Friday’s News & Ideas - 5/15/2026

White House to host 9-hour prayer festival focused on Christian roots of U.S.*
The Washington Post: Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio and Mike Johnson will speak at the event, which centers on the idea that the founders wanted the U.S. to be explicitly Christian.
Religion News Service: Rededicate 250 touts a star-studded prayer bash with politicians, Christian celebrities

It’s been called the Ellis Island of the South. Now residents worry about ICE.
Religion News Service: As the US embraces aggressive anti-immigrant policies, Clarkston, Georgia, is now a test of how to best protect the diverse community of refugees.

Faith communities must lead on the hunger crisis — but they can't substitute for US policy
Religion News Service: The need for faith-based leadership on hunger is a sign American policy is not working.

Progressive clergy find purpose in downtown Nashville
Nashville Scene: The Nashville Downtown Church Collective and the Southern Christian Coalition make the most of their proximity to the Tennessee General Assembly

The Louisiana Standard Version*
The Christian Century: There are many problems with the Ten Commandments laws states are passing. One is the specific text they require schools to post.

The Spark

Consider the sister
Amy Wallace has spent two decades guarding the human her brother was — against a world that prefers David Foster Wallace as a puzzle, The Small Bow says.

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