Southern Baptists believe that all men and women are created in the image of God and should be safe from harm. God has called Christians to care for the vulnerable both at home and abroad and frequently chastises those who fail to protect the widow, orphan, immigrant, and the poor (Matthew 25:35-40; James 1:27). The …
Continue...On Nov. 18, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR), announced the rescission of waivers issued by the Trump administration that protect the religious freedom and consciences of millions of Americans. Notably, HHS is rescinding waivers given to South Carolina, …
Continue...Today, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments for a case titled Ramirez v. Collier. This is an important case for the religious liberty of death-row inmates and their ability to receive spiritual counsel in their last moments on earth. What is this case about? On Sept. 8, just hours before John …
Continue...On Nov. 4, the Biden administration issued a COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). The stated purpose of this rule is “to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers (100 or more employees) from the risk of contracting COVID-19 by strongly encouraging vaccination.” The intent to issue this rule was announced in September by …
Continue...Today, the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the final rule to revise regulations that govern the Title X family planning program “by readopting the 2000 regulations, with several revisions.” The stated effect of the final rule is to revoke the requirements of changes ordered in …
Continue...This week, a federal court in Texas ruled that it is unlawful to force healthcare professionals to violate their consciences for gender transition procedures. This is good news for children, families, and Christians who want to continue serving in roles without conforming to “the latest fashionable ‘right side of history’ cause.” What is the history …
Continue...Since November, the Ethiopian government and a regional military group have been engaged in a struggle for power and control over Tigray, the northern region of Ethiopia. On June 28, rebels known as the Tigray Defense Forces occupied Mekelle, Tigray’s capital city, following the retreat of Ethiopian government troops, marking a major shift in the …
Continue...The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has passed out of committee all 12 appropriations bills for FY2022. House floor consideration is expected the week of July 26 and will likely include a seven-bill minibus, with the possibility for three standalone measures. The U.S. Senate has not considered FY2022 appropriations. Southern Baptists affirm the full …
Continue...In a unanimous decision, the federal court for the 8th Circuit held that administrators at the University of Iowa are violating the First Amendment by removing Christian, Muslim, and Sikh student organizations for choosing student leaders who share the group’s mission and values. The court’s ruling of InterVarsity v. University of Iowa follows a series …
Continue...Last week, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took new steps in their ongoing campaign against Hong Kong’s democracy. Apple Daily, a popular pro-democracy newspaper that was often critical of Beijing, was forced to close down while a handful of its journalists were arrested. What happened? This most recent crackdown is months in the making. The …
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