Tuesday's News & Ideas - 2/18/2025
- Environmental projects halted
- Sanctuary always tenuous
- Woman president of Vatican
- State support of religion in Africa
- Spain’s approach to migration
- Art adviser & thief
Faith groups’ environmental projects halted by Trump’s climate funding freeze
Religion News Service: More than 300 faith communities have lost access to grant funds that were intended to plant trees in disadvantaged urban communities, environmental faith leaders who managed the grants told RNS.
Sanctuary in houses of worship has always been tenuous*
The Christian Century: It’s a practice marked by promise and difficulty — both in the Bible and today.
Another woman takes over a top job at the Vatican, this time running the city state administration
The Associated Press: Sister Raffaella Petrini, an Italian nun, was named Saturday as president of the Vatican City State, making her essentially the governor of the territory in Rome that is home to the Catholic Church.
Deeply religious African countries (surprisingly) provide little state support to religion – unlike countries in Europe
The Conversation: In most of the world, countries with religious populations are more likely to have governments that support religion through laws and policies. These laws might include religious education, funding for religious institutions, and laws based on religious values. Not so in sub-Saharan Africa.
How Spain’s radically different approach to migration helped its economy soar
The Guardian: As immigration has increased, GDP has surged and unemployment has fallen to lowest level since 2008.
The Spark
Art adviser. Friend. Thief.
Lisa Schiff became the country’s leading art consultant,* and drew her clients close. Then she stole millions from them, The New York Times says. Now facing up to 20 years in prison, is she ready to repent?
*access is limited for nonsubscribers
