Calls intensified for the ouster of the presidents of three prestigious colleges after they waffled during a congressional hearing this week on whether calling for the “genocide of Jews” would break campus rules.

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The House Education and the Workforce Committee, which held the hearing on antisemitism on college campuses, opened a formal investigation into Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Chairwoman Virginia Foxx said the testimony from Harvard President Claudine Gay, Penn President Liz Magill and MIT President Sally Kornbluth “was absolutely unacceptable.”

“Committee members have deep concerns with their leadership and their failure to take steps to provide Jewish students the safe learning environment they are due under law,” she said. “Given those institutional and personal failures, the committee is opening a formal investigation into the learning environments at Harvard, UPenn, and MIT and their policies and disciplinary procedures.”

Read more about the fallout here.

Atheists up in arms

And, as The Times’ Mark A. Kellner notes, atheist activists are speaking out against Orem, Utah, encouraging officials there to ax “In God We Trust,” the recently adopted city motto, calling the proclamation improper. But the city sees the use of the phrase as an uplifting and cohesive move intended to bring people together.

“In these times of uncertainty and division, it is more important than ever to ground our community in the timeless values that have sustained us through the years,” Mayor David Young said at a recent ceremony. “Adopting ‘In God We Trust‘ as our city’s motto is a reflection of our collective faith, our commitment to one another, and our trust in the foundational principles that guide us.”

Atheist leaders with the Freedom from Religion Foundation obviously have a very different view on the matter.

Media literacy debate heats up

Meanwhile, in California, there’s a new social media literacy law igniting quite a bit of furor, fear and consternation over how it might be used to bend young people toward or against ideological whims. 

“Supporters say Assembly Bill 873 aims to help students discern accurate, objective data from opinion and misinformation,” the Times’ Sean Salai writes. “Critics say the law is an extension of state Democrats’ efforts to discredit and silence conservative and alternative media sources.”

Find out more about the law — and the debate over its contents — here.

Evangelical church giving on the decline

Overall giving to evangelical churches and ministries dropped in 2022, according to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

“Donations fell by 0.7% in 2021-2022 after having risen 3.9% in 2019-2020,” Mr. Kellner writes, noting, though, that the situation might be looking different this year. “However, evangelical ministries and churches have reported an increase in cash donations in 2023.”

‘The Chosen’ actor’s key biblical question

Mr. Kellner also caught up with Noah James, who portrays the disciple Andrew in “The Chosen,” a popular TV show about Jesus and his followers. Mr. James said he has lingering and pertinent questions about what it was like after Christ’s death and resurrection. 

“I would want to know what it was like, in those years after the crucifixion,” he said. “That’s a huge piece of the puzzle. I can think about that question … for as long as I am fortunate enough to play this character.”

See what else he had to say. The fourth season of “The Chosen” premieres in February.

Detransition lawsuits surge

On the transgender front, a new era of lawsuits by detransitioners could be a major threat to sex-transition health care, Ms. Richardson writes. 

Young women like Soren Aldaco, Chloe Cole and Prisha Mosley are some of the detransitioners who are pushing back against doctors, accusing them of rushing them into life-altering procedures without information on the long-term impact.

“They were prescribed drugs and underwent breast removals in their teens to adopt an opposite-sex identity and later realized they preferred their sex assigned at birth,” Ms. Richardson writes. “They are suing the medical professionals who signed off on puberty blockers, hormone therapies and surgeries.”

Read more about the fascinating cases.

Pentagon abortion standoff ends

Meanwhile, The Times’ Ramsey Touchberry covered Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s decision to drop his nearly yearlong blockade against all military nominees, lifting his hold on all of the nominees below four-star promotions. 

“Mr. Tuberville has prevented the confirmations of any military promotions over the last roughly 10 months in protest of the Pentagon’s policy to pay for time off and travel expenses for service members to receive out-of-state abortions,” Mr. Touchberry writes. “The Pentagon refused to relent despite the holds, making the case that abortion access in a post-Roe v. Wade era was crucial for battle readiness.”

The decision to drop the blockage came after fears mounted that Mr. Tuberville’s stand against abortion was beginning to cause national security concerns. Read the full story here.

Video: Mitch Albom on grief, perspective and immense blessings

Mitch Albom, author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Little Liar,” joins “Higher Ground” to share his experience of running an orphanage in Haiti and adopting a daughter who would eventually die from a rare and untreatable brain cancer. 

Mr. Albom’s new book, “The Little Liar,” is set during the Holocaust in Greece and has lessons on God’s truth, how lies can transform over time, and how to recover from the mistruths the world tells us. Watch what he had to say on “Higher Ground.”

Clash over FBI Catholic probe 

FBI Director Christopher Wray addressed claims that FBI field offices beyond Richmond, Virginia, were involved in exploring whether traditional Catholics posed a terror threat, calling the assertion “a garble.” 

“House investigators said Monday that the FBI‘s probe into whether traditional Catholics posed a terrorist threat included interviews with a priest and a church choir director, and involved an undercover agent who infiltrated the church,” the Times’ Kerry Picket writes. 

Read more about what Mr. Wray had to say and where the investigation stands.

In our opinion

Over on the opinion pages, columnist Billy Hallowell tackles how progressive New York City Mayor Eric Adams is bucking the party line on faith and God, with Mr. Adams distinguishing himself as “one of the most outspoken leaders sounding the alarm on the perils of America abandoning our individual and collective faith.”

Mr. Hallowell explains how the mayor recently doubled down on his faith claims, warning that the removal of God and morals has harmed children. “Anyone paying attention knows Mr. Adams is correct, as young people are struggling with a myriad of issues, all while culture continues to sell the lie that kids and adults, alike, can find fulfillment and truth in themselves rather than their Creator,” Mr. Hallowell writes.

Parents’ primary responsibility 

Everett Piper answers an essential question in his latest “Ask Dr. E” column: What is the one thing American parents must focus on in this moment in time? 

“If I were limited to only one word of advice, it would be to repent,” he writes. “Until we humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wickedness, God will not hear us, nor will he forgive our sins or heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).”

Navigating Jesus in public schools

Another interesting piece comes from Kori Pennypacker, who helps parents navigate how to handle the real meaning of Christmas (i.e. Jesus’ birthday) inside public schools.

“Kids do not need to check their faith at the door when going to public school or when it comes to holiday games,” she writes. “Even if it is not a religious holiday, like Valentine’s Day, kids can express their faith by putting their favorite verse on a Valentine to hand out to classmates. Greeting card companies have the freedom of speech to share their messages of love. Your child has the same freedom.”