Friday's News & Ideas - 2/7/2020

Trump’s prayer breakfast jibes jolt many faith leaders
Associated Press: The National Prayer Breakfast is by custom a respite from partisan bickering. President Donald Trump shattered that tradition Thursday with aggressive remarks that buoyed his allies but dismayed a wide spectrum of faith leaders.
The Conversation: National Prayer Breakfast was a moment for leaders to show humility -- Trump changed it

Our ancestors were sold to save Georgetown. ‘$400,000 is not going to do it.’*
New York Times: The 8,000 descendants of slaves sold by Georgetown consider the amount decided by the university for reparations.

Activist William Barber II urges blacks in Congress to mobilize poor voters
Religion News Service: “If you organize 2 to 10 percent of the poor around an agenda, you can fundamentally shift every election,” Barber predicted, citing statistics from a forthcoming study done by his organization.

Methodist minister at George Mason University could face discipline over officiating a same-sex wedding*
Washington Post: A Methodist-ordained minister from Northern Virginia could be one of the last members of the clergy in the United Methodist Church to face disciplinary action for officiating at a same-sex wedding ceremony.

Crooked preachers and sexy priests: Has TV got a problem with Christianity?
The Guardian: Christians on TV were once limited to ethical debates and Songs of Praise. But from Fleabag to The Righteous Gemstones, portrayals are now less pious and more provocative.

The Spark

Can we have prosperity without growth?
The critique* of economic growth, once a fringe position, is gaining widespread attention in the face of the climate crisis, The New Yorker says.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers

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