‘saved by God to make America great again’

Donald Trump plays church*
The New Yorker: On Inauguration Day, the forty-seventh President cast himself as an especially favored vessel of the Almighty.
NPR: Some religious leaders liken Trump to biblical figures. The comparison concerns others
Religion News Service: At inauguration, Trump says he was ‘saved by God to make America great again’

Hope amid caution: Reflections on Gaza’s ceasefire
Religion News Service: In Gaza, hope is not just a feeling — it is a survival mechanism.

In a divided America, churches find a way to move forward
Religion Unplugged: Amid the stories of congregations closing and buildings being repurposed, there is a counternarrative. It’s a story that doesn’t get told as often — the story of churches that survive crises

Reading the room: A pastoral vision for a politically weary congregation*
Christianity Today: Pastors face the critical challenge of guiding their congregations through lingering political tensions in the post-inauguration landscape.

In Israel, a mix of relief and anxiety as first hostages are freed
Religion News Service: Amid the joy Sunday were fears the ceasefire could collapse at any moment, leaving more than 90 hostages in Hamas captivity.