Today

Monday's churches: a fatal bus crash, election appeals, and a Vatican review

By The FaithDaily Desk

Good morning. The day's most serious news came from Polk County, Florida. Charisma News reported that a 10th-grade girl and the driver of a Jeep were killed on Monday morning when a school bus carrying Winter Haven High School students overturned, citing the sheriff's office. The office of Gov. Ron DeSantis offered state assistance and urged prayer.

Several items concerned elections and the public square. Religion News Service reported that Bishop Mariann Budde has released a new ad urging people to vote, in which she says, "I am asking for your courage to love your neighbor, to respect the dignity of every human being, and now, to vote." The ad references her sermon to President Donald Trump last year. Separately, Charisma News reported that Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice is urging pastors to speak up before the midterms on abortion, marriage, gender identity and immigration, which he frames as biblical questions. Religion News Service also examined Pete Hegseth's push to treat faith in the military like physical fitness, asking whose beliefs would define a soldier's readiness.

Two stories moved through the courts. Religion News Service reported that the Supreme Court will hear a dispute over a Kentucky church's plan to build a shrine on residential land. It also reported, via the Associated Press, that donor Steve Bray has revived fraud claims against worship leader Sean Feucht, accusing him of soliciting a $250,000 donation for a 2023 concert tour that had already been fully financed.

From Rome, Religion News Service, citing the Associated Press, reported that Pope Leo has sought a status update on Francis' 2016 text "The Joy of Love," with Vatican officials stressing it is not up for rewriting, amending or scrapping.

Elsewhere, United Methodist News covered music leaders at the Fusion 2026 conference discussing how to bridge traditional and modern worship. Christianity Today reported on a California pastor, Justin Lester, who has built an AI clone of himself from his sermons and writings to counsel people in Vallejo, and argued the practice weakens pastoral authority. The Gospel Coalition made the case for church planting in dangerous places, weighing risk by the worthiness of the goal.

Three stories turned to history and culture. Charisma News reported that researchers at the Durupınar Formation in Turkey say confirmation on Noah's Ark could come this winter, and that a Jerusalem burial chest may point to Simon of Cyrene. Religion News Service highlighted a documentary, "The Gospel According To…," on Black LGBTQ+ Christians, and ran a commentary on a Homecoming protest at Wheaton.