Friday’s News & Ideas - 4/10/2026
- Thousands pray in Jerusalem
- Iranian church persists
- Pope Leo's visit to Africa
- Shroud of Turin still a mystery
- Baylor to allow gay speakers
- The dark side of the “Painter of Light”
As Jerusalem holy sites reopen, Jews, Muslims and Christians flock to pray
Religion News Service: Thousands of Jews, Muslims and Christians flocked to the Old City of Jerusalem Thursday to pray at the Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the day after a two-week ceasefire was announced.
The Iranian church persists*
Christianity Today: Amid war, some Christians are evangelizing, preparing food for neighbors, and displaying other acts of generosity.
Pope Leo’s visit to Africa: theology scholar outlines 3 realities the Catholic church must face
The Conversation: Pope Leo’s visit offers a powerful historical reminder of the continent’s foundational role in shaping the church, particularly in its first five centuries.
Religion Unplugged: Augustine: The man who forever rewired Christianity
DNA analysis claiming new origins for the Shroud of Turin doesn't hold up, experts say
Scientific American: A metagenomic study of this cloth, controversially purported to bear the imprint of the body of Jesus Christ, has little to say about the relic’s origins.
In historic first, Baylor will allow gay Christian advocates on campus
Baptist News Global: Faced with a mounting backlash against a Turning Point USA rally, Baylor University has granted student groups permission to hold a counter-event on campus with two well-known gay Christians as speakers.
The Spark
Lessons from the hidden vault of Thomas Kinkade
Thomas had a vault — a padlocked room hidden deep in his mansion containing hundreds of surreal paintings. Art that didn’t match his light-soaked brand, says Mockingbird.
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