Friday’s News & Ideas - 4/17/2026

Trump slammed the first US pope. The country's bishops now appear more united than ever.
Religion News Service: What’s surprising about the recent spat between Pope Leo and President Trump is how much it has unified the Catholic bishops and faithful behind the pontiff, after years marked by division and internal conflict.
National Catholic Reporter: After Trump spat, Pope Leo said he is not a politician. His Africa trip shows just that.

Hegseth channels his inner Tarantino with fake Bible verse from Pulp Fiction
The Guardian: The defense secretary said his prayer drew on Ezekiel, but the wording closely matches Quentin Tarantino dialogue.

The enduring legacy of medieval Christian depictions of Islam in today’s political discourse
The Conversation: Long-standing Christian narratives about Islam continue to inform political language, argues a sociologist of Islam.

Remembering Raquel Martínez, editor of Spanish hymnal
UMNews: She was the chief editor of the Spanish-language Methodist hymnal, “Mil Voces Para Celebrar.” Its publication marked a milestone in providing worship materials for Spanish-speaking communities.

What I learned by vibe-coding my own word processor*
Fast Company: At first, I wasn’t positive I could make it work. Then I did. Now I can’t imagine life without it, writes a global technology editor.

The Spark

In the 1990s, a dog taught kids about Shakespeare and Homer. A new documentary tells the tale of ‘Wishbone’ — from his backflips to his historical hats
Many millennials’ first exposure to the classics came from a talking Jack Russell terrier, Smithsonian magazine says.

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