Trump’s Bibles and sneakers campaigns tell an old story

When worship leaders go on vacation, churches get creative*
Christianity Today: Acoustic sets, recorded tracks, and alternative setups can offer volunteers a break and invite congregants into new spiritual practices.

Trump’s Bibles and sneakers campaigns tell an old story about the role of race in Christian nationalism
Religion Dispatches: Despite the fact that Black Americans remain the most religious demographic in the country, this was not the intended audience for Trump’s Bible.

Labour wins UK elections in landslide, but suffers losses in heavily Muslim areas
Religion News Service: Labour lost a handful of former strongholds to independent candidates standing on pro-Palestinian tickets.

A family loses 3 generations of women in India crowd’s panic*
The New York Times: They had worked hard for years to make a life: “Now it’s over with the death of my dear daughter, wife and mother — in one single blow.”

Vatican excommunicates a former ambassador to the US and declares him guilty of schism
Associated Press: The Vatican on Friday excommunicated its former ambassador to Washington after finding him guilty of schism, an inevitable outcome for Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano.

Columbia removes three deans, saying texts touched on ‘antisemitic tropes’*
The New York Times: Nemat Shafik, the university president, called the sentiments in the text messages “unacceptable and deeply upsetting.”

SBC’s church planting agency now promoting private church-based schools
Baptist News Global: The Southern Baptist Convention’s church planting agency now has a program devoted to encouraging churches to start Christian schools in their buildings.

West Texas pastor who used illegal donations from churches to campaign for office is fined $3,500
ProPublica: Fines issued to Scott Beard of Abilene’s Fountaingate Fellowship and two pastors follow reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune that revealed the churches donated to his campaign for local office despite state and federal prohibitions.

DoorDash delivers 100 million charity meals, partnering with religious, other nonprofits
Religion News Service: “If it wasn't for DoorDash really partnering with us, a lot of things that we desire to do for the community probably wouldn’t come to pass,” a Chicago pastor said.

‘Which parts of the world do we stop covering?’ Former leaders alarmed by USCCB layoffs ask
Religion News Service: “The budget of an organization reflects its priorities,” said retired Des Moines, Iowa, Bishop Richard Pates.