wfn.org | Episcopalians: Religion reporters say sparkling grains hide in dull stained glass

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

April 29, 2002

2002-106

Episcopalians: Religion reporters say sparkling grains hide 
in dull stained glass

by Debra Wagner

(ENS) It won't surprise many Episcopalians that when top 
religion reporters, online producers, and academicians get 
together to talk about religion and the media, the institutional 
church is often seen as an impediment to an interesting story.

So when Auburn Theological Seminary, CrossCurrents 
magazine, and Princeton Theological Seminary brought together a 
top flight panel of speakers for "Behind the Stained Glass: 
Religion and Media in the 21st Century," on April 24-25 in New 
York, religion as part of an individual life emerged as the 
topic that draws and keeps readers.

"Institutions are soulless," said William Bell, religion 
reporter for the New York Daily News. "If the 
denominational press can't cover fully, fairly, and accurately a 
particular topic, they can't expect us to do their job."

The founder of Beliefnet again reinforced this disdain for 
the institutional church. "Previously, there was too much 
reporting on institutions and not enough on individuals," said 
Steve Waldman, Beliefnet's founder. "If my religion producer 
asked to go to the Methodist Conference I would say no--we need 
to use our resources for something relevant to people's lives."

Relevant to Beliefnet means interaction. The online 
experience allows for reading a story, posting to a discussion 
board, listening to a prayer, and pondering a meditation. "Our 
visitors are questioning basic Christianity," said Deborah 
Caldwell, former Dallas Morning News religion reporter 
and now senior producer at Beliefnet. "Who cares about 
institutions?"

Although Beliefnet filed in bankruptcy court last week, 150 
million people visit the site per month, posting 130,000 
messages each day and making it the largest interfaith dialogue 
online. Over five million people each day receive one of their 
nine newsletters.

What's news in religion?

The conversation at the seminar also included ways to 
understand what constitutes a news story.

Gustav Niebuhr, a religion writer for 16 years--including 7 = 
years at the New York Times--and now teaching at 
Princeton University while writing a book, revealed his 
approach. He surfed denominational websites weekly for 
background but kept his ear to the ground for a good story about 
an individual.  

"A good story is catholic with a small-city approach," he said.

Bell based his advice on pleasing his readership, which is blue 
collar and highly ethnic. "A story pitch is not a laundry 
list--it's one specific idea," he said. "I build to the pews and 
need to explain the story on a pew level."

Public faith, private doubt

And those in the pews are learning about religion in the privacy 
of their own homes. Steve Waldman of Beliefnet explains, 
"Religion sites are like porn sites. People come in droves 
because in print or in church they risk being seen as doubters. 
The internet allows them to search in privacy."

Privacy also allows visitors to read controversial authors 
within their own denominations. Based on numbers of postings, 
the most popular Beliefnet columnist is the Rt. Rev. Jack Spong, 
former bishop of Newark. (Apparently, he has a conservative 
following that follow his postings closely.)

In addition to the internet, the cult of personality runs strong 
with religion reporters.

"Cardinal O'Connor stole the show and Protestants still haven't 
recovered," said Ari Goldman, tenured professor at Columbia's 
School of Journalism and former religion reporter for the New 
York Times. Although he admitted that he covered elephants 
going up the steps of the Cathedral of St. John and quoted the 
now-retired Episcopal bishop of New York, the Rt. Rev. Paul 
Moore because of his "moral authority," he was clearly taken by 
the now-deceased cardinal of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of 
New York.

"[Cardinal John] O'Connor couldn't pass a mike without making 
some comment that went straight to the average New Yorker--no 
matter what faith," continued Goldman. "Reporters eagerly 
covered his sermons every Sunday because he commented on world 
events in a way that engaged the individual."

Mainline lacks presence in new media

Personalities are much easier to report than complex issues that 
face denominations. 

"Mainline denominations are in a financial and identity crises," 
said Charles P. Henderson, Jr. executive director of the 
Association for Religion and Intellectual Life (ARIL). "They 
have not stepped up to the plate to create a presence in new 
media that is reaching thousands of people.

Where is the liberal mainline Protestant voice?

"A committee statement is not a story," said Mark Silk, director 
of the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in 
Public Life at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut. "Mainline 
Protestants are reluctant to put forward an individual."

In addition editors are reluctant to antagonize readers. Silk 
cited several instances when the New York Times missed 
breaking stories because they "would have offended Catholic 
readers." 

"The New York Times was late in reporting on the current 
story that is rocking the Roman Catholic Church. In the 1980's 
the Times> watched as the New York Post broke the 
Covenant House scandal. And no New York paper ever recorded the 
sexuality of Father Mychal Judge after his tragic death at the 
World Trade Center."

It is safer then for the media to focus on the individual rather 
than the institution. It appears to be a working compromise, as 
readers and internet surfers make clear with their wallets and 
browsers.

------

--Debra Wagner is director of communications for the Seamen's 
Church Institute of New York & New Jersey.