Perhaps they lost faith?
(tongue in cheek, of course)
The Huntsville Times has Doug Mendenhall, whose writings I don't particularly find intellectually or spiritually enlightening.
Of course, there's another option... have a community columnist!
The HT has a similar approach in their Op/Ed pages, and features a person in the community whom is admired by another/others for their spirituality. (Two different issues, I know.)
However, the point is that the community shares and is featured.
Perhaps, Jim, you and other leaders in the faith community may persuade the TD to rethink their ill-fated decision.