Every week in Friday Five (and if you missed the news, this is the last one), we’ve highlighted GetReligion’s most-clicked post of the previous seven days. We’ll do that again this time.
But since it’s the end of the year, I thought readers also might be interested in knowing about some of our most popular posts of the entire year.
Our No. 1 most popular post of the year — and it wasn’t close — was Clemente Lisi’s viral April 15 commentary titled “If churches keep getting vandalized in France, should American news outlets cover the story?”
At No. 2: Julia Duin’s May 10 analysis headlined “Catholic student gunned down in Colorado; few reporters ask crucial questions about shooters.”
Among other contributors, Editor Terry Mattingly’s top post was his May 21 reflection that “Tim Conway was a kind soul, with a gentle sense of humor. Maybe his faith played a role in that?” Richard Ostling got his most clicks with his April 20 explainer “Regarding Israel and the End Times, what is Dispensationalism? What is the rapture?” My top post was my May 29 piece “When it comes to Alex Trebek's 'mind-boggling' cancer recovery, have prayers really helped?”
Now, let’s dive into the (final) Friday Five:
1. Religion story of the week: Last week’s Friday Five highlighted the initial media barrage over Mark Galli’s Christianity Today editorial calling for President Donald Trump’s removal from office.
In a slow holiday news week, that story has remained huge. Our own tmatt has tacked it in two posts that are definitely worth your time:
• What's the one thing journalists need to learn from the Christianity Today firestorm?
• This post really isn't about Mark Galli: Why reporters should know basics about Christian flocks
2. Most popular GetReligion post: Julia Duin takes the top spot this week with her post on “'Olive, come out of that grave:' Reporters cover Bethel Church trying to resurrect a dead child.”
Duin writes:
The media covering this have been as fair as they could be, although I wish a few more of them were actually on site in Redding covering this. The story is becoming more about the church than about the dead child. Enough people there obviously believe it’s time Christians start doing real miracles that mean something to the secular world. Also notice that a lot of folks praying in the videos are 20-somethings. This place is the epicenter of a new revivalist movement among pentecostals and charismatics.
Whatever happens to little Olive, I hope that media stick with this story.
3. Guilt folder fodder (and more): This is not a typical Christmas story. Still, I found it interesting.
The Los Angeles Times gave “Column One” real estate to a priest who celebrates Mass in a casino.
4. Shameless plug: In a post Thursday, I did a “Top 10” list of 2019 religion stories that stuck with me, including one of my own.
One of the writers whose work I praised was Kelsey Dallas of the Deseret News.
She has another piece that GetReligion readers might want to check out: “Holiness in the midst of pain: Reflection on a year of difficult events.”
Concerning her experience as a religion reporter, Dallas notes, “I was told so often that conflict and uncertainty could be redemptive that I started to believe everything would work out OK.”
5. Final thought: That’s definitely a new one.
Happy Friday, everybody! Enjoy the weekend, and may your new year be blessed!