Wednesday's News & Ideas - 2/22/2023

Southern Baptist Convention disfellowships Saddleback Church*
Christianity Today: Four other congregations with female pastors were also determined to be not in “friendly cooperation” with the SBC, as well as one removed over its abuse response.
Religion News Service: Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor

Seattle becomes the first U.S. city to ban caste discrimination
Associated Press: The Seattle City Council on Tuesday added caste to the city’s anti-discrimination laws, becoming the first U.S. city to ban caste discrimination and the first in the world to pass such a law outside South Asia.

Choosing the irrational sanity of Ash Wednesday
Religion News Service: Ash Wednesday is almost universally underrated in its power to redeem.

How do we cultivate deep reading processes in a digital age?
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: We are still in the early stages of understanding the effect of digital-based learning on the development of children’s reading brains, as well as on the maintenance of reading brains in adults.

The kids aren’t all right — but hope can help*
Inside Higher Ed: Colleges have a role in cultivating hopefulness in a generation of young people suffering the mental health effects of the pandemic and political conflict

The Spark

“Blessed, blessed”
A spectacular review of a Virginia chicken spot* showed the enduring power of local food critics. But overnight success can bring its own troubles, Slate says.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers