Thursday's News & Ideas - 2/29/2024

During Gaza war, evangelicals have become Israel’s best friend
Religion News Service: As criticism against Israel mounts and pressure for a ceasefire rises, Israeli leaders are working to shore up evangelical support.

Ghana’s parliament passed an anti-LGBTQ+ bill that could imprison people for more than a decade
Associated Press: The bill was introduced to parliament three years ago and criminalizes members of the LGBTQ+ community as well as its supporters, including promotion and funding of related activities and public displays of affection.

New report mapping Christian nationalism by state suggests election need not be played out on Christian nationalist terms
Religion Dispatches: Christian nationalism should not be ignored or downplayed, but at the same time the segment of the population that embraces it is punching above its weight.

‘Who cares for men like Brian Houston?’ The Hillsong leader’s rise and fall is a gripping story, but how was it allowed to happen?
The Conversation: Journalist David Hardaker tells the story of Hillsong by charting Houston’s ministry through a “rise and fall” narrative, in which the success and failure of Hillsong and Houston become one and the same.

Can we create architecture that embraces the sacred and the secular?
Common Edge: “As someone who has studied and written and lectured extensively about religious architecture over several decades…it’s fascinating to observe what is currently happening to religious architecture. It’s adapting in nontraditional ways.”

The Spark

Merriam-Webster says you can end a sentence with a preposition. The internet goes off 
An authority on the English language has set us free from the tethers of what many have long regarded as a grammatical no-no, says NPR. Or has it?

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