Bob Smietana
Bob Smietana is a veteran religion writer and national reporter for Religion News Service.
All Stories by Bob Smietana
Henry Blackaby, author of ‘Experiencing God,’ has died at age 88
By Bob Smietana — February 10, 2024
(RNS) — Blackaby turned his experiences reviving a dying church into a spiritual bestseller.
Super Bowl viewers can meet Jesus, boost their prayer life and confront antisemitism
By Bob Smietana — February 9, 2024
(RNS) — Ads for the He Gets Us campaign, the Hallow prayer app and the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism will be among the groups running faith-related ads at the Super Bowl.
I am not going to hate you
By Bob Smietana — February 8, 2024
(RNS) — Hate drives so many of Americans' attitudes today. Can a yard sign help?
Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee faces more abuse lawsuits
By Bob Smietana — February 7, 2024
(RNS) — A pair of new lawsuits, including one that includes civil RICO claims, come at a time when the SBC Executive Committee faces a fiscal and leadership crisis.
Why faith leaders lost the battle against online sports betting
By Bob Smietana — February 5, 2024
(RNS) — Legalized sports gambling now represents billions of dollars. Faith leaders in the few holdout states know the odds are against stopping it.
Are the Five Love Languages helpful? Yes, say researchers, but not the way people think
By Bob Smietana — February 1, 2024
(RNS) — A new study looks at the real reason the bestselling book on love and relationships is a success.
Radio preacher Alistair Begg won’t back down from advice to attend LGBTQ wedding
By Bob Smietana — January 31, 2024
(RNS) — Begg told a woman she should attend her grandchild’s wedding to a trans person, leading to a Christian radio network dumping his program.
Judges say lawsuit against CBN pastor Brad Jurkovich, a Mike Johnson ally, should go forward
By Bob Smietana — January 29, 2024
(RNS) — Former church members allege that Jurkovich and other church leaders illegally changed the church's articles of incorporation to require unquestioned loyalty to the pastor.
Meet Elder Patrick Kearon, the first LDS convert in a century to be named apostle
By Bob Smietana — January 24, 2024
(RNS) — The 62-year-old British and Irish citizen, who joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his 20s, was named an apostle in December. He's best known for a 2016 talk about the refugee crisis.
Latest candidate to head Southern Baptists’ Executive Committee withdraws
By Bob Smietana — January 23, 2024
(RNS) — The Executive Committee, which oversees the SBC's operations between meetings of the convention's governing body, has been without a permanent leader since 2021.
A Southern Baptist leader hid decades of abuse. Will his fall doom SBC abuse reforms?
By Bob Smietana — January 22, 2024
(RNS) — Revelations about the decadeslong abuse by a prominent SBC leader have led to fears that the denomination's sex-abuse reforms are doomed to fail.
After 20 years, Terry Mattingly bids farewell to GetReligion
By Bob Smietana — January 17, 2024
(RNS) — Religion reporting still matters, Mattingly says, but the internet’s ‘preaching to the choir’ algorithms have won out.
In Iowa and beyond, evangelical Christian voters follow their party more than their faith
By Bob Smietana — January 12, 2024
(RNS) — An evangelical kingmaker in Iowa warned that Donald Trump's campaign is doomed and is backing Ron DeSantis in the upcoming caucuses. Still, Trump seems poised for an easy win in Iowa and beyond.
The SBC will sell insurance, retirement to women pastors — if they aren’t Southern Baptists
By Bob Smietana — January 10, 2024
(RNS) — In 2004, Southern Baptists voted to allow their insurance and retirement agency to work with other churches. The latest denomination to sign up is the Global Methodist Church, made up of former United Methodists.
How ‘Witness’ became a thrilling audio drama and a parable about America’s soul
By Bob Smietana — January 8, 2024
(RNS) — A new podcast version of ‘Witness’ is both thriller filled with so-called driveway moments and an insightful story of America’s crisis of faith.
