Friday’s News & Ideas - 8/7/2026
- Haitians fear going to church
- DOJ's religious freedom guidance
- Russians open churches in Africa
- Organ to play for 639 years
- How tech found religion
- ‘Bodega Cats of New York’
Empty pews and fear of ICE on Maryland’s Eastern Shore after TPS ends for Haitians
AP: These are harrowing days for the Word of Life Center, a church that has long been a vibrant hub of the Haitian community on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
What the DOJ’s religious freedom guidance means for private employers
Ogletree Deakins: In July the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released guidance that, while outlining principles for protecting freedom of religion in the federal workplace, has implications for private employers.
Russians open churches in Africa: Is it ‘spiritual colonialism’?
Religion Unplugged: The two Orthodox churches are now competing for the same continent. One has been there since the first century, while the other arrived in December 2021 — and has expanded with striking speed.
This cathedral organ will play one composition until 2640
Crux: A small organ in eastern Germany is the headliner of the world’s slowest concert. It has been playing the same piece of music by composer John Cage at a glacial pace for nearly 25 years.
How tech found religion*
Washington Post: AI technology has given rise to a phantasmagoria of prophecies, heresies and false messiahs of the sort one might associate with an age of religious revival.
The Spark
‘Bodega Cats of New York’ advocates for the city’s beloved feline shopkeepers
A new book features photos of the kitties that are fixtures of shelves and countertops, Colossal says.
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