Monday's News & Ideas - 10/19/2020

Most US clergy avoid hellfire threats over abortion politics
Associated Press: Fierce, openly partisan rhetoric against abortion is attention-grabbing, but it remains the exception in America’s diverse religious landscape, even in this divisive election year.

The church is losing touch with working-class Catholics*
America: Attendance and affiliation have been eroding steadily since the 1970s for all income brackets, but the sharpest decline has been among the two bottom economic quartiles, according to data gleaned from the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
Religion News Service: Clergy shortage grows to more than 3k Catholics for every priest, Vatican data shows

Kentucky church to investigate Chris Rice, Christian musician, after abuse allegation
Religion News Service: A former student at a Kentucky church has alleged that Rice sexually abused him after meeting him at a church retreat.

Christian college faculty aren't lining up for Trump
Inside Higher Ed: Reflecting new polling that indicates college-educated white evangelicals are moving away from supporting Trump, many on Christian campuses are struggling to back him.

Holland CRC pastor leaves church amid political tensions
Holland Sentinel: Keith Mannes has served as a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church for more than 30 years, but laid down his ministry amid increasing internal tension over the denomination’s broad support of President Donald Trump.

The Spark

I miss restaurants, so I opened my own…for a chipmunk
It all started when my uncle sent a tiny wooden picnic table* in the mail, Bon Appétit says.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers

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