News & Ideas

Wednesday’s News & Ideas - 11/26/2025

  • Organizing against ICE in Chicago
  • Two Thanksgivings
  • Rian Johnson interview
  • Singing ministry for youth
  • LDS lowers mission age
  • Potluck nation

How one conservative Christian family is pushing back against ICE
Religion News Service: A coalition of activists, everyday citizens and people of faith — including theologically conservative Christians — have pooled resources and learned new technologies to mount an effort they say is designed to protect immigrants in their neighborhoods and around Chicago.

A tale of two Thanksgivings*
The Christian Century: Two adjacent items in a 1943 issue of The Saturday Evening Post highlight the conflict — and joy — inherent in our mythic meal.

Rian Johnson on miracles, mystery and his own faith story in ‘Wake Up Dead Man’
Religion News Service: The third installment of the “Knives Out” series examines the spiritual warfare within American Christianity and looks at writer-director Rian Johnson’s struggle with the essence of faith.

How a California ministry helps Gen Alpha find their voice
Religion Unplugged: In a small Santa Clara classroom at Mission City Church in Northern California, a group of students huddle together, their voices rising in harmony. Leading them stands Makayla Hannah, their vocal coach for Youth Utilizing Power and Praise.

In major shift, Mormon Church lowers mission age for women to 18*
The Washington Post: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said women who are 18 years old can now participate in its mission work worldwide, a shift 15 years coming.

The Spark

Potluck nation
Food in America is a living archive of exchange and adaptation, where “ethnic” cuisines blend and redefine what national identity tastes like, JSTOR says.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers



Sign up to receive religion news every weekday in the free News & Ideas newsletter

Signup options

Most recent News & Ideas

Friday’s News & Ideas - 12/5/2025

  • Terror of Advent
  • Abuse survivors testify
  • Catholic HBCU
  • History of apologetics
  • Religious change in Latin America
  • The voice of AI

Thursday’s News & Ideas - 12/4/2025

  • Catholic identity vs. anti-DEI
  • Giving surge for churchgoers
  • Monthly Pentagon prayer
  • A vote against female deacons
  • Empathy & reasoning aren’t rivals
  • Taylor Swift’s accent change

Wednesday’s News & Ideas - 12/3/2025

  • College essay & religious freedom
  • MacKenzie Scott’s bet on vibes
  • Trump’s refugee re-vetting
  • Filling gaps after USAID cuts
  • Pope pushes 2-state solution
  • How to create rituals
data

Generate a religion demographics report for your zip code

This tool from the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) assists church and community leaders in accessing free online information about their communities. The initial map shows the location of other churches in your area and the Community Profile Builder provides you with social, economic and religious information on the community or neighborhoods you select.

Learn More