Alexander Hermann, a researcher at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, said median homes used to cost three times the median income or less in 75 of the nation’s largest 100 housing markets in 1990. Ask The Post AIDive deeper

Today, that’s true in only three out of 100 markets.

According to data provided to The Washington Post by the Harvard center, the average price-to-income ratio of homes shot up in the 2000s when interest rates were low. Amid today’s high rates, it hasn’t come down. It’s much harder to afford a house with a high interest rate when the house itself is far pricier.

“By price-to-income and other metrics, home buying was a lot more affordable, even if interest rates were high,” Hermann said, noting that even a low rate that makes the monthly payment manageable wouldn’t help prospective buyers who can’t afford the down payment on a house five times their income.

“The difference between now and the ’70s and ’80s … is that prices were definitely lower then, and the supply challenges were not the same,” Hermann said.

Read it all.

Page One:“.. median homes used to cost three times the median income or less in 75 of the nation’s largest 100 housing markets in 1990.Today, that’s true in only three out of 100 markets.”@washingtonpost https://t.co/mXIUisNcXg

— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) 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

O Lord God of time and eternity, who makest us creatures of time that, when time is over, we may attain thy blessed eternity: With time, thy gift, give us also wisdom to redeem the time, lest our day of grace be lost; for our Lord Jesus’ sake.

Sunrise over the River Ouse, York 🧡The sky burnt orange, gulls circling overhead and the whole riverside glowing quietly before the city wakes up. https://t.co/gcAJ6XZRWh

— North Yorkshire (@visitnorthyork) October 20, 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 Community of St Paulinus (CsP) held a service at the cathedral on Sunday, which was attended by the Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Pete Wilcox; parish partners; members of the civic and cultural world in Sheffield; representation from the lieutenancy; and other members of the diocese.

The Canon Missioner and Prior of the CsP, the Revd Dr Justin Dodd, told the Church Times on Tuesday 13 October that it was a “joyful and prayerful moment”.

Describing the CsP, he said: “It’s the first mission community, as far as we know, that is with a specific purpose of resourcing and supporting inclusive sacramental mission in a diocese that’s going to be based at a Church of England cathedral.

“What’s unique is that it’s a mission community with that particular role, but also that it’s got quite a specific focus on inclusive sacramental work. We’re working with parish partners, where parish churches are located in some of the more economically deprived parts of the city. We want to be the gift in many ways to support those churches, congregations, and local communities.”

Read it all.

Enjoying the festive spirit 🎄a peaceful moment at Sheffield Cathedral this afternoon 🕊️ ⁦@sheffcath⁩ ⁦@VisitSheffield⁩ https://t.co/hqBFGp1sGW

— doristhehat (@doristhehat) December 2, 2025

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?

Read it all.

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.

Read it all.

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.

Read it all.

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

Almighty God, the source of all that we can have, and all that we can hope for,

Grant that we may be worthy custodians of the earth in which we dwell.

Make us creative so that we will not burden others;

Make us conservative so that we will not squander what comes our way;

Make us perceptive so that we may properly weigh our necessities against the needs of others;

Make us generous so that we may give freely of what we have that others can enjoy a portion of our fortune.

Remove from us all trust in anything but thee;

Strengthen us in the knowledge that thou wilt always provide all that we really need;

And finally, by thy Grace, instill in us that perfect desire to be thy servants and ultimately to be with thee in thy Heavenly Kingdom,

Who reignest forever and ever, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

–Robert W. Rodenmayer, ed., The Pastor’s Prayerbook: Selected and arranged for various occasions (New York: Oxford University Press, 1960)

Travel day! It’s been a wonderful extended weekend in Bar Harbor, but today we head back home. Until next we meet again! . #acadia #maine https://t.co/bFE5TgZch5

— EricStormPhoto (@EricJStorm1) October 19, 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

Set us free, loving Father, from the bondage of our sins, and in your goodness and mercy give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

🍁⛅🍂 Schönen guten Morgen am Sonntag ☕ Mit einem Foto vom Deuß – Tempel aus dem Neusser Stadtwald – wünsche ich euch einen wunderbaren Tag. Macht für euch das Beste daraus. 🍂⛅🍁 https://t.co/5CRofcg1Px

— 🇩🇪🇭🇺Ellen Lansen🇭🇺🇩🇪 (@lansen_ellen) October 18, 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

Almighty God, we praise thy name for thy bishop and martyr Ignatius of Antioch, who offered himself as grain to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts that he might present unto thee the pure bread of sacrifice. Accept, we pray thee, the willing tribute of our lives, and give us a share in the pure and spotless offering of thy Son Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

‘Nothing will be hidden from you, if you are perfect in your faith and love towards Jesus Christ, for these are the beginning and the end of life: faith is the beginning and love is the end.’ (St Ignatius of Antioch, Office of Readings) https://t.co/z8bBrit6u6

— What Good News (@WhatGoodNews) October 17, 2026

Almighty God, who lookest upon the inward man, forbid us in thy presence the vain endeavor to hide from thee what we have thought and done and truly are.  Give us candor to acknowledge freely to thee what must be forever hidden from the knowledge of others, and may no false shame keep us from confessing those sins which no proper shame kept us from committing; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

–Robert W. Rodenmayer, ed., The Pastor’s Prayerbook: Selected and arranged for various occasions (New York: Oxford University Press, 1960)

Morning everyone I hope you are well. With the fog coming down, it was time to get up, with some spectacular views from Spedding Crag along the Langdale Valley. Have a great day.#LakeDistrict https://t.co/Imu8sFCY3h

— Rod Hutchinson (@lakesrhino) October 17, 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

As Gallup recently reported, Americans’ use of alcohol is at its lowest point in history.

The question that follows, of course, is “Why the change?” There are numerous possible explanations. One of these involves religion.

At first glance, Gallup data on religion and drinking are counterintuitive. The country has become less religious overall. Yet, as I noted in a 2019 analysis, less religious Americans have historically been the most likely to drink. If changes in Americans’ religiosity were a primary driver of alcohol use, we should have seen an increase in drinking, not a decrease.

That hasn’t happened. Alcohol use is down despite the increasing numbers of less religious (and historically more likely to drink) Americans.

The explanation for these trends lies in changes in drinking patterns among those who are less religious. Those who attend religious services less than weekly — a growing group that constitutes the significant majority of all Americans — are now reporting their lowest use of alcohol in our Gallup timeline.

Read it all.

Just 21% of U.S. adults attend religious services weekly, down from 30% about 15 years ago.While frequent religious service attendance has historically been associated with lower alcohol consumption, Americans are drinking less overall, including those who attend services less frequently.Full story: https://t.co/1NFtPa2KZK

— Gallup (@Gallup) October 16, 2026

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?

Read it all.

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

Pope Leo XIV has taken as his motto “In Illo uno unum”: In the one Christ we are one. Last November he joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and other Orthodox representatives to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. The pope and the ecumenical patriarch affirmed in a joint declaration their churches’ orientation toward “the hoped-for restoration of full communion.” Even Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who leads one of the Orthodox churches most skeptical about Rome, has expressed hope that relations “will progressively develop for a joint witness to Christ.”

These symbolic gestures don’t directly address the longstanding theological barriers, but there has been some progress over the past several years. The 2023 Alexandria Document was an important step toward a joint understanding of papal authority, though not all Orthodox churches ratified the statement.

Patriarch Bartholomew, for his part, has prayed that the obstacles of the filioque—Rome’s teaching that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, rather than from the Father alone—and papal infallibility be resolved so that they “no longer serve as stumbling blocks to the communion of our churches.” The patriarch mentioned these two obstacles intentionally, and a joint international commission plans to examine them head-on over the next several years.

But reunion is the work of all believers, not just hierarchs and theologians.

Read it all.

From @WSJopinion: Two churches divided by a common faith. The estrangement between Orthodox Christians and Catholics is a scandal, writes Dmitri Solzhenitsyn. https://t.co/wUfuzWTElQ

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 16, 2026

The robot takeover looks a lot different from what we see in Hollywood thrillers.

Even as artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robots dance, box and beat human running-speed records, the physical bots showing up in our daily lives in Los Angeles are less Terminator and more R2-D2.

On a Wednesday afternoon at Ralphs on Pico Boulevard, a skinny, six-foot-tall tower of sensors rolled through the aisles. It made low beeping noises, its lights flickering purple and green. A small screen on the top of the tower had two blinking eyes and a small line of text. “Hi, I’m Tally!”

“Robot! Robot!” a young boy yelled. Some adults looked confused; others laughed.

Ricardo Valadez, a 62-year-old real estate agent from Mid-City and Ralphs regular, said he felt like the robot was stalking him around the store but was reassured by an employee that it just checks the shelves to see what is missing or out of place.

“I was kind of like, ‘What the hell is that?'” Valadez said. “I don’t know why; I felt that it was following me.”

Read it all.

Page One, @latimesThe “AI Employee of the Month” 🤖 https://t.co/mSrxwtqQFz

— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) October 16, 2026

Keep us, O Lord, constant in faith and zealous in witness, after the examples of thy servants Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer; that we may live in thy fear, die in thy favor, and rest in thy peace; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

16 Oct 1555: Bishops Hugh Latimer & Nicholas Ridley burnt at the stake in #Oxford #otd https://t.co/oEhw5eIe9k

— John McCafferty (@jdmccafferty) October 16, 2026

Almighty God, renew us day by day by thy Holy Spirit, in whom thou hast sealed us for thine own: Let all bitterness be put away from us, all anger and evil-speaking and malice; may we be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as thou, O Father, hast forgiven us for the sake of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Wow 😍 Northern lights over Sundstraumen in Flakstad, Lofoten 💚 Photo Knut Dreiås #Norway #aurora https://t.co/0T7FSXEBii

— Elusive Moose (@elusive_moose) 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

The cost of long vacancies in sees was among the issues discussed by the House of Bishops at its meeting this week.

The meeting, held from Monday to Wednesday, focused on “discussion of emerging work and matters of common concern across the Church”, a summary provided by Church House, Westminster, said.

This included work being done on episcopal appointments. Bishops noted “the cost of long vacancies and shared experiences of identifying and encouraging candidates for episcopal ministry”. Nine sees are currently vacant, and, in recent years, the failure of the Crown Nominations Commission to appoint, the withdrawal of candidates, and suspension of bishops have resulted in suffragan bishops’ serving as acting bishops for longer periods of time.

In the General Synod, members have been raising concerns about the functioning of the system, and the backlog. In 2024, Archbishop Welby spoke of “unprecedented demand in the senior appointments system”.

Read it all.

The cost of long vacancies in sees was among the issues discussed by the House of Bishops at its meeting this week #ChurchTimes #ChurchNews https://t.co/WfrWu2brU0

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) October 15, 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.

Read it all.

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

Nearly five years into its fight for national survival, Ukraine has entered a moment of intense vulnerability, under growing pressure not only from Russia but also now from the United States.

A double blow came overnight on Wednesday.

Ukraine said that its military, with no warning, had lost some critical access to a military version of Starlink, a pillar of its battlefield communications. Kyiv relies on the satellite internet network, known as Starshield, which is paid for by the Pentagon. That led Ukrainian officials and analysts to surmise that the restrictions had come from Washington, as President Trump is locked in his latest feud with Ukraine’s leadership.

At the same time, Russia unleashed dozens of ballistic missiles in a broad attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure early Wednesday, cutting power to 600,000 people in the capital, Kyiv. It was a dark omen for a rapidly approaching winter in which Russia is gearing up to try to push Ukraine to the breaking point as Kyiv runs low on lifesaving air defenses.

It was unclear how long the Starshield restrictions would remain in place. Still, the Trump administration’s treatment of Ukraine has caused outrage in a country already reeling from a string of challenges.

Read it all.

Ukraine’s Vulnerability Grows as Starlink is Restricted and Russia EscalatesKyiv has found itself increasingly vulnerable. A huge attack cut power to 600,000 people there, and a Pentagon-funded satellite program appeared to be curbed without warning. https://t.co/igpM7s86S9

— Sjoerd Nolf (@SjoerdNolf) October 14, 2026

The presence of evangelical Christianity in Chile continues, new official records are showing.

An example is a review of Chile’s Official Gazette carried out by the Chilean news outlet Ex-Ante. It shows 82 religious organisations registered officially with the state in just three months: 36 in June 2026, 28 in July, and 18 in August.

These data amount to an average of nearly one new Protestant church per day, in addition to a further 16 that amended their statutes during the same period. They are spread across 13 regions, although they are concentrated in the centre and south of the country.

Read it all.

One in six people (16.3 per cent) in the country identify as “evangelical” or “Protestant”. A government plan to promote Christian centres with a social impact in neighbourhoods shows the growing public presence. https://t.co/LAmeN20a6B

— Evangelical Focus (@Evan_Focus) October 14, 2026

O God, who by thy Holy Spirit didst move Teresa of Avila to manifest to thy Church the way of perfection: Grant us, we beseech thee, to be nourished by her excellent teaching, and enkindle within us a lively and unquenchable longing for true holiness; through Jesus Christ, the joy of loving hearts, who with thee and the same Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, for ever and ever.

Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.St. Teresa of Avila https://t.co/ZEqOu8tqrc

— Memento Mori (@TempusFugit4016) October 15, 2026

O Lord, because we often sin and have to ask for pardon, help us to forgive as we would be forgiven; neither mentioning old offences committed against us, nor dwelling upon them in thought; but loving our brother freely as thou freely lovest us; for thy name’s sake.

Built in 1902 from massive stones, Boulder Bridge was designed to blend into the surrounding landscape.More than 120 years later, framed by fall leaves, it remains one of @RockCreekNPS’s most recognizable landmarks. https://t.co/5QIo8QoApN

— U.S. Department of the Interior (@Interior) October 14, 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