Tuesday’s News & Ideas - 8/4/2026
- Liturgy wars
- Al-Aqsa mosque under threat
- Progressives in midterms
- Black Protestant clergy survey
- Hunger strikes in detention
- China’s future
The liturgy wars are back. Spoiler: They never left.
Religion News Service: As prominent prelates clash over the traditional Latin Mass, Pope Leo XIV’s response may reveal his deepest instincts about authority, unity and tradition.
Jerusalem’s most important Muslim religious site facing ‘imminent’ threat of Israeli takeover, says Jordan
The Guardian: The country convenes an emergency meeting of ministers from the Arab and Islamic world, fearing such a move could “trigger a religious conflict.”
As progressives seek to take on inequality, some cite religion as a motivating factor
The Associated Press: Progressive Democratic politicians have won major electoral victories across the country in recent months amid growing frustrations surrounding inequality, affordability and potential threats to job security posed by artificial intelligence.
Black Protestant clergy responses to LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination protections
PRRI: Alongside advocates of many faiths, Black Protestant clergy account for a significant portion of the moral and political leaders whose perspectives directly shape civic engagement, public theology, and community organizing across the nation.
‘Stark example of brutality’: Trump’s ICE used court orders in plan to force-feed at least 10 hunger strikers in detention
The Guardian: Court records reviewed show medical procedures included force-feeding, intravenous forced hydration and involuntary blood draws.
The Spark
The future, made in China
Beijing is competing with the U.S. for tech supremacy.* Who wins will have huge political implications, The New Yorker says.
*access is limited for nonsubscribers
