Wednesday’s News & Ideas - 8/26/2026

Dolly Parton never hid her faith and never used it against anyone. That’s why everybody loved her.
Relevant: Dolly Parton talked about God for 60 years and managed never to make it a dividing line. She wanted God to work through her without anyone feeling preached at.

Gary residents turn to prayer as power outage stretches into third week
WFYI: Speakers at First Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church stressed the importance of community at this moment. While the congregation prided itself on its resilience, some said the city needs to demand more for its residents.

Independent review board clears Father Michael Pfleger, reinstated as senior pastor at St. Sabina Church
WGN9: The longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church on Chicago’s South Side was reinstated as senior pastor after an investigation into a decades-old sexual abuse allegation.

American synagogues are spending more than ever on security. How much is enough?
The Forward: As they prepare for the High Holidays amid formidable threats, Jewish leaders are confronting the question: How do you protect an open religious community without turning it into a fortress?

I want to serve a dying church
Mockingbird: New life occurs not because we assert ourselves with renewed determination and new vigor but because we surrender ourselves to the God for whom “all things are possible,” writes Tony Robinson.

The Spark

These shockingly small houses were built to match what a 25-year-old can actually afford
A housing reform campaign in Sweden matched home sizes to the budgets of young people. The results are a call to action, says Fast Company.