Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
–Psalm 37:3-5
Pretty Autumn Vibes are in the air! 🍂🍂🍂 https://t.co/VX4o53OLN6
— Cloudymamma (@cloudymamma) October 22, 2026
A new anthology of essays, After DEI? A Theological Exploration, has just appeared. It is a slim volume comprising a dozen readable chapters. Contributors include Erik Varden and Mark Lilla. Our goal in this essay is simply to pique readers’ interest in the collection.
For a few years, the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) were a source of explicit partisan division in the United States. Then, the DEI label fell out of favor in light of concerns about the fairness of programs and policies being advanced under it. Some institutions gutted DEI programs and personnel. Others rebranded DEI programs without changing their substance. But most institutions are navigating a middle course, seeking to replace DEI—and what it represents—with a fairer, less divisive, and more effective set of values.
That is where this volume comes in. Instead of merely defending or attacking DEI, the volume pursues the more difficult, but ultimately more fruitful, tasks of reconciliation and moral reconstruction. Siding with neither “camp,” it asks why DEI proved divisive and what a better framework might look like. Along the way, it engages irenically with DEI supporters and critics, presenting their views fairly and addressing them substantively.
The volume’s most important and unique feature is its Christian theological lens. The book assumes little, save that truth is real and coherent, and that the Christian intellectual tradition offers underutilized resources for thinking about diversity, equality, inclusion, belonging, and related values such as justice, charity, and friendship. Its goal is not to argue for Christianity or belief in God, but to show how religious perspectives can provide valuable insights, point toward shared commitments and common objectives, and help to break the partisan impasse that burdens American politics.
After DEI: A Theological Exploration(Grows out of the "Beyond the Impasse" conference of the Aquinas Institute at Princeton in October 2024) https://t.co/ciP2G63Osz
— Josh Hochschild (@JoshHochschild) October 3, 2026
O God of the nations, who didst give to thy faithful servant Henry Martyn a brilliant mind, a loving heart, and a gift for languages, that he might translate the Scriptures and other holy writings for the peoples of India and Persia: Inspire in us, we beseech thee, a love like his, eager to commit both life and talents to thee who gavest them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever (moved from yesterday; KSH).
Henry Martyn, 1781 – 1812. Priest and Missionary to India and Persia. One of the founders of the Christian church in India and Iran. While in India he translated the NT into Hindustani, Persian, and Arabic, the Psalms into Persian, and the BCP into Hindustani. https://t.co/C69app75TG
— Saint Barnabas Anglican Church (@Barnabas_FW) October 19, 2024
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, voices, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them.
The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, which fell on the earth; and a third of the earth was burnt up, and a third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the fountains of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the water, because it was made bitter.
The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice, as it flew in midheaven, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets which the three angels are about to blow!”
–Revelation 8:1-13
Een mooi gekleurde rustige start. Fijne woensdag😀 #zonsopkomst #reflectie https://t.co/SmzpkYEH8E
— Tjark Dieterman (@DietermanTjark) October 21, 2026
In Britain, students are being urged to walk out of lessons on November 20 as part of a strike across Europe. The Socialist Students group says it’s to protest against capitalism, climate chaos, the housing crisis, the “genocidal war against the Palestinians” and unemployment. This is what’s been termed “the omnicause”. And it’s being synchronised across western Europe.
In other words, we’re witnessing a much broader and deeper challenge than merely a crisis for France. It’s a war on the West being waged by groups with disparate agendas taking advantage of a civilisation in deep trouble. Those involved are leftists, anarchists, Islamists, assorted grievance artists and useful idiots imagining they’re marching for the “oppressed” of the earth — and with malevolent outside actors stirring the pot. Thus Vladimir Putin’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said of the French riots: “Left-wing globalists are sowing migration-driven chaos.”
Fox News reported this month that of 50 groups involved in the month-long French “student” protests, only 15 were actually student groups. The other 35 were a transnational network that included labour unions, communist or socialist organisations and a Palestinian advocacy group.
These groups were advancing political agendas involving capitalism, “austerity”, policing, military spending and Israel. One far-left environmental group declared in the midst of the riots, “Glory to the rebellious high school students … for an antifascist uprising.”
These insurrectionists are seizing their moment in a society that’s become demoralised in every sense. It’s lost both knowledge of and respect for its own historic identity and culture.
Read it all (subscription).
Absolutely stunning essay by @DouglasKMurray about the crisis in France. It includes this quote. https://t.co/XBw5Xr5lTp https://t.co/rW0GFvDAvj
— Rod Dreher (@roddreher) October 20, 2026
A recent survey found that one in every three Americans describe themselves as being in an existential crisis of meaning. The percentage jumps to over half of Gen Z. That means if you meet two people between the ages of 14 and 29, then one of them likely has a deep sense of lostness regarding his or her place in the cosmos. Those bleak facts can be taken either as a reason to shrug our shoulders as a pessimistic sign of the times or as a golden opportunity for those of us to know the One who bestows enduring existential significance.
The same study found that a sizable 37 percent of Americans said “their entire lives feel out of their control,” with 52 percent of Gen Z expressing that same panicked sense of powerlessness. As a theologian, I read such numbers as what we may call “the Nebuchadnezzar contagion.” Two-and-a-half millennia ago, prior to what we may describe as a steep decline in his mental health, the ancient Babylonian king strolled his palace roof, surveyed the landscape, and declared, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30).
Such pretended self-sovereignty is rampant in our age in which the cult of self-worship manifests in the belief of 84 percent of Americans that “enjoying yourself is the highest goal of life,” 86 percent believing that you must “pursue the things you desire most,” and 91 percent affirming the statement: “To find yourself, look within yourself.” In a sense, we’re all Nubuchadnezzars now.
Yet we end up as what David Foster Wallace called “lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the center of all creation.” It turns out that living like the Babylonian king “for the glory of my majesty,” has terrible outcomes today just as it did in the ancient near east.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire, led by King Nebuchadnezzar II, conquered Jerusalem in two major stages due to rebellions by the Kingdom of Judah. [1, 2] https://t.co/QxGtq2Ah0u
— Julie Parker (@JulieParker144) October 19, 2026
O God, who by thy Spirit didst call Cornelius the Centurion to be the first Christian among the Gentiles: Grant to thy Church, we beseech thee, such a ready will to go where thou dost send and to do what thou dost command, that under thy guidance it may welcome all who turn to thee in love and faith, and proclaim the Gospel to all nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
٢٠ تشرين الأول، القديس كُرنِليوس، قائد المئة 🙏October 20th, Saint Cornelius, the Centurion 🙏 https://t.co/B3P13za3iQ
— Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (@LPJerusalem) October 19, 2026
Blessed be the Lord!
for he has heard the voice of my supplications.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
–Psalm 28:6-7
One regret I have is not seeing Tahquemenon Falls more often when living in the U.P. My first job out of college had me in the area a fair amount. It’s my fault I didn’t cash in enough.I went only twice. Once in the Fall…but short of peak color like this pic I found today shows. The other was in early Spring when some snow was still there.Still…it’s one of Michigan’s most beautiful spots.I see they’ve now built a wonderful ramp system. My son’s chair will get there easily now. My wife & I hope to get there next summer.
— Yooper_MN (@Yooper_IA) October 19, 2026
The benefits and risk cloak more central driving factors among AI titans: the will to power, the desire for wealth, the hunger to be in charge. The sheer technological sweetness, too—the hard problem followed by the elegant answer. Scientists involved in technological breakthroughs always have a sweet spot.
But about four years ago, when reports of AI’s advancement began to break through to people paying attention, there was no declared objective: “We’ll split the atom, win the war, put man on the moon.” There was no clear product or labor-saving device. AI simply promised to change everything. It would create intelligence itself, an artificial but superior version of human intelligence. Then we’d figure out what to do with it, and what it will do to us. It will transform the human condition. For better or worse? Let’s strap in and find out.
Our society, our country, never decided to “do” AI. History will be perplexed by this. Something so big, so epochal, and people had no say? There was no vote, no debate. Some people started to do it and raise capital, and we shrugged. “It’s the next step.” As Sam Altman said early on, electricity, computers, the internet—now this. Americans always take the next step.
The creators and owners of AI might be pressed to answer the question: Exactly what purpose were you pursuing, and how, with a sense of the downsides, did you expect us to like it?
From @WSJopinion: History Raises Its Eyebrows at the Week in AI by @Peggynoonannyc https://t.co/diQJHPj1c5
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 18, 2026
The Rev. Dr. Sarah Coakley is one of the most original and consequential theologians in the world. An Anglican priest and philosopher of religion, she was the first woman elected the Norris-Hulse professor of divinity at Cambridge, a chair she held until 2018, and before that she was the Mallinckrodt professor of divinity at Harvard. She is the author of eight books, including “God, Sexuality and the Self,” the first volume of her projected four-part systematic theology.
I spoke to Dr. Coakley about why she decided, at a young age, that she wanted to be a theologian; the times she has wanted to disbelieve in God but never quite could; and her attempt to reunite academic theology with the life of the church and the practice of prayer. Contemplative prayer, Dr. Coakley said, is a “crucible of purification.”
My editor, Aaron Retica, joined me for the conversation, which has been lightly edited for clarity. It is the eighth in a series of interviews I am doing that explores the world of Christian faith.
Sarah Coakley: "I’m trying to overcome a chasm that has opened up in theological training and thinking, especially in the post-World War II period. Academic theology in university settings and seminary settings has become more and more esoteric. This is partly the influence of postmodern speak, which has done a very great disservice to the church and to theology. If most high-level theology is written incomprehensibly to the person in the pew, then a real disjunction has opened up between a set of conversations that are happening in the university for the purposes of the egos of the people taking part versus the people who are actually holding the faith." https://t.co/iKCsxpJcRm
— Massimo Faggioli (@MassimoFaggioli) October 18, 2026
Polygamy is back on the menu, boys.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. During the debates over same-sex marriage we were assured that the slope wasn’t slippery and that suggestions that polygamy might be next were a form of ridiculous alarmism propagated by homophobic bigots and repressed religious weirdos.
Once again, the people dismissed as prejudiced prudes are being proven right. With the help of a rebrand to polyamory (which sounds less patriarchal), polygamy is having a moment. As Glenn Stanton recently explained for the Federalist, polyamory advocates are running the same playbook that same-sex marriage advocates did—and it’s working. As he noted, “Eleven U.S. cities now proudly offer the poly-minded various bundles of legal protections. Seattle’s clownish city council was the latest to do so, giving the movement its first truly landmark development.”
The legacy media has been leading the charge. Stanton highlighted a New York Times article from earlier this year, but there have been many pro-poly pieces in recent years, especially in the sort of old-guard prestige outlets that have New York in their names. And public support for polygamy has significantly increased in recent years, from single digits to 20-25 percent. Though still far from a majority, this rise resembles that seen in the early stages of the push for same-sex marriage.
Once marriage is about adult feelings instead of the union of a man and a woman, what’s the principled reason to stop at two?There isn’t one. That’s why polyamory is having a moment. https://t.co/UCMx8Uvq0h
— Ruth Institute (@RuthInstitute) October 19, 2026
Almighty God, who didst inspire thy servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of thy Son: Graciously continue in thy Church the like love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of thy Name; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
18th October is the Feast of St Luke who is depicted here with his symbol.Cologny, Fondation Martin Bodmer, Cod. Bodmer 34; The Four Gospels in Armenian; 1606 CE; Stampoul (Istanbul), Church of Saint Nikoghayos; ff.106v-107r (https://t.co/IToRSV1u3j) https://t.co/79bDUo0T1g
— Ennius (@red_loeb) October 18, 2026
When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him; but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But he said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
–Luke 9:51-62
Guten Morgen ☕️💕 wünsche euch einen frohen Start in eine schöne neue Woche 🎶🍇🍃 https://t.co/jrb5Tv0PRl
— Renate Kleine (@RenateKleine) October 19, 2026
Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker,
let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
–Psalm 149:1-4
De zon stuurt de regenwolken met een kleurtje weg. Fijne zondag😀 #zonsondergang #reflectie https://t.co/5yzxh0I711
— Tjark Dieterman (@DietermanTjark) October 18, 2026
After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews; and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brethren, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brethren coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved. So, as they disagreed among themselves, they departed, after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
‘Go to this people, and say,
You shall indeed hear but never understand,
and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are heavy of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should perceive with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and turn for me to heal them.’
Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
And he lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ quite openly and unhindered.
–Acts 28:17-31
The Apostle Paul – portrait by Rembrandt https://t.co/GqLZlt6qRA
— Tsambikos (Titos Titos) (@tsambikos65) June 29, 2023
Evangelical and Inclusive is a very important resource for anyone wanting to think about the present and possible future of the Church of England because it sets out the stall of the Inclusive Evangelicals group in a very clear fashion. If you want to know what Inclusive Evangelicals stands for, read this book.
However, for the reasons set out above, Evangelical and Inclusive is not a book that makes a persuasive case for conservative evangelicals (or anyone else) abandoning the Church of England’ s traditional position regarding marriage and human sexuality. Furthermore, for a book of essays by network of people who think of themselves as ‘inclusive,’ the collection is surprisingly exclusive as far as conservative evangelicals are concerned (hence the title of my review).
The big issue facing the Church of England in the five years of the next General Synod will be how those with conservative and inclusive views regarding marriage and human sexuality can co-exist within the Church of England in a way that enables both sides to remain true to their convictions.
No one in this collection addresses this issue. In so far as they touch on the future of the Church of England, they seem to see it in exclusively inclusivist terms. By contrast, the proposal for a provincial level settlement made by CEEC and the Alliance acknowledges that provision will need to be made within the Church of England for those taking an inclusive position and proposes a way for this to happen that would enable both conservative and inclusive Anglicans to teach and practice their own beliefs about marriage and human sexuality within their own provinces while still recognising each other as Christians and still being part of a single, albeit internally differentiated, Church of England.
This is a truly inclusive proposal, in the sense that it makes proper provision for everyone, so why aren’t inclusive evangelicals prepared to discuss it?
Martin Davie–Exclusively inclusive? – A review of David Runcorn (ed) Evangelical and Inclusive https://t.co/dUqs0RK3KZ ‘Evangelical and Inclusive is not a book that makes a persuasive case for conservative evangelicals (or anyone else) abandoning the Church of England’ s traditional position regarding marriage and human sexuality. Furthermore, for a book of essays by network of people who think of themselves as ‘inclusive,’ the collection is surprisingly exclusive as far as conservative evangelicals are concerned’ [book cover $AMZN] #theology #books #anthropology #sex #ethics #21stc #anglican
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 16, 2026
Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. And from there we made a circuit and arrived at Rhe’gium; and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Pute’oli. There we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. And the brethren there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Ap’pius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them Paul thanked God and took courage.
–Acts 28: 12-15
Morning everyone I hope you are well. Early morning autumnal mist clearing across Little Langdale Tarn. Have a great day.#LakeDistrict https://t.co/UvRWNh2KRe
— Rod Hutchinson (@lakesrhino) October 16, 2026
Although we differ on the specifics, both of us believe in hell. This makes us part of a shrinking majority. Only 59 percent of Americans today believe in hell. That’s down from 71 percent in 2001. But these figures, while striking, fail to capture the remarkable shift currently underway in the United States. No one talks about hell much anymore, at least not publicly—not even religious people. We’ve both attended weekly religious services for most of our adult lives, and there’s just no other way to put it: Hell comes up less.
Hannah Arendt was one of the few modern philosophers who grasped the political consequences of losing belief in hell, writing, “The most significant consequence of the secularization of the modern age may well be the elimination from public life, along with religion, of the only political element in traditional religion, the fear of hell.” The contemporary retreat from hell has any number of causes, many of them understandable. As pastor Robert Golding notes, modern people find the concept of hell “illogical, unnecessary, and cruel.” Innovations in criminal justice now emphasize rehabilitation over mere punishment and bristle at the thought that anyone—even hardened criminals—deserves endless punishment or, worse, death.
Many readers will, no doubt, scoff at this idea. They might protest, “I could never believe in hell!” That’s okay. We’re not going to try to convince you to believe in it. One need not believe in hell to grasp its importance or its utility.
For the good of our democracy, you should want your religious neighbours to take their belief in hell more seriously—not less. And even if you don’t believe in hell, you should take some time to ponder its political utility and ask yourself how you intend to make up for its absence in your own life.
Hell can be good for democracy because it helps us delay judgment until some unspecified point in the future, allowing us to "chill."My essay in @commentmag with @matthewkaemingk adapted from our new book CAN RELIGION SAVE DEMOCRACY? 🧵https://t.co/6cqdSCgRvE
— Shadi Hamid (@shadihamid) October 13, 2026
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it.
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “I pray thee, Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and repentest of evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take my life from me, I beseech thee, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” Then Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.
And the Lord God appointed a plant, and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm which attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a sultry east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah so that he was faint; and he asked that he might die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night, and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nin′eveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
–Jonah 3:10-4:11
Beverley Minster, Yorkshire 🍂The church sits on the ancient site of Beverley Monastery, which was founded by John of Beverley in the 8th Century.After his death in 721, John was interred within the monastery.King Æthelstan stopped to pray at the founder’s tomb on his way to the Battle of Brunanburh.And after his famous victory, Æthelstan granted great lands and privileges to the monastery and the site became a place of pilgrimage.John was later canonised in 1037, but his tomb was sadly destroyed during the Reformation.
— Historical Chronicles (@HistoriaJack) October 15, 2026
The dangers of conflating God’s voice with a human one and letting prayer ministry turn into a form of control, even unintentionally, are among the issues explored in a new guide to prayer from Church House.
The guide, Lord, Teach Us to Pray: Prayer in pastoral settings and guidelines for good practice (Church House Publishing), was developed in partnership with specialists from the Faith and Public Life team, with advice and input from others, including victims and survivors of abuse.
The background to its production is “the realisation that churches have not always got it right when it comes to prayer and pastoral care”, the introduction says. “At the extreme end, practices like conversion therapy have deeply damaged and wounded people struggling to understand themselves and their identity before God.
“But there have been other questions asked, about safeguarding and how victims of abuse might be treated, and more generally about the ways in which prayer may be used to push certain agendas and beliefs, in ways that can be experienced as harmful and distressing.”
The dangers of conflating God’s voice 💬 with a human one and letting prayer ministry 🙏 turn into a form of control, even unintentionally, are among the issues explored in a new guide to prayer from the C of E’s Faith and Order Commission. #ChurchTimes https://t.co/W4RiuHaRlo
— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) October 14, 2026
ESPN wanted nothing to do with sports gambling. That stance had softened a bit as of 2018, when the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban on bookmaking, but the following year, Bob Iger, who was then the CEO of ESPN’s parent, Disney, told investors: “I don’t see the Walt Disney Company, certainly in the near term, getting involved in the business of gambling, in effect, by facilitating gambling in any way.”
So it came as a shock to many people, including Nicole Noren, a longtime ESPN producer, when ESPN licensed its name to a gambling app in 2023. By then, ESPN, like so many sports outlets, was promoting betting at virtually every opportunity; now it would encourage fans to use ESPN Bet. The app, which stood to generate a billion and a half dollars for the network over ten years, proved to be an embarrassing flop. But it was promptly replaced by a partnership with DraftKings, the sports gambling giant. These days, DraftKings ads blanket ESPN coverage, and this past March the companies enabled customers to link their ESPN and DraftKings accounts. It’s a partnership, a press release explained, “that goes beyond a traditional marketing arrangement, redefining how fans engage with sports.”
For Noren, ESPN Bet was the last straw. “I was out,” she told me. “I’m not going to work for a gambling company and have blood on my hands.” ESPN wasn’t an easy place to leave. Noren had worked there for twenty-four years, winning Emmy, Murrow, and Peabody awards, mainly for her work on Outside the Lines, the investigative newsmagazine. She was entrusted with some of the network’s most serious and sensitive reporting, involving topics such as gender-based violence, the mental health of college students, and concussions. With the NFL back in full swing—and ESPN preparing to carry its first-ever Super Bowl, in February—Noren spoke publicly for the first time about her own family’s experience with compulsive gambling. “Addiction dictated every part of our life,” she said. “It’s very, very personal to me.” Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
An award-winning ESPN producer resigned after 24 years over the network’s embrace of sports betting: “I’m not going to work for a gambling company and have blood on my hands.” https://t.co/LWbFKC6Vp6
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) October 14, 2026
Top executives at Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI companies are privately gaming out scenarios for a public and political revolt after a catastrophic AI event. These officials anticipate a large-scale event, most likely a cyberattack, that shuts down access to financial services, internet connectivity, or even power and water.
The first example of significant real-world harm caused by unsafe AI would turn an already wary public further against the technology and its leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, as well as President Trump for his reluctance to regulate it.
While scenario planning is common within many companies and national security settings — the Pentagon has been running war games for decades — the difference is that many top AI researchers and executives believe a major incident is inevitable.
⚠️ 🤖AI companies plot "the day after"Top executives at Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI companies are privately gaming out scenarios for a public and political revolt after a catastrophic AI event. Why it matters: These officials anticipate a large-scale event, most likely a cyberattack, that shuts down access to financial services, internet connectivity, or even power and water. The first example of significant real-world harm caused by unsafe AI would turn an already wary public further against the technology and its leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, as well as President Trump for his reluctance to regulate it. Threat level: While scenario planning is common within many companies and national security settings — the Pentagon has been running war games for decades — the difference is that many top AI researchers and executives believe a major incident is inevitable. "OpenAI conducts preparedness exercises where teams discuss and work through a range of potential scenarios," a company spokesperson said. "These scenarios are not treated as inevitable, but are meant to help us prepare for a variety of circumstances." Anthropic declined to comment. Zoom in: The blame game will start whether a rogue-agent swarm breaks containment from an internal testing environment or a bad actor finds unexpected ways to use available models. A recent campaign targeting South Korean financial organizations — including reported breaches at two banks — shows the damage one person can do. A hacker from China allegedly used AI tools from China-developed models, including DeepSeek, to steal data from tens of thousands of bank customers. The attacker used Claude Code to ask for help finding places to sell the stolen data, according to cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Top AI planners assume Democrats, ascendant after the midterms, will move fast to shut down AI but will face significant challenges. An aging Congress, out of touch with the AI revolution, could find itself out of its depth. The global economy is now heavily intertwined with an AI infrastructure buildout. Slowing it down could hit an already fragile economy hard. Too many open-weight models can already be freely downloaded and used to cause harm, a problem most cybersecurity pros see as solvable only by using AI to fight rogue AI. Between the lines: The planning involves red-teaming for worst-case scenarios. It focuses mainly on racing to educate members of Congress. Company executives know regulation has no chance of passing right now, but still want to shape the legislation and policies U.S. leaders will turn to after a first catastrophic event. What we’re watching: Many AI industry insiders told Axios they believe a major event will occur in the next six to 12 months. Even with Democrats in control of the House and Senate, the companies see fractured politics as the norm, including within the Democratic Party. Some of the most heavy-handed Democratic proposals include banning superintelligence or pausing advanced AI development. Others have bipartisan support and even some industry buy-in, including a required kill switch on advanced AI. But experts have questioned the viability of trying to turn off all AI systems. The bottom line: In a real crisis, Washington can set partisan differences aside. One Democratic aide pointed to cooperation during COVID and the 2008 financial crisis. AXIOS
— Ares, Information Service (@Aresinfoservice) October 10, 2026
As much time had been lost, and the voyage was already dangerous because the fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” But the centurion paid more attention to the captain and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to put to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, looking northeast and southeast, and winter there.
And when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close inshore. But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land; and when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we managed with difficulty to secure the boat; after hoisting it up, they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they should run on the Syr′tis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven. As we were violently storm-tossed, they began next day to throw the cargo overboard; and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackle of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars appeared for many a day, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.
As they had been long without food, Paul then came forward among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and should not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. I now bid you take heart; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and lo, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we shall have to run on some island.”
–Acts 27:9-26
For Waterfall Wednesday we’re at Hardraw Force. Tucked away behind the historic Green Dragon Inn and standing at around 100ft, it’s widely described as England’s highest unbroken above-ground waterfall 🌊📸 Mark Sadler | #YorkshireDales #WaterfallWednesday https://t.co/lRqCKL2xLy
— Yorkshire Dales National Park (@yorkshire_dales) October 14, 2026
It’s no secret that online sports gambling is a serious problem, draining the coffers and harming the prospects of young men. It’s also no secret that politicians are disinclined to crack down on it. No one wants to be a Puritan killjoy, and politicians are wary of antagonizing the millions of voters who engage in sports gambling. The result is a paralyzing stasis: the industry gets bigger and more harmful while our elected leaders seem helpless to do anything about it.
But what if there was a popular, populist, light-touch solution to this problem—a solution that reined in sports gambling while also striking a note of freedom and non-discrimination? As it turns out, there is. The solution is this: Congress should mandate that sportsbooks not discriminate and treat all customers on equal terms. The dirty little secret of sportsbooks is that they radically limit bets from those whom they know to be savvy gamblers, because savvy gamblers can spot inefficient betting lines and take the sportsbooks for big money over time.
The statistician Nate Silver, for example, has written about how he can’t place anywhere near as large a bet as the average Joe because the sportsbooks know that they could easily lose money to someone of his caliber. If Congress required sportsbooks to treat all customers equally, the sportsbooks would probably scale back or close shop entirely because they couldn’t afford a world where they suffer heavy losses from savvy gamblers like Silver. This could be an effective and politically feasible way to rein in sports gambling, because it would not rely on perceived nanny-state regulation, but rather, on a more crowd-pleasing view that customers should be treated equally.
The rise of online sports gambling is a familiar story. In 2018, the Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law that banned sports gambling in most states. In a world of ubiquitous smartphones, the Supreme Court’s decision set off a gold rush of online sports gambling. Online platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel became household names, offering a bewildering array of sports bets to consumers nationwide.
Gambling disorder cases have started skyrocketing in states where sports betting is legal (this started ~May, 2018) following the end of COVID.They’ve remained flat from COVID to today in states where it has remained illegal. https://t.co/bA9TAIFO5p
— Crémieux (@cremieuxrecueil) June 26, 2026
Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amit’tai, saying, “Arise, go to Nin’eveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
–Jonah 1:1-3
Blue skies start to the day – Beinn Na Cailleach – Isle of Skye #Scotland 🏴🏴 https://t.co/FGbNaSrZXK
— James MacInnes (@Macinnesplant) October 13, 2026
The consecration of Canon Tim Lomax to be Suffragan Bishop of Warwick, in the diocese of Coventry, which was previously scheduled for 6 November, has been postponed after complaints.
A statement from the diocese, issued on Monday, said that the decision “follows advice that further enquiries should be undertaken following complaints which were received after the announcement.
“It should be stressed that at this early stage no findings have been made and no conclusions have been reached. Sufficient time will now be given for this assessment to be conducted. We are committed to taking seriously the experiences of all those involved, and I want to assure you that all concerned are receiving appropriate support…
NEW: The consecration of Canon Tim Lomax to be Suffragan Bishop of Warwick (previously scheduled for 6 November) has been postponed after complaints were received after the announcement of his appointment. No findings have been made. https://t.co/U0LPmwikWJ
— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) October 12, 2026
Most adults worldwide use social media, and among younger adults, nearly everyone does. Across 97 countries surveyed by Gallup so far in 2026, a median of 81% of adults say they have used some type of social media in the past seven days, rising to 95% among those aged 15 to 29.
Findings from the latest State of the World’s Emotional Health report challenge some assumptions about what that widespread use means for wellbeing. The analysis reveals a modest, complicated relationship that varies by time spent using social media, age and where people live.
With social media so embedded in daily life, the findings are particularly relevant at a time when the world’s emotional health is under considerable strain. Worry, stress, sadness, anger and physical pain all remain well above the levels Gallup measured two decades ago. What is less understood is how much social media is associated with this rise in negative emotions.
For this study, Gallup classifies adults as low use (no use or less than 30 minutes a day), moderate use (30 minutes to less than two hours) or high use (two hours or more). After accounting for factors that can influence wellbeing metrics such as these, moderate use is associated with fewer negative emotions than high use and more positive experiences and higher life evaluations than low use. As with many things in life, moderation appears to yield more optimal wellbeing outcomes.
As part of the World Health Summit, Gallup has released new data from 97 countries on social media use and wellbeing.Globally, there is no substantial relationship between time spent using social media and wellbeing.This finding is remarkably robust. It is true for youth populations (N=26,700 youth 15-29) and for all ages pooled (94,460 adults 15+). It is true with or without extensive controls for internet use, employment status, physical health, age, gender, country effects, education, income, social support. It is true for linear and quadratic use effects. It is true for heavy use, defined several ways. In fact, in some models no use or light use predicts the worst outcomes, but the effects are always very small.However, associations vary widely across countries. In most countries, there is no effect. In Africa, associations between social media use and wellbeing are insignificant or even positive! In USA, CAN, AUS, ISR, & parts of Europe, social media use predicts negative wellbeing.Effects of social media among the youth are among the worst in the USA, raising interesting questions about differences in content and underlying mental health across youth populations.
— Jonathan T. Rothwell (@jtrothwell) October 12, 2026
During the summer murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, bettors wagered more than $100,000 on the verdict. Since a deadlocked jury forced a mistrial in early September, more than $500,000 in additional bets have been placed on whether the Massachusetts woman accused of killing her children will eventually be convicted.
In Utah, a trial date hasn’t been set yet for Tyler Robinson, who stands accused of killing conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at a university event last year. But even before Robinson formally entered a not guilty plea last month, more than $300,000 had been wagered on the outcome.
In both cases, the bets were available on an offshore platform run by Polymarket. The site also has hosted bets on the federal prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs and the government’s current case against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Prediction markets are raising novel ethical concerns and insider-trading risks on everything from corporate auditing to U.S. military operations. Those headaches are now at the courthouse door, presenting particularly unusual challenges for the justice system.
“When the public treats a courtroom like a casino, due process is susceptible to corruption,” said C. Melissa Owen, president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Prediction markets are raising insider-trading concerns about jury cases https://t.co/YF4hIoWmlc via @WSJ
— Peter Dugas (@regintel2000) October 12, 2026
Given the lack of evidence of any mass radical ideology of Christian nationalism, then, why does that narrative gain so much traction in today’s discourse? We can point to a few reasons.
First, as the country has become more progressive in many ways, those who support the idea of a Christian nation are now further from the mainstream and thus look more extreme than they used to even if their views haven’t much changed.
Second, there is a group of politicians, theologians, and right-wing influencers who really do advocate for radical ideologies that can be reasonably labeled “Christian nationalist” in the most alarming sense of the phrase. It’s easy to confuse those very visible cases with the more moderate expressions we find in population data.
Third, it’s fair to say that the image of right-wing politics has gotten uglier over the past decade, meaning politically conservative Christianity suffers from guilt by association.
Racist theocrats do exist in America. But most conservative Christians—even those who want a “Christian nation”—don’t share their beliefs or goals.Sociologist of religion Jesse Smith examines 3 myths about Christian nationalism: https://t.co/xMKPQy6JJ4
— Christianity Today (@CTmagazine) October 12, 2026
Woe is me! For I have become
as when the summer fruit has been gathered,
as when the vintage has been gleaned:
there is no cluster to eat,
no first-ripe fig which my soul desires.
The godly man has perished from the earth,
and there is none upright among men;
they all lie in wait for blood,
and each hunts his brother with a net.
Their hands are upon what is evil, to do it diligently;
the prince and the judge ask for a bribe,
and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;
thus they weave it together.
The best of them is like a brier,
the most upright of them a thorn hedge.
The day of their watchmen, of their punishment, has come;
now their confusion is at hand.
Put no trust in a neighbor,
have no confidence in a friend;
guard the doors of your mouth
from her who lies in your bosom;
for the son treats the father with contempt,
the daughter rises up against her mother,
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
But as for me, I will look to the Lord,
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.
–Micah 7:1-7