Wednesday's News & Ideas - 2/1/2023

Pope Francis performs a high-wire act as he courts followers in Africa
NPR: The progressive pontifex is visiting parts of Africa this week, and must fulfill a balancing act that looks towards the expansion of his church and the ideological clashes that are coming up along the way.
The Washington Post: ‘Stop choking Africa,’ Pope Francis tells world on trip to DRC and S. Sudan*

Church of England sheds light on ‘shameful’ slave trade ties
Associated Press: The Church Commissioners, the body that administers the church’s 10 billion-pound ($12.3 billion) investment fund, hired forensic accountants in 2019 to dig through the church’s archives for evidence of slave trade links. They spent two years poring over centuries-old ledgers, and what they found is “shaming,” the church said.

Museum of the Bible to host Wednesday morning event to pray for God’s judgment on America, and breakfast is not included
Baptist News Global: If you can’t make the National Prayer Breakfast this Thursday, you still have a chance to join other evangelical Christians in prayer in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Just be prepared to pray for God’s judgment on America.

Sometimes, God’s provision is Prozac*
Christianity Today: My battle with postpartum anxiety challenged the limits I’d placed on how God can heal us.

A health care system emergency*
The Christian Century: ER doctor Thomas Fisher writes with moral clarity — and a whiff of hopelessness.

The Spark

‘Schoolhouse Rock!’ at 50: Those are magic numbers
The educational snippets* are the ultimate font of Gen X nostalgia. But what is it we’re nostalgic for? asks The New York Times.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers