1. Hurricane Katrina Pounds Gulf Coast: Storm prompts local churches, denominations, and ministries to deliver unprecedented aid response.
2. Tsunami Spurs Massive Relief Effort: Christians quickly mobilize financial assistance after massive tsunami devastates parts of Southeast Asia in late 2004.
3. Benedict XVI Succeeds John Paul II: Evangelicals mourn loss of advocate for orthodoxy and culture-of-life champion. Cardinals stick with John Paul II’s legacy and replace him with doctrinal watchdog Joseph Ratzinger.
4. Terri Schiavo Dies: Controversy over pulling feeding tube and Congress’s response sparks firestorm regarding end-of-life decisions and evangelical politics.
5. Supreme Court Vacancies Trigger Debate: Christian conservatives push hard for “strict constructionists, ” with mixed results. Senate confirms John Roberts as chief justice. Harriet Miers faces determined criticism and withdraws; President Bush nominates Samuel Alito.
6. Evangelicals Target Global Poverty: Christian activists join rock stars to lobby G-8 for debt relief, and Rick Warren unveils his PEACE plan.
7. Media Spotlight Religion: 2004 “values voters” bring reporters into churches, Time releases list of 25 most influential evangelicals, The New York Times promises more religion coverage, and CNN hires full-time religion correspondent.
8. Graham Leads Final Crusade: New York City marks the end of renowned evangelist’s public ministry.
9. Stem-Cell Research Worries Many: Cloning and funding march on; evangelical opinion seems split.
10. Narnia Hits Theaters: Hollywood seeks “Passion dollars” with film adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
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Related Elsewhere:
CT has collected its coverage of Katrina, the tsunami, Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II, Terri Schiavo, Supreme Court vacancies, Billy Graham, and C. S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
CT coverage of evangelicals targeting global poverty include:
Warren, Hybels Urge Churches to Wage ‘War on AIDS’ | Hundreds of evangelicals attending Disturbing Voices conference repent, refocus on outreach to outcasts. (Dec. 5, 2005)
Raising the Compassion Bar | How 575 suburban teens underwrote a medical clinic, schoolhouse, and a year’s supply of food for a village in Zambia—with money to spare (Aug. 10, 2005)
Jesus at G8 | Christian advocacy for Africa gains notice at top meetings (Jul. 6, 2005)
Why We’re Losing the War Against HIV/AIDS | Harvard’s Edward C. Green says health officials undermine abstinence and fidelity programs in Africa (Mar. 7, 2005)
Purpose Driven in Rwanda | Rick Warren’s sweeping plan to defeat poverty. (Sept. 23, 2005)
Helping Afghanistan One Cupcake at a Time | Why a Christian couple trains Kabul’s women to bake, cook, and keep house for Westerners. (Sept. 12, 2005)
End Extreme Poverty in 2005? | No way. But we can still do something significant. (Aug. 22, 2005)
‘Violence Gets All of the Attention’ | Evangelical Yank activists complain about being upstaged by London bombings. (July 11, 2005)
Where Are the Men? | Overseas humanitarian groups target women, and for good reason. But it isn’t enough. (Aug. 5, 2005)
The Colossus of Care | World Vision has become an international force—and a partner with the poor. (Feb. 24, 2005)
Weblog commented on Time‘s coverage of the influential evangelicals:
Weblog: Time‘s ‘Most Influential Evangelicals’ | The faces of the movement include Catholics, a Pentecostal who questions Trinitarianism, and a “new kind of Christian.” Are we really that broad? (Jan. 31, 2005)
The New York Times report on increasing reader confidence, which included more religion coverage, is available from The New York Times Company [.PDF].
The What’s Happening at CNN blog has more on Delia Gallagher’s hiring as faith and values correspondent.
CT articles on stem-cell research in 2005 include:
The Stem-Cell Conspiracy | The Washington Post muddles a major breakthrough in adult stem-cell research, while the U.K. marches blindly on. (Aug. 29, 2005)
Cloning Still Haunts California | Remember Prop. 71? Stem-cell research supporters hope voters don’t remember the promises they made. (Oct. 5, 2005)
Live Patients & Dead Mice | The little-known story of the stem cells that actually work. (Sept. 30, 2005)
Ethics Interrupted | What does it mean when even embryonic stem-cell researchers have some qualms about their work? (Aug. 29, 2005)
Stemming the Embryonic Tide | Pro-lifers face a scientific and public relations juggernaut. (Aug. 28, 2005)
