Weekly Religion News with items on the amount of religion-related news coverage in 2010, “Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence” by Sarah Young and more.





In 2010, religion-related stories accounted for 2 percent of the mainstream media newshole, according to the Pew Research Forum, which is almost double the amount of coverage in each previous year since the measuring began four years ago.

Religion-related issues and events accounted for 1.1 percent of mainstream media coverage in 2007, 1 percent in 2008 and .8 percent in 2009.

2010 was also the first year that the amount of religion coverage surpassed science and technology (1.7 percent) and education (1.6 percent). Also trailing behind religion coverage was immigration (1.6 percent) and race and gender issues (1.1). As expected, elections, campaigns and politics had the most coverage (11.9 percent), while U.S. foreign affairs came in second (9.3) and the economy came in third (8.3 percent).

Among the religion stories that received the most coverage, according to the Pew Research Forum, four out of the top five stories were related to Islam: the ground zero mosque controversy (22.7 percent), a Florida pastor’s plans for Quran-burning on 9/11 (14.5 percent), religion and the Obama administration (6 percent) –– in 2010, according to a Pew Research Forum survey, 18 percent of Americans thought President Obama was Muslim, 34 percent thought he was Christian and 43 percent didn’t know –– and Sept. 11 commemorations (4.7 percent).

The second-most prominent religion-related story, and the only one of the top five stories not related to Islam, was the Catholic clergy sexual abuse scandal and the controversy over Pope Benedict XVI’s role (18.8 percent).

The Westboro Baptist Church protests landed in the sixth spot, making up 2.3 percent of the religion coverage, while the Rev. Eddie Long sex scandal came in seventh (1.7 percent). Pop Benedict’s visit to the United Kingdom (1.5 percent) and religion in the midterm elections (1.5 percent) both tied for eighth while education and religion issues came in ninth (1.4 percent).

Week in Religion

-March 15, 1729, a Ceremony of Profession was held for Sister St. Stanislaus Hachard at the Ursuline convent in New Orleans, thereby making her the first Catholic woman to become a nun in America.

-March 16, 597 B.C., according to certain archaeological calculations, the first conquest of Jerusalem by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar occurred.

- March 17, 1734, 42 families of German-Protestant refugees landed in the American colonies. Sponsored by the British Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, the 78 religious pilgrims soon founded the town of Ebenezer, 30 miles from Savannah, Ga.

-- William D. Blake, Almanac of the Christian Church

Survey Says

According to the Pew Research Forum, most Muslim-Americans are “middle class and mostly mainstream.” Only 2 percent are in the low-income bracket.

Good Book?

“Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence” by Sarah Young

This book is a devotional filled with uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year. After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed he was saying to her. Others were blessed as she shared her writings, until people all over the world were using her messages. They are written from Jesus' point of view, thus the title “Jesus Calling.”

-- Nelson, Thomas Inc.

Quote of the week

“We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.” – Jonathan Swift

The Word

Naturalism: The belief that phenomena in the universe are explained by natural laws and that there are no supernatural forces at work.

-- religioustolerance.org

Religion Around the World

Religious makeup of Albania

Muslim: 70 percent

Albanian Orthodox: 20 percent

Roman Catholic: 10 percent

- CIA Factbook

GateHouse News Service