Friday’s News & Ideas - 6/12/2026

Shrinking congregations are reimagining their buildings as affordable housing*
The Washington Post: Spending on religious construction rose 17 percent last year as congregations grapple with the changing role of faith institutions.

What the tattoos of World Cup players say about their love, life and religious beliefs
The Conversation: Most of the professionals playing in the World Cup have also signed sponsorship agreements that regulate what they can display on their social media. Against this backdrop, tattoos remain one of the few spaces of personal freedom.

On the country’s 250th anniversary, the American people are in a sour mood
Pew Research Center: In recent decades, Americans have grown less trustful of each other and of institutions including the federal government, both major political parties, the mainstream media, and colleges and universities.

Southern Baptists oppose amnesty, political violence, women pastors at annual meeting
Religion News Service: In a departure from resolutions dating to 2006, the SBC’s new statement does not mention a path to legal status for immigrants.

Catholic bishops approve revised abuse guidelines despite calls for broader reform
Religion News Service: It was also announced at the USCCB meeting Thursday that the bishops would keep fighting abortion as their ‘preeminent priority’ in their guidelines to voters ahead of the midterm elections.

The Spark

No fairytale: What happened to the real children behind fiction’s best-loved characters?
From Peter Pan, Christopher Robin and Alice in Wonderland, being the star of a classic story might seem like a dream, but sometimes there’s a dark side, says The Guardian.

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