Wednesday's News & Ideas - 3/15/2023

Black, evangelical and torn*
The New York Times: With America’s white conservatives increasingly drawn to Christian nationalism, many Black believers feel caught between their faith and the long shadow of history.

Women across Iran are refusing to wear headscarves, in open defiance of the regime
NPR: What began as anger at the hijab law grew into a bigger movement as Iranians said they were fed up with the regime’s corruption, economic mismanagement and oppression of its citizens. Now, a visible minority of women in Iran are refusing to wear headscarves, in defiant protest against the government and all of its policies.

The Museum of the Bible and the politics of interpretation
Religion & Politics: In their new book, biblical scholars Jill Hicks-Keeton and Cavan Concannon look at the ways that the museum reinforces white evangelical interpretations of the Bible.

Nazi orders for Jews to wear a star were hateful, but far from unique – a historian traces the long history of antisemitic badges
The Conversation: Although the yellow badge has come to symbolize Nazi cruelty, it was not an original idea. For many centuries, communities throughout Europe had forced Jewish residents to mark themselves.

Vermont school banned from sporting events after refusal to face trans player*
The Washington Post: The head of Mid Vermont Christian School said competing against the transgender athlete would be unfair and unsafe for its players.

The Spark

What conversation can do for us
Our culture is dominated by efforts to score points and win arguments, The New Yorker says. But do we really talk* anymore?

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