Wednesday's News & Ideas - 12/16/2020

Supreme Court continues to block state COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings
USA Today: The Supreme Court continued its solicitude toward religious freedom in the face of a pandemic Tuesday by giving religious leaders in New Jersey and Colorado another chance to block strict limits on houses of worship.

Faith groups receiving federal grants will gain new protections before Trump leaves office
Deseret News: National Religious Freedom Day is more than a month away, but the Trump administration has already shared its celebration plans. Previously proposed changes to the rules governing church-state partnerships will take effect that day, Jan. 16, 2021, after being published in the federal register later this week.

Gay conversion therapy: Hundreds of religious leaders call for ban
BBC: More than 370 religious leaders from around the world are calling for a ban on conversion therapy -- the attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

After Middle Church fire, advice from houses of worship that have survived disaster
Religion News Service: The fire that destroyed Middle Collegiate Church’s historic building in New York City began in the dark of an early Saturday morning. By midday, as prayers, thoughts and offers of help poured in, the church’s leaders began the work of keeping their congregation together -- and laying the groundwork to rebuild.

Which Catholic church will Biden attend in DC?
National Catholic Reporter: Next month, when the president-elect changes addresses, he’ll face a decision that many first families have faced: where to attend church?

The Spark

What’s in a name? For some brands, a racist history primed to be toppled.
As tens of millions of people worldwide took to the streets this summer to pronounce that Black lives matter, corporate America was also nudged into action. But instead of marching alongside protesters, it started eyeing its own shelves, Vox reports.

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