Wednesday's News & Ideas - 5/7/2025

On eve of conclave, cardinals confident they can listen to one another 
Religion News Service: Cardinals reported that they now have a better sense of each other, despite having had little familiarity before the general congregations — the last of which was Tuesday (May 6).

Houston megachurch sued after pastoral transition without vote* 
Christianity Today: Current and former members claim Second Baptist deceptively changed its bylaws so Ed Young’s son could succeed him. 

Colorado Senate rejects “YIGBY” measure that would have boosted housing on church land* 
The Colorado Sun: The measure, inspired by the “Yes In God’s Backyard” campaign — or YIGBY — would have overridden local zoning laws, escalating a long-running dispute between the state and local governments over housing policy.

Catholic right support isn’t the only reason Trump believes he can get away with mockery of Catholicism 
Religion Dispatches: It’s worth thinking carefully about why exactly the president’s failure to grasp the offensive nature and timing of his actions are so troubling, writes professor of Theology and Religious Studies Karen E. Park.

Belief in spirits and the afterlife common around the world 
Religion Unplugged: Belief in the supernatural — including life after death and the idea that animals and nature can possess spirits — is common across diverse cultures and religions, with younger and older generations sharing similar views, a new survey reveals.

The Spark

“De-extinction” isn’t real, but the conservation questions it raises are.
The recreation of wolf pups with some of the same characteristics as the extinct dire wolf* is raising questions throughout the conservation world, writes Ethan Linck for High Country News, like what does it mean to protect a species?

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