25 Years On The Godbeat With Bobby Ross Jr.

25 Years On The Godbeat With Bobby Ross Jr.

Author: The Media Project January 27, 2026 Duration: 31:26

In 2025, the whole world watched as Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. 


Again, everyone watched as Conservative Christian Apologist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University.


But while religious news events like these were known world round, other important stories are being covered all the time by journalists like Bobby Ross Jr., a veteran religion reporter.


In addition to covering Kirk and Leo, Bobby also wrote about Christian parents grieving in the wake of the Central Texas floods, faith’s role in The Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship-winning season, and the possibility of Christian higher education in Europe.


So on this week’s episode of the Religion Unplugged Podcast Matthew Peterson sat down with Bobby to discuss not only the news trends he anticipates in the year to come, but also his career of 25 years covering faith through on-the-ground reporting in all 50 states and in 20 different countries.


Bobby started his career of reporting on what he calls “the Godbeat” back in 2001, when he was working for the Oklahoman.


Today, he is Editor-in-Chief of The Christian Chronicle, which focuses on covering Churches of Christ all over the globe. He also writes his column, the “Weekend Plug-In” every Friday at Religion Unplugged


Bobby and Matthew's conversation spanned how his interest in baseball shaped his initial career decision, how he maintains fairness and accuracy when covering difficult subjects within his faith tradition, and even how to discern what is true in the age of social media and AI.


#religion #godbeat #religionnews #journalist #journalism #christianchronicle #2026 #bobbyrossjr #interview #podcast


In a world where faith is often reduced to headlines or soundbites, Religion Unplugged offers a different kind of space. This podcast, from The Media Project, engages with the profound and complex ways belief shapes our lives, politics, and history. You’ll hear candid conversations and stories drawn from original reporting by a global network of journalists. We move beyond simple debates to explore the nuanced realities of spirituality and religious practice as they intersect with culture, conflict, and community. Each episode is an opportunity to listen deeply to narratives that are frequently overlooked, understanding that religion remains a powerful and growing force across the globe. This isn’t about doctrine; it’s about the human experience at the intersection of the sacred and the everyday. Tune in for a grounded, journalistic approach that unplugs the stereotypes and connects you to the authentic stories defining faith in the 21st century.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Religion Unplugged
Podcast Episodes
What Was American Religion Really Like in 1776 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:10
Earlier this year, Pew Research published the results of a study on religious diversity around the world. While the U.S. didn’t even break the top 10 for most religiously diverse when all nations studied were taken into…
Was George Washington A Christian? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:48
George Washington is a man of a mythological stature. A stalwart man of war, 6’2” with animal teeth and a seemingly endless supply of stories where he cheated death, Washington’s role is so much more than just a founding…
Is America A Christian Nation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:31
In recent years, “Christian Nationalism” has become a ubiquitous term in American political discussion.It is said by many with fear and loathing, and by others with great excitement and conviction.Among the enthusiasts i…
Victoria Jackson is Not Dead Yet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:09
Religion and death, for many of us, go hand in hand.It is our faith that often shapes what we believe happens when we die and, perhaps just as importantly, what we ought to do while we still live.In fact, if a belief sys…
African American Religion Beyond The Black Church [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:13
According to Pew Research Center, nearly 75% of Black Americans identify as Christian.It’s well known that many of the first African American Christians were first exposed to Christianity in the midst of enslavement. Thi…
How African Churches Are Using AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:15
Last week, Pope Leo cautioned developers and political leaders about the potential for exploitation in Artificial Intelligence development by comparing the AI race to the depravity of slavery. His wording was so strong,…
What A Bahá'í Romance Can Tell Us About Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:54
“If the learned and worldly-wise men of this age were to allow mankind to inhale the fragrance of fellowship and love, every understanding heart would apprehend the meaning of true liberty, and discover the secret of und…
Why Murder Investigations Can Be Complicated By Ashkenazi Jewish DNA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:33
There are currently 15,000 open cases of unidentified persons in the United States.Bodies are unable to be identified for a variety of reasons including severe mutilation, significant decomposition, no history of medical…
Are Big Churches As Healthy As Small Ones? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:29
In C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity he says: “the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the…
Pope Leo XIV Before The Papacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:49
This week marks one year since Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV.The late Cardinal Francis George who once presided over Leo’s hometown of Chicago famously said that there would never be an American Pope until…