Tuesday's News & Ideas - 7/29/2025

Gaza’s Christians feed the starving across faiths
Religion Unplugged: Christian Mission to Gaza served about 2,000 hot meals over the weekend in the name of Gaza Baptist, said Hanna Massad, who served as the church’s first Palestinian pastor before founding CMG. But the meals only touch a small fraction of those in need.

Community demands release of Maryland pastor who was arrested by ICE
CBS News: Fuentes Espinal, a church pastor and construction worker, has lived in the U.S. since 2001. He is a father of three with no criminal record.
Religion News Service: Fourth group of religious organizations sues US over ICE raids at churches

Trump administration says federal employees can encourage co-workers to ‘re-think’ their religious beliefs
CBS: The Trump administration on Monday told federal workers they can talk about religion at work, including by trying to “persuade others of the correctness of their own religious views.”

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association preps for more European court battles*
Christianity Today: The evangelistic association headed by Franklin Graham has a legal fund that has grown to $1.25 million to help conservative Christians in Europe going to court in freedom-of-speech and freedom-of-religion cases.

Christianity is sexy now! How ‘hot priest’ influencers are drawing young people to the church in droves
Daily Mail: The face of Christianity is changing as a slew of handsome, fit priests are drawing new fans — and believers — over social media.

The Spark

How Tom Lehrer escaped the transience of satire
The late songwriter’s targets are mostly forgotten — so why do new generations keep discovering him?* writes Adam Gopnik in The New Yorker.