The Brew: From the Pope’s Passing to What the WEF?

Yesterday’s news was filled with lows and highs, from the reflective farewell to Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88, to pivotal parental rights battles in Mississippi and Maryland.

But let’s not forget the international stage: Mike Huckabee was sworn in as the U.S.’s ambassador to Israel, bringing his pro-Israel stance to a key role on the same day Klaus Schwab decided to step down as chairman of the World Economic Forum, marking the end of a 55-year era of his globalist influence.

Pope Francis (1936-2025)

Yesterday, Pope Francis passed away at his residence in Casa Santa Marta after a lengthy battle with double pneumonia and other complications.

Pope Francis died early this morning, one day after Easter, at age 88 in Casa Santa Marta. https://t.co/IXoP0TUzfs

— The Stream (@Streamdotorg) April 21, 2025

Stream contributor Jules Gomes wrote a thoughtful obituary for him, as well as an insightful article on his polarizing doctrines and their impact on the Catholic Church — a legacy worth reflecting on as we remember the 266th Roman pontiff’s humanity.

What’s in a Name?

Many parents have gone through the wringer trying to think of the perfect name for a child, sometimes picking based on family legacy. If you’re one of them, how would you feel if your child said, “I’m a Bruce identifying as a Caitlin now, so I’m changing my name”?

One family in Mississippi is facing that very question.

Last Thursday, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled 8-1 to affirm county court’s decision saying a 16-year-old girl can’t legally change her given name to a boy’s until she’s 21. That’s how Mississippi law defines the terms “minor” and “adult,” per the Mississippi ACLU, which represented the girl.

The Epoch Times reports that the girl, identified only by her intials S.M.-B., with her parents’ consent, petitioned for a name change in July 2023, arguing that her given name hindered her transition to identifying as male. At a hearing on November 6, 2023, her attorney emphasized how important the change would be for her as she continued her education.

But a few weeks later, Chancery County Court Judge Tametrice Hodges dismissed the petition, saying the girl needs to reach adulthood before such a change could be considered; she left the door open for her to petition again after she’s 21. And now, the Mississippi Supreme Court has agreed.

According to the decision, while adults may generally change their names, minors lack this right under Mississippi law. A judge may only approve a minor’s name change if it is “clearly in the best interest of the child.”

If your child was struggling with the identity God gave him or her, would you let them do whatever they want, including change the name you gave them, just to make them happy? Or would you tell them Psalm 139:13-16?

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Merry-Go-Round in Maryland

In another state that begins with the letter, “M,” a group of interfaith parents in Maryland’s largest school district will have their case heard at the U.S. Supreme Court today. The issue? A public school policy requiring elementary students to participate in lessons on “gender and sexuality,” and a district that won’t allow the parents to opt them out of it. The parents say that violates their First Amendment rights as well as their children’s.

The dispute began after the Montgomery County Board of Education in late 2022 added several pro-LGBTQIA books to its curriculum for prekindergarten through fifth grade, including one that depicts a drag queen and other things kids might encounter at a gay pride parade, one about changing their personal pronouns; and a fictional book about a same-sex romance that takes place on a playground.

Initially, administrators told parents they could opt their children out of these lessons since there is a state law requiring such an allowance. But that policy was reversed in March 2023, prompting protests and a lawsuit from parents whose religious freedom and right to guide their children’s upbringing is being stripped away.

The policy is forcing the parents, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, to choose between compromising their beliefs or pulling their children from public school, a choice many families cannot afford. While the school board defends the lessons as “inclusive” and likens them to classic children’s stories, the reality is that these materials are clearly not age-appropriate and are driven by false ideology.

A three-judge panel of the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in favor of the school district on January 21, saying the curriculum does not compel a change in religious beliefs. But the dissenting judge, A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr., called the board’s actions “constitutionally problematic.”

The U.S. Supreme Court will most likely issue its ruling on the case at the end of June.

New U.S. Ambassador to Israel

In a bit of international news, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was officially sworn in Monday as the United States ambassador to Israel. His ceremony began with Huckabee presenting his credentials to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem.

Presenting my credentials to Israeli President @Isaac_Herzog, I was moved to hear the national anthem of the United States played at his residence. Hearing that song in this land is a powerful reminder of the incredible bonds that exist between the United States and Israel. pic.twitter.com/h9iasBRx5L

— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@USAmbIsrael) April 21, 2025

Huckabee has long been vocal about his support for Israel. He understands that threats to Israel are a mutual concern for people in the U.S. as well. We pray Huckabee has God’s strength and wisdom as he represents the U.S. there.

Hip, Hip, Hurray!

Yesterday, 87-year-old World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab announced his immediate resignation as chairman of the board in Geneva, Switzerland. The board accepted his resignation during an impromptu meeting on Easter Sunday, and unanimously appointed Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe as his interim replacement while a search committee is convened to find a permanent replacement.

Schwab, who founded the WEF and its Davos summit in 1971, fostered dialogue among global elites but faced criticism for promoting “stakeholder capitalism,” which emphasizes such nefarious goals as “social credit” scores, DEI initiatives, and climate action above shareholder values and concerns.

The WEF’s focus on DEI and climate change as existential risks contrasts with the Trump administration’s merit-based, nation-first policies. On his first day back in office in January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order dismantling all federal DEI programs — and then told the Davos crowd why just a few days later.

The WEF’s Young Global Leaders program, meant to be a network of exceptional individuals out to shape the future for good, includes former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg.

In a press release, the WEF board praised Schwab’s leadership over the last 55 years. Amid rapid global changes, the WEF reaffirmed its commitment to fostering inclusive collaboration and shaping the future through cross-sector leadership exchanges.

Now we just have to wait to find out why he really resigned.

Along The Stream…

Stream contributor Raymond Ibrahim asks the important question, “Are All Cultures Equal?” as he explores the ugly truth behind multiculturalism.

Coming up later this morning, Lorenzo Sewell, pastor of 180 Church in Detroit, and his wife Molly join James and Betty Robison on Life Today to share encouragement as they discuss their unusual path to marriage and call to ministry in “The Power of Testimony.”

Gayle McQueary is The Stream’s social media coordinator. She has a background in production and is a scary judge of global elitists who try to force everyone else to eat crickets in the name of climate change.

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