In the 10 days since a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, questions about the incompetent police response have dominated the headlines.
So, too, has the political debate over gun violence, specifically the assault-style weapons used in Uvalde as well as recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and — just this week — Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Rightly so.
But faith, too, has emerged as a vital part of the story, as we first highlighted last Friday. Once again this week, that is where we start.
Check out this must-read coverage:
• A church, a gathering place for generations, becomes a hub for Uvalde’s grief (by Rick Rojas, New York Times).
• Funeral after funeral, Uvalde’s only Catholic priest leans on faith (by Teo Armus, Washington Post).
• Meet the first minister of gun violence prevention (by Emily McFarlan Miller, Religion News Service).
• In Uvalde, a ministry of listening and silence (by Addie Michaelian, World).
• ‘This is wailing, weeping, heartfelt grief. This is what this town is feeling’ (by Audrey Jackson, Christian Chronicle).
• The arrow in America’s heart (by Elizabeth Dias, New York Times).
• A former pastor grieves the loss of his great-granddaughter in Uvalde (by John Burnett and Marisa Peñaloza, NPR).
• On Texas shooting, Vatican Academy for Life says just laws ‘protect all citizens’ (by Elise Ann Allen, Crux).
• Denominations have begun creating special prayers for fatal mass shootings (by Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post). A quick note: This last story — the one about special prayers — was published last year, but it still seems relevant..
Power Up: The Week’s Best Reads
1. Clergy of color face unprecedented mental health challenges: A “lack of resources, poor access to health care and stifling stigma over mental health issues have turned pastors into counselors and caregivers,” report Deepa Bharath of The Associated Press and Adelle M. Banks of Religion News Service.
This story is part of a special project by the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a Lilly Endowment-funded collaborative effort of AP, RNS and The Conversation. Read, too, this report by AP’s Giovanna Dell’Orto and RNS’ Kathryn Post on campus ministries collaborating with mental health professionals.
2. What the end of Roe v. Wade will mean for the next generation of obstetricians: “For a long time, Cara Buskmiller has known two things about herself: she wants to deliver babies, and she is called by her faith to a lifetime of virginity.”
That lede sets the scene for Emma Green’s insightful first article for the New Yorker. At The Atlantic, Green established herself as one of the nation’s premier Godbeat pros. Technically, she no longer covers religion. But her expertise shines in this piece, as does her willingness to consider a side of the abortion debate mainstream news coverage often ignores.
3. SBC report is the start of momentum, but ‘culture has to change,’ says survivor Jules Woodson: The Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Katherine Burgess interviews Woodson about the Southern Baptist Convention’s release of a long-secret list of ministers accused of abuse.
CONTINUE READING: “Faith Emerges As A Vital Part Of Uvalde's Story, Even As Attention Focuses On Police And Guns” by Bobby Ross, Jr., at Religion Unplugged.