Wednesday's News & Ideas - 8/31/2022

‘Sexism is a cardinal sin,’ Catholic women tell Vatican
Sojourners: While cardinals met inside, a small group of women from two Catholic groups dedicated to women’s ordination in the church stood at an entrance with bright red umbrellas bearing messages that included “ordain women” and “more than half the church.” Within 10 minutes, police detained the group, holding them for about four hours.

How faith and spirituality shape modern Japan*
The Japan Times: The religious movement behind the grudge held by the man arrested for Abe’s assassination has cast a fresh light on how religion is perceived and practiced in the nation.

Major evangelical organization says Christianity demands climate action
The Hill: The National Association of Evangelicals (NEA) called climate action a Christian responsibility in a 50-page report this week, a call to action for a demographic far less likely than the general population to consider climate change a threat.

A Black pastor was watering his neighbor’s flowers. Then the police showed up
NPR: A Black pastor in Alabama says he was wrongfully arrested and charged with a crime while he was watering his neighbor’s flowers.

A Catholic podcasting star says theocracy is not the way*
The New York Times Magazine: Since it was introduced by the Catholic priest Mike Schmitz in January 2021, the little-heralded “The Bible in a Year (With Fr. Mike Schmitz)” has been the most popular Apple religion podcast for a majority of 2021 and 2022 and has even, on two occasions, reached the No. 1 spot among all podcasts on Apple’s platform.

The Spark

I went to Trash School
An education in “juice,” how to protect your shins and keeping 12,000 daily tons of garbage at bay: Clio Chang writes about the New York City Department of Sanitation Training Academy* for Curbed.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers