Thursday's News & Ideas - 5/1/2025
- Low SBC membership
- History of papal conclaves
- Evangelicals back Trump
- ‘Christian right is dead’
- Short-lived NY Jewish state
- Garden failures
SBC membership drops to its lowest number in 50 years. But baptisms are on the rise.
Religion News Service: While overall membership declined in 2024, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination is seeing some post-COVID-19 rebound.
Fist fights, ghostly pranks and schism: A brief history of conclaves past
The Guardian: Selecting a new pope has always been an arduous process, but some conclaves seemed to suffer more than others.
White evangelicals remain Trump’s staunchest supporters, Pew study finds
Religion News Service: While a majority of Americans disapprove of Trump’s job performance, his evangelical supporters remain on his side, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The Christian right is dead. The religious right killed it.*
The New York Times: Was the Christian right a virtuous — however imperfect — movement born out of deep regard for the life and liberty of human beings created in the image of God? Or was it a corrupt movement born out of fear and spite that used religion to deceive the masses (including countless good and faithful Christians) and conceal its true nature?
Almost Zion: Remembering a short-lived Jewish state in New York
The Conversation: In the 20th century, organizations seeking a humanitarian solution to Jewish persecution considered carving out enclaves the world over, including lands in today’s Kenya, Angola, Madagascar, Tasmania and Suriname.
The Spark
When your garden fails, the magic happens
Nothing will cure you of perfectionism faster than trying to grow living things, Vox says.
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