Monday's News & Ideas - 2/27/2023

Turkey’s Antakya is in ruins after the quake, erasing cultural and religious heritage
NPR: The site of ancient Antioch — a crossroads of civilizations and a modern tourist and religious pilgrimage destination in southern Turkey — is one of the cities left most devastated by the Feb. 6 earthquake that killed tens of thousands in Turkey and Syria.

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod president calls for excommunicating white nationalists
Religion News Service: ‘This is evil. We condemn it in the name of Christ,’ writes LCMS President Matthew Harrison.

Kung fu Nuns of Nepal smash convention*
The New York Times: In Himalayan Buddhism, the religious roles of nuns have long been restricted by rules and customs. But one sect is changing that, mixing meditation with martial arts and environmental activism.

DeSantis higher ed bill heads for the legislature*
Inside Higher Ed: Florida governor Ron DeSantis promised major reforms for higher education last month. Now a bill looks to turn those aims into law.
Religion News Service: ‘Woke Wars’ infiltrate Christian colleges, prof under fire for racial justice unit

We’re told Pentecostal churches like Hillsong are growing in Australia, but they’re not anymore – is there a gender problem?
The Conversation: The most recent Australian census shows a decrease in Pentecostal affiliation. Gender inequality and leadership abuses of power seem to be implicated. But more research is needed to confirm who is leaving Pentecostal churches, and why.

The Spark

How rap taught (some of) the hip hop generation Black history
For members of the hip hop generation who came of age during the Black Power era, “reality rap” was an entry into the political power of Black history, JSTOR says.

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