News & Ideas

Wednesday's News & Ideas - 1/25/2023

  • AP interview of Pope
  • Hamline president asked to resign
  • CA churches respond to shootings
  • Ordination in Jerusalem
  • Snake-handling church
  • Conserving pandas

Pope discusses his health, critics and future papacy
Associated Press: Pope Francis says he hasn’t even considered issuing norms to regulate future papal resignations and plans to continue for as long as he can as bishop of Rome, despite a wave of attacks by some top-ranking cardinals and bishops.
Associated Press: Pope says homosexuality not a crime but a sin

Hamline faculty urge university president to resign amid dispute over Islamic art, academic freedom*
(Minneapolis) Star Tribune: 71 of 92 faculty members at a meeting Tuesday voted to call on President Fayneese Miller to resign immediately.

After shooting, California churches’ Lunar New Year celebrations turned solemn*
Christianity Today: Blocks away from the Monterey Park and Alhambra crime scenes, some Asian American pastors adjusted services and offered prayers to address the tragedy.

Ordination in Jerusalem belies slow progress for Christian women in the Middle East
Religion News Service: Religious affiliation regulates everything from inheritance to divorce.

Hiss story: The last snake-handling church in West Virginia – in pictures
The Guardian: Hidden in the Appalachian mountains is the House of the Lord Jesus, where serpents and their venom are all part of the service.

The Spark

We pulled pandas back from the brink of extinction. Meanwhile, the rest of nature collapsed.
Vox describes the trouble with the choice of conservation’s cutest mascot.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers



Want to get News & Ideas in your inbox every weekday?
Subscribe to our 
News & Ideas newsletter or receive our RSS feed in your RSS reader.

Most recent News & Ideas

Friday's News & Ideas - 3/24/2023

  • SBC’s coming ‘Great Ejection’?
  • Antisemitic incidents
  • Banking while Muslim
  • Christianity necessary for democracy?
  • Catholic church offers tattoos
  • Maze tourism

Thursday's News & Ideas - 3/23/2023

  • Methodist offshoot recommends schools
  • Jesuits & stargazing
  • Ramadan begins
  • Womenpriests
  • The church vs. abuse survivors
  • Story of J. Crew

Wednesday's News & Ideas - 3/22/2023

  • Frank Griswold III dies
  • UMC state lawsuit dismissed
  • Swallow Prior leaving SEBTS
  • Ramadan in Jerusalem
  • Hillsong attempting to move on
  • Garbology is the study of trash
Reflective Leadership Grant

Applications Open for the 2023 Reflective Leadership Grant

This grant program is for leaders who are ready to design the next chapter in their ministry. We welcome applicants who serve in a range of leadership roles, from project director to senior administrator, and who are working in a variety of organizations, including denominations, seminaries, church-related colleges, consultancies, congregations, Christian nonprofits, Christian social enterprises and others.

The application deadline is May 15, 2023.