This article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night.
A new Netflix series features basketball players called the “Waves” wearing blue and orange uniforms.
A Christian college with athletes called the “Waves” who wear blue and orange uniforms isn’t very happy about it.
The college, Pepperdine University, filed a federal lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. Entertainment on Thursday alleging trademark infringement.
“Since its founding in 1937, Pepperdine University has established itself as a Christian University committed to academic excellence and a world-class athletics program,” said Sean Burnett, Pepperdine University senior vice president and chief marketing officer, in a statement. “Without our permission, Netflix continues to promote ‘Running Point,’ a new series that has misappropriated our trademarked name, the Waves, our colors, blue and orange, our hometown of Los Angeles, and even the year we were founded as an institution.”
School officials claim “Running Point,” which is rated TV-MA, will harm Pepperdine’s institutional identity by associating the school with off-color jokes and activities.
The show, which stars Kate Hudson and was co-created by Mindy Kaling, follows what happens when a woman (Hudson) is unexpectedly put in charge of her family’s professional basketball franchise.
The official trailer includes strong language, discussion of drug use and allusions to infidelity.
“The university has ... expressed deep concerns about some of the series’ themes, which include explicit content, substance use, nudity, and profanity — elements that are inconsistent with Pepperdine’s Christian values and reputation," Pepperdine’s statement says.
Netflix and Warner Bros. Entertainment have not yet responded to the lawsuit.
According to Pepperdine’s statement, the school made several attempts to resolve the conflict before filing the suit.
“Running Point” is set to premiere on Thursday.
Fresh off the press
Catholic leaders pray for Pope Francis at Monday service in St. Peter’s Square
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Does the U.S. need a task force on anti-Christian bias? Your questions, answered
Term of the week: Conclave
A conclave is the gathering of cardinals that occurs when a new pope needs to be selected. The term could be found in headlines and social media posts throughout last week amid Pope Francis' ongoing hospitalization.
Ahead of a conclave, Catholic cardinals from around the world come to the Vatican. Once there, they meet to talk about challenges facing the church and what type of leader is best suited to meet the moment.
Then, cardinals under the age of 80 are secluded and begin voting on a new pope. Their pick must come from within their ranks.
“The cardinal electors ... take an oath of absolute secrecy before sealing the doors” of the Sistine Chapel, per the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The cardinals' votes during the conclave are not made public.
“Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. The result of each ballot are counted aloud and recorded by three cardinals designated as recorders. If no one receives the necessary two-thirds of the vote, the ballots are burned in a stove near the chapel with a mixture of chemicals to produce black smoke,” the USCCB explains.
Once a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote and accepts the role of the pope, the final ballots are also burned, but they’re made to produce white smoke instead of black smoke.
It took five rounds of voting for Pope Francis to be selected in 2013, according to The Washington Post.
The conclave process was recently dramatized in the movie “Conclave,” which is up for the Academy Award for best picture at this weekend’s ceremony.
What I’m reading ...
America magazine revisited the history of Catholic stories at the Oscars ahead of “Conclave’s” turn in the spotlight.
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan, when most Muslims abstain from food and water from sunup to sundown, begins Friday night. The Associated Press recently met with a Muslim community in California to explore how it will navigate Ramadan after losing its mosque to the recent Los Angeles fires.
Social media apps like TikTok and Reddit are overflowing with tales of infidelity. But is cheating actually becoming more common? Dan Cox explored that question in his latest American Storylines newsletter and noted that different surveys have produced very different results.
Odds and ends
If you’re looking for a new way to rot your brain, I encourage you to check out the Minneapolis season of “Love is Blind” on Netflix. I’m going to reference its faith-related storylines in next week’s newsletter.