Wednesday's News & Ideas - 1/15/2025

Five things we learn about Pope Francis from his new memoir 
NPR: Pope Francis’ autobiography, “Hope,” reached bookstores in more than 80 countries on Tuesday (January 14), an uncommon move for a sitting pope as papal memoirs are typically published posthumously. 
CNN: Pope Francis tells in memoir how documents on abuse and corruption cases were handed to him 

Bill McCartney, legendary football coach who founded Promise Keepers, dead at 84  
Religion News Service: A religious conversion in his 30s helped inspire McCartney to found Promise Keepers, which drew millions of men to events in the early 1990s.

Why some doctors have started asking patients about their spiritual lives 
NPR: In an effort to treat patients holistically, a unique program within the Indiana University Health system pairs patients with members of local faith groups who spend time with patients over a 12-week period.

Texas Supreme Court to decide legal battle over El Paso migrant shelter’s future 
National Catholic Reporter: Texas Supreme Court justices on Monday heard oral arguments in Attorney General Ken Paxton’s effort to shut down an El Paso migrant shelter network he has accused of violating state law by helping undocumented migrants, one of several targeted attacks on organizations that work with immigrants.

Prominent Filipino pastor accused of false teaching* 
Christianity Today: Ed Lapiz, who popularized a more accessible preaching style and is known for indigenizing or “Filipinizing” Christianity, is courting controversy by rejecting the God of the Old Testament.

The Spark

Why some animals appear to mourn their dead 
Animals seem to experience a prolonged adjustment period after the death of a companion. Whether these behaviors truly count as grief depends largely on how you define the concept — a philosophical question that is hotly debated, writes the BBC.

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