If the average person were asked to name the top religion stories of the past year, chances are they'd remember a scandal involving a minister, a battle over church-state relations, or maybe an assault on religious people or their churches. We all remember the headlines about how outraged Hindu and Jewish leaders became over the reports that Baptists were planning to pray for their conversion. The networks were all over that story.
Sex scandals involving clergy always make page one, so they're hard to forget.
Many focused on how those crazy religious folks were stocking up on Spam, and bracing for the end. Sommerville says there's a good reason why church controversies get publicity, while good works go unnoticed. It's because religion and the news are polar opposites in their approach to life. But the news is about change and excitement. So reporters yawn when Christians go to church or volunteer at soup kitchens.