Wednesday's News & Ideas - 5/21/2025

In Florida, an immigrant pastor’s detention sends a community reeling.
NPR: Ambrocio had gone in for one of his mandatory check-ins with immigration agents. He has a form of legal protection called a stay of removal. But on April 18th, he was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 
USA Today: Thousands of foreign-born clergy working in U.S. at risk of being forced to leave

With a massive ark and museum, he spreads creationism a century after Scopes trial. He’s not alone. 
The Associated Press: Ken Ham — creator of the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum — may be one of the most prominent advocates of a literal interpretation of Genesis. But polls generally show that somewhere between 1 in 6 and 1 in 3 Americans hold beliefs consistent with young-Earth creationism.

A church wants a homeless shelter. The mayor wants space for pickleball.* 
The New York Times: Toms River, N.J., is poised to use eminent domain to raze an Episcopal church to build a park. The church had wanted to set up a 17-bed shelter.

Still seeking justice for George Floyd* 
The Christian Century: Five years after an infamous murder, George Floyd Square in Minneapolis remains a site of protest, lament, and mutual aid.

Pope Leo meets with Vance, who delivers an invitation to visit the White House 
NPR: This first formal meeting appeared part of an effort by Washington to reset relations with the Vatican, after Leo’s predecessor Pope Francis repeatedly criticized President Trump’s migration policy.

The Spark

Why are we so obsessed with avocados?
From the popularity of avocados on toast to the proliferation of avocado-themed merchandise, Sarah Allaback and Monique F. Parsons track the evolution of America’s fixation in this excerpt in Lit Hub.

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