Wednesday's News & Ideas - 4/16/2025

It’s Easter in Gaza, where Christians are praying for a miracle
Religion News Service: Palestinian Christians have dwindled from 11% to less than 1% of the population in Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza has put them on the precipice.

Bishop Budde expected more pushback after Asking Trump for ‘mercy’
Sojourners: Budde spoke about whether it was appropriate to ask Trump for mercy and why the cathedral is no longer letting presidents plan their own inaugural prayer services.

Historic domes of Hagia Sophia are renovated to protect the landmark from earthquakes
The Associated Press: Turkey has begun a new phase in sweeping restorations of the nearly 1,500-year-old Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, focusing on preserving the monument’s historic domes from the threat of earthquakes.

The Supreme Court threatens to bring ‘Don’t Say Gay’ to every classroom in America
Vox: An influential Christian right law firm asks the justices to impose an impossible burden on teachers.

For many in Hurricane Helene’s path, North Carolina Baptists provide home-repair lifeline
Religion News Service: When it comes to rapid repairs in mountain communities ravaged by the hurricane, Baptists on Mission has come to the rescue.

The Spark

What comes after D.E.I.?
Colleges around the country, in the face of legal and political backlash to their diversity programs, are pivoting to an alternative framework known as pluralism,* The New Yorker says.

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