Friday's News & Ideas - 11/19/2021
- Black pastors at Arbery death trial
- ‘De-baptism’ gaining popularity
- Archeological dig & Solomon
- Liverpool bombing
- Racial covenants
- Organic-food fraud
A lawyer in the Arbery death trial tried to keep Black pastors out of court. So more than 100 showed up today
CNN: When defense attorney Kevin Gough attempted to ban Black pastors from the courtroom during the trial for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, Pastor Jamal H. Bryant said it was an affront to all Black pastors across the country.
In Catholic Italy, ‘de-baptism’ is gaining popularity
Religion News Service: Though data is sparse, the church and Italian atheists agree that the 2-decade-old process is becoming more common.
An archaeological dig reignites the debate over the Old Testament’s historical accuracy
Smithsonian Magazine: Beneath a desert in Israel, a scholar and his team are unearthing astonishing new evidence of an advanced society in the time of the biblical Solomon
Liverpool bomb: Suspect seemed a genuine Christian, says church worker
BBC: A church worker who once housed the man suspected of the Liverpool bombing has described him as a “genuine Christian.”
Racial covenants, a relic of the past, are still on the books across the country
NPR: A racially restrictive covenant can be found on the books in nearly every state in the U.S.
The Spark
The great organic-food fraud
There’s no way to confirm that a crop was grown organically.* Randy Constant exploited our trust in the labels — and made a fortune, The New Yorker says.
*access is limited for nonsubscribers