacking expertise due to the fallout from DOGE efforts as hurricane season approaches.

www.brookings.edu/articles/wil...

Congrats to my friend and colleague Dan Shaughnessy on being inducted to the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame last night in NC. Well-deserved honor.

Best teammate out there.

Jimmy Swaggart, controversial televangelist and Southern gospel legend, dies at 90 (RNS) — A central figure of the 1980s televangelist scandals and an influential Southern gospel singer, Swaggart spent 70 years in the ministry.

Jimmy Swaggart, the Pentecostal preacher and gospel singer whose fall from grace made national headlines in the 1980s has died.
religionnews.com/2025/07/01/j...

Bob Smietana on X: "At memorial, friends mourn loss of Jennifer Lyell, SBC whistleblower and publishing exec https://t.co/ELsQudlWNN" / X At memorial, friends mourn loss of Jennifer Lyell, SBC whistleblower and publishing exec https://t.co/ELsQudlWNN

Was in Nashville to cover Jen Lyell's memorial service
religionnews.com/2025/06/27/i...

RIP Jim Parkinson, an iconic Oakland-based typeface designer who designed or refined the nameplate of every magazine and newspaper you know

At memorial, friends mourn loss of Jennifer Lyell, SBC whistleblower and publishing exec NASHVILLE (RNS) — Jennifer Lyell, who lost her Christian publishing career after accusing a Southern Baptist professor and missionary of abuse, died earlier this month at age 47.

“Known for her brilliant mind and her knack for finding books that would speak to mass audiences, her supporters said she was also a kind and devoted friend who cared about teaching children to love books, especially the Bible.” - @bmietana.bsky.social

religionnews.com/2025/06/27/i...

Patriotic Bible blesses Trump with $1.3 million in royalties (RNS) — The leather-bound edition includes the King James Version, along with the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution and lyrics to Lee Greenwood’s hit song.

Trump earned $600 million last year, including $1.3 million from endorsing the God Bless the USA Bible

religionnews.com/2025/06/24/p...

Patriotic Bible blesses Trump with $1.3 million in royalties (RNS) — The leather-bound edition includes the King James Version, along with the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution and lyrics to Lee Greenwood’s hit song.

Trump has earned more than a million dollars in royalties for endorsing the God Bless the USA Bible, according to a newly released annual financial disclosure from the White House.
religionnews.com/2025/06/24/p...

Caitlin O'Connor, who Ramsey Solutions fired when executives learned she was pregnant and not married at the time, can sue Dave Ramsey's company for religious discrimination because of a decision in a separate case from former employee Brad Amos. www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...

Pope Leo praises work of journalists in first public comments on clerical abuse scandal | CNN Pope Leo XIV says has said the Catholic Church must establish a culture that refuses to tolerate abuse in “any form,” as he thanked a Peruvian journalist for reporting on allegations of abuse inside a powerful Catholic group.

“Wherever a journalist is silenced, the democratic soul of a country is weakened. Freedom of the press is an inalienable common good. Those who conscientiously exercise this vocation cannot see their voices silenced by petty interests or fear of the truth.”

Dave Ramsey's company faces another setback in court over religious discrimination (RNS) — A company owned by Dave Ramsey, a talk show host and author known for his faith-based financial teachings, has faced a series of lawsuits in recent years.

Do employees have to follow religious rules laid down by employers? This lawsuit is trying to answer that question
religionnews.com/2025/06/18/d...

Christ for the Nations, where suspect in Minnesota shooting attended, denounces ‘hateful actions’ (RNS) — Boelter, who has been called a Marxist and a Christian nationalist, had ties with Christ for the Nations, an influential school among nondenominational charismatic Christians.

Christ for the Nations - the Dallas Bible school the alleged Minnesota graduated from -- has denounced his "hateful actions" religionnews.com/2025/06/17/c...