2020 has been a year unlike any other. A pandemic and cultural unrest have radically altered and disrupted our lives in ways none of us could have predicted. At the beginning of this year, I was in the process of applying to be a substitute teacher in California. Then, COVID-19 happened, schools shut down, and …
Continue...It’s been two months now that most, if not all of us, have been under some kind of stay-at-home order or quarantine due to COVID-19. Though many states are starting to slowly loosen some restrictions, our circumstances will probably not return to the ‘normal’ we once knew anytime soon. Our lives have been turned upside down …
Continue...The COVID-19 outbreak is without doubt a culture-defining moment in our present time. Much of our society and our routines have become uprooted. For Christians, we can tangibly see this in how we have changed meeting together with our local church bodies. Much of our interaction with one another has moved online for the time …
Continue...What happened? On Feb. 19, Brigham Young University (BYU) announced a wide array of changes to its Honor Code, which included removing a section on “Homosexual Behavior.” BYU is the flagship university of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons. The previous honor code had a section on …
Continue...In high school, during the summers, I volunteered as a camp counselor for the YMCA. Back then, part of the training materials they gave me was a book called The ‘C’ in YMCA. (YMCA stands for Young Men’s Christian Association). It was a book explaining some of the history and purpose behind the Christian aspects …
Continue...California is forcing some churches to pay for abortion. Some might already be paying for it without even knowing it. What happened? At the urging of Planned Parenthood, on August 22, 2014, The Department of Managed Health Care (DHMC) sent a regulatory letter to the state’s major healthcare providers to revise language concerning “a very …
Continue...On Sept. 3, 2019, a criminal hearing began over a series of undercover videos taken by David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt from the Center for Medical Progress (CMP). The videos were taken of several individuals from 2014 and 2015 surrounding the National Abortion Federation conferences. After the videos were released, this created a flurry of …
Continue...A few months ago, the NYPD announced that from Jan. 1 through May 19, 2019, there have been 184 reported hate crimes, an 83% increase compared to the same time period last year. Of the hate crimes reported, 103 (59%) of them were anti-Semitic in nature, more than double the number of reported anti-Semitic hate …
Continue...“Separation of Church and State” is one of the most misunderstood phrases is modern political discourse. Yet, it is also a phrase with deep roots in Baptist tradition and one that we, as Christians, should have a healthy understanding of as we seek to engage in the public sphere. Origins of “Separation of Church and …
Continue...Religious Liberty is a core principle in the Baptist Faith and Message (Article 17) and of the ERLC’s mission. As such, we continue to advocate for religious liberty and to protect the conscience rights of all, both at home and abroad. Legislation Every year, the ERLC engages in the legislative process to advance …
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