Friday's News & Ideas - 1/16/2026
- Hymn for civil rights
- Bishop urges clergy to take risks
- Dallas pastor runs for Congress
- Buildings and spirituality
- News reporter becomes minister
- Is art the last refuge of humanity?
‘Just Like Selma’ hymn project aims to help churches recall King, mark Black History Month
Religion News Service: Composer Nolan Williams Jr. thought the song could be a way to again hear from Black churches, collectively, about civil rights.
NH bishop urges clergy to meet the political moment, and ‘make sure they have their wills written’
New Hampshire Public Radio: Episcopal Bishop Robert Hirschfeld spoke at a recent vigil honoring Renee Good and invoked instances throughout history when clergy members put their lives at risk to protect the vulnerable.
Jasmine Crockett’s pastor, Frederick Haynes III, sees Congress as stage to pursue social justice
The Texas Tribune: Haynes staked out several progressive policy positions at his recent campaign launch event, including support for Medicare for All and dismantling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Do buildings reflect spiritual change?*
Mockingbird: Hearing the presence of God in our day-to-day is harder in traditional spaces amid the disheartening diminishing mercy in our day-to-day lives, writes an architect who designs sacred spaces.
Ted Chen, longtime NBC4 News reporter, trades journalism for a future as a Christian pastor*
LA Times: Ted Chen, a familiar face on NBC4 News in Los Angeles since 1995, signed off for the last time Wednesday evening before setting off on a new path as a Christian minister.
The Spark
Against generative AI: Is art the last refuge of our humanity?
None of this is supposed to be easy. Not writing, not life, not love, says Literary Hub.
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