It’s a big number. A really big number. As in, $4 billion.

As part of its “The Reckoning” series, The Associated Press reported this week that a surge of new abuse claims threatens the Catholic Church like never before — “with potentially more than 5,000 new cases and payouts topping $4 billion.”

Meanwhile, AP reporters and other experts examined the state of the clergy abuse crisis in a Facebook Live panel discussion. Watch it here.

Now, let’s dive into the Friday Five:

1. Religion story of the week: Pete Buttigieg keeps making major headlines in the Democratic presidential race.

We highlighted his visit to a black church in the South on Sunday, asking a question that news stories mostly ignored: “Is Buttigieg being gay a reason for his low support among black voters in the South?” The New York Times later followed up with another story on Buttigieg and black voters. Still, the key question we raised remained unexplored.

In a different post, GetReligion Editor Terry Mattingly had questions about an NBC News story on Buttigieg and the Salvation Army.

2. Most popular GetReligion post: Why would a Catholic priest withhold Communion from an outspoken gay judge?

The press didn’t get it, wrote our own Julia Duin in this week’s No. 1 most-clicked analysis.

”I wish reporters would just try, for once, to look at how the opposite side might view this story and ask why a priest took a stand on principle that he knows will cost him,” Duin said.

3. Guilt folder fodder (and more): On my weekend reading list, I want to check out not just one but two interviews by leading Godbeat pros with N.T. Wright, the prominent New Testament scholar.

Both the Washington Post’s Sarah Pulliam Bailey and The Atlantic’s Emma Green published recent pieces featuring Wright.

4. Shameless plug: More than 3,000 people attended a memorial service this week for Allan Trimble, a Church of Christ elder better known as a legendary Oklahoma high school football coach.

My longtime friend Murray Evans covered the service for The Christian Chronicle and wrote about Trimble’s legacy of faith, family and football and his perseverance as he battled Lou Gehrig’s disease the last few years.

It’s an inspiring read.

5. Final thought: Oh, now I understand. Thanks for clarifying that, preacher friend!

Happy Friday, everybody! Enjoy the weekend!