Tuesday's News & Ideas - 2/28/2023

Bishop Scott Jones moves from ‘extreme center’ of UMC to new Global Methodist Church
Religion News Service: He isn’t the first bishop to leave the United Methodist Church for the fledgling conservative denomination. But his exit has arguably caused the greatest stir.

A Christian health nonprofit saddled thousands with debt as it built a family empire including a pot farm, a bank and an airline
ProPublica: Despite a history of fraud, one family has thrived in the regulatory no man’s land of health care sharing ministries, where insurance commissioners can’t investigate, federal agencies turn a blind eye and prosecutors reach paltry settlements.

Mormon church leader uses his faith to spread anti-racist principles
NPR: James Jones is a Black member of the Church of Latter-day Saints who is using his church’s theology to teach anti-racist principles to fellow members.

Bob Richards, pole-vaulting hero of the Cold War era, dies at 97*
The New York Times: An ordained minister known as the Vaulting Vicar, he was an Olympic gold medal winner and the first athlete to appear on the front of Wheaties boxes.

How Black history can inspire climate activism
Sojourners: As states increase their restrictions of Black history content in schools, Luther Williams thinks the stories and faith of Black scientists can help inspire equity and climate activism.

The Spark

The end of the English major
Enrollment in the humanities* is in free fall at colleges around the country, The New Yorker says. What happened?

*access is limited for nonsubscribers