Wednesday's News & Ideas - 3/8/2023

John Paul II allegedly knew about priestly sexual abuse while archbishop in Poland
Associated Press: A report by Polish channel TVN24 said the now-sainted former Pope sought to conceal reports of three priests who reportedly abused minors.

He believes Hitler went to heaven — and wants to take over the Lutheran Church*
RollingStone: A nearly 2 million-member synod is fighting an attempt to turn its pews into a bastion for young fascists.

How Superman became a Christ-like figure in American culture
LitHub: Roy Schwartz writes about the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of America’s favorite superhero.

Old-school Christian nationalism’s avatar of racism, antisemitism and conspiracies
Religion News Service: The early version of Christian nationalism turned the fear of communism into an excuse to embrace prejudice and forfeit American democracy.

The problem with Christian book endorsements*
Christianity Today: Publishers and authors have played along by pushing celebrity blurbs — but it’s time to rewrite the rules of promotion.

The Spark

An Icelandic town goes all out to save baby puffins
Kids and senior citizens alike rally to rescue beloved young seabirds that have lost their bearings, Smithsonian Magazine says.

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