Friday’s News & Ideas - 6/27/2025
- ICE detains persecuted Christians
- 10 years since Obergefell
- Trump gained with Catholics
- The far right connects globally
- Church discipline policies
- New blood type discovered
ICE goes after church leaders and Christians fleeing persecution*
Christianity Today: On Tuesday, Iranian asylum-seekers were detained in Los Angeles, adding to the count of church members taken despite lawful status.
National Catholic Reporter: ICE agents detain migrants on church grounds at 2 California parishes, diocese says
He sued for marriage equality and won. 10 years later, he fears for LGBTQ+ rights.
NPR: Jim Obergefell on how his legal fight for marriage equality began, the future of LGTBQ+ rights in the United States and reflections on the 10-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges.
Pew study finds Trump gained with Catholics, nonwhite Protestants in 2024
Religion News Service: The president won over a majority of Protestants and Catholics. He did much better among Hispanic and Asian Protestants.
As Germany’s far right builds ties with US conservatives, churches push back
Religion News Service: Catholic and Protestant leaders are challenging a connection built on a common rejection of immigrants.
Most churches have discipline policies, but few use them
Religion Unplugged: According to a Lifeway Research study, most pastors say their churches have policies in place to address significant misbehavior by church members, but few have actually used those policies recently.
The Spark
Doctors detected a mysterious antibody in a French woman’s body. It turned out to be a brand new blood type.
Called “Gwada negative,” this discovery* now marks the 48th known blood group system in humans, writes Sarah Kuta for Smithsonian Magazine.
*access is limited for nonsubscribers
