Thursday's News & Ideas - 8/18/2022
- CA church won’t pay COVID-19 fines
- UMC split is a mistake
- Jordan River’s decline
- Pope’s public wheelchair use
- Evangelical women & seminary
- Products can ‘predict’ the economy
California appeals court rejects COVID-19 fines for church
ABC News: A California appeals court says a church that defied safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic by holding large religious services won’t have to pay about $200,000 in fines.
The United Methodist divorce is a mistake*
Christian Century: “Caucusing is easy; church is hard,” writes Will Willimon.
Mideast’s Jordan River: Rich in holiness, poor in water
Associated Press: Symbolically and spiritually, the river is of mighty significance to many. Physically, the Lower Jordan River of today is a lot more meager than mighty.
Disabled Catholics praise pope’s example in publicly using a wheelchair
National Catholic Reporter: The pope’s public use of mobility aids has tapped into disabled Catholics’ dreams of greater inclusion.
A seminary room of her own
Christianity Today: Historically, evangelicals have been ahead of the curve in women’s education and also way behind it.
The Spark
How lipstick and underwear can predict the economy
The Washington Post shares some less-intuitive markers,* from lipstick sales to swipes on dating apps, that might qualify as economic tea leaves.
*access is limited for nonsubscribers
