KFUO Radio News Break

In today's News: New nursing satellite campus opens  At a time when the demand for nurses in central Texas is surging, Concordia University, Austin, Texas, has welcomed 288 new students so far this year to its traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. But they didn’t report to main campus as usual. In August 2020, under many COVID-19 constraints, the university opened the doors to its Austin Nursing Satellite Campus. The new, interactive learning environment spans 17,000 square feet, complete with a cutting-edge simulation lab, a 10-bed clinical skills lab and simulation debriefing rooms. The building also houses a student lounge and administrative and faculty offices. Rooted in the university’s Christian values, the nursing program features an accredited and rigorous curriculum delivered utilizing an interactive e-learning platform, along with hands-on skills training and clinical rotations at the area’s top hospitals.  Pro-life demonstrators are sued  New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against Republican activists Bevelyn Beatty and Edmee Chavannes for protesting at Planned Parenthood. The federal lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction prohibiting the women from going near the abortion provider’s building. The lawsuit says that the women, who gained viral recognition for repeatedly painting over Black Lives Matter street murals in New York, have been protesting at the clinic nearly every week since 2019. James claims that the women would get close to patients and staff without masks and harass them as they entered the building.  New Mexico considers abortion up to birth  Two extreme abortion bills are heading to the New Mexico House and Senate this week. The bills would allow abortion up to birth in the state. The bills would repeal sections of New Mexico’s 1969 abortions statute. In doing so, they would allow abortion on demand throughout pregnancy and would also end conscience protections that allow medical personnel to opt-out of abortion based on moral or religious grounds. The bills would also remove requirements that parents be aware of a minor daughter’s abortion. According to New Mexico Alliance for Life, the bills will repeal all abortion restrictions put in place by the state’s 1969 criminal abortion statute and would fail to replace the statute with any laws that protect women, their babies or pro-life health care workers. The bills will actively codify abortion up to birth in New Mexico state law, force medical professionals to commit or assist in abortions and force New Mexico taxpayers to continue funding abortions on healthy babies and women throughout pregnancy.  Supreme Court asked to rule on tuition assistance  A group of parents in Maine seeking state tuition assistance to put their children in a religious private school have asked the United States Supreme Court to rule on their behalf. At issue is a state provision that only allows for tuition assistance if a private school is "nonsectarian in accordance with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution." The First Liberty Institute, the Institute for Justice, and others filed the appeal on behalf of the families to the Supreme Court on Friday in the case of Carson v. Makin. 

In today's News: Bull selected to head Concordia Nebraska In August, Dr. Bernard D. Bull will become the 11th president of Concordia University, Nebraska, Seward, Neb. (CUNE). Bull, who currently serves as president of Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, will succeed the Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, who accepted a call last year to serve as president of Concordia University, St. Paul, St. Paul, Minn. Stuart Bartruff, chair of the CUNE Board of Regents, said that Bull is “known nationally for his innovative insights regarding Christian education at all levels” and that he had the unanimous support of the board. The Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, currently serving as interim CUNE president, will continue in that role until Bull’s arrival.  Court hears argument concerning ministerial exception  The Archdiocese of Chicago will be in court this week for oral argument before the entire Seventh Circuit to defend its right to select and supervise its own ministers of the faith. In Demkovich v. St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, the former music director of St. Andrew parish is suing the Archdiocese of Chicago for requiring its liturgical leaders to follow the tenets of the Catholic faith. As the church music director, Sandor Demkovich played a central role in conveying the Catholic faith to the congregation. When Demkovich entered into a same-sex marriage in violation of his employment agreement and 2,000-year-old Church teachings, the pastor let him go. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru reaffirmed that religious groups have the right to choose who teaches the faith. Today, the Archdiocese, represented by Becket Law, will argue before the entire court that religious organizations must be free to select, supervise, and communicate with their own ministers of the faith without government interference.  Baby is found in a garbage bag  An Illinois woman is facing both first degree attempted murder and child abandonment charges for the attempted killing of her newborn child, who was found tied up in a trash bag inside a nursing home restroom. Forty-year-old Verna Tolentino. was an employee at Glenview Terrace Nursing Home in Glenview, Illinois, at the time of the incident. According to an NBC News affiliate, Tolentino locked herself into a bathroom and called 911 during her shift on Jan. 11th, reporting “abdominal pain.” More than two hours later, janitorial staff cleaning up that restroom were shocked to find a baby boy in a tied-up garbage bag. The baby was taken to a local hospital where he was stabilized. Tolentino was subsequently transferred to the Labor and Delivery unit of the hospital where she was admitted in order to receive postpartum care. The Cook County State’s Attorney Felony Review Unit approved the attempted murder and child abandonment charges in early February after reviewing the case.  ‘Abortion Center to the Stars’ closes  A late-term abortion facility in Beverly Hills, California, which was known as the “Abortion Clinic to the Stars,” has closed and its office has been vacated. According to a business record obtained by Operation Rescue, the Sinai Women’s Center, which also went by the name Pro-Choice Medical Center, had its last day of business on Dec. 31, 2020.  The office was vacated over the weekend of January 30-31, 2021, according to a City official. The abortion business, which was owned and operated by abortionist Josepha Seletz, was one of eight abortion facilities to openly conduct risky, multi-day abortions into the third trimester of pregnancy. 

In today's News: Egger extended call for President of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis Concordia Seminary, St. Louis has extended a call to Dr. Thomas J. Egger, the Gustav and Sophie Butterbach Professor of Exegetical Theology and chairman of the Department of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Seminary, to serve as the 11th president in the school’s 182-year history. The call was extended after a unanimous vote on the first ballot by the electors and following interviews with the final slate of two candidates. Egger was originally nominated for the presidency by all three sources that Synod Bylaws allow to submit nominations: the faculty of Concordia Seminary, the Board of Regents of Concordia Seminary and numerous LCMS congregations.  Republicans move to save women’s sports  Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah last week led 13 of his colleagues in introducing the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, legislation that would protect athletic opportunities for female athletes. Specifically, the bill would ensure that Title IX provisions relating to athletics treat sex as that which is "recognized based solely on a person's reproductive biology and genetics at birth." Further, if any recipient of federal funding who operates, sponsors or facilitates athletic programs or activities permits a male to participate in a women's sporting event, they would be found to be violation of the statutory regulations outlined in Title IX.  Supreme Court reopens California houses of worship  The Supreme Court issued an injunction stopping California’s extreme COVID-19 ban on indoor worship in churches, synagogues and other houses of worship. The Court ruled in two cases, South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom and Harvest Rock Church v. Newsom. Both churches sued California Gov. Gavin Newsom, challenging the state’s total ban on indoor worship services — the most extreme in the nation — that targeted churches for closure while allowing non-essential retail stores such as Macy’s to open to hundreds of customers, as well as hair salons, nail salons and Hollywood soundstages. The Justices wrote several opinions in addition to the Court’s order. Senate Democrats block ‘Born Alive’ legislation  With a vote of 52-48, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act failed as an amendment to the 2021 Budget Resolution in the Senate. All Senate Republicans, along with Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania, voted in favor of the amendment. Forty-eight Senate Democrats blocked the amendment, which required 60 votes to pass. The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act requires that, when a baby is born alive following an abortion, health care practitioners must exercise the same degree of professional skill and care that would be offered to any other child born alive at the same gestational age. It also requires that, following appropriate care, health care workers must transport the child immediately to a hospital. 

In today's News: Texas Planned Parenthood wins an extension  On Wednesday, a Texas judge blocked the state from removing Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood, after it filed a last-minute lawsuit against the state. The new rule was set to go into effect on Feb. 4 after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the state could defund the abortion corporation. Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit alleges that the state did not give Medicaid patients who use Planned Parenthood adequate time to find a new provider. Patients had been given 30 days to find a new health care provider as opposed to the six months Planned Parenthood requested. Now that the grace period has ended, Travis County Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ruled that patients should be given more time, set a hearing for Feb. 17 and placed a temporary restraining order on the rule.  Kansas voters to decide on abortion  Lawmakers in Kansas last week overwhelmingly passed a ballot proposal that if approved by state voters would amend the state constitution to clarify that there is no right to an abortion. Senators in the Sunflower State voted 28 to 11 last Thursday to support Concurrent Resolution 5003, which places the amendment on the Aug. 2, 2022, state ballot, where a simple majority would be needed to change the state’s constitution. The language of the amendment states that “The constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion.” The measure, known as the “Value Them Both Amendment,” was passed in the Kansas House by a vote of 86 to 38 on Jan. 22, the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a pro-abortion Democrat, denounced the proposed amendment and claimed that it would harm the economy and send the state back “to the Dark Ages.”  School grants a student a religious exemption  A public high school in Illinois has approved a student’s request for a religious exemption from a required sexuality program after a national legal group voiced concern that the student faced the threat of possible discipline for her refusal to take part in the program. The First Liberty Institute announced yesterday that senior Marcail McBride's parents are satisfied with the offer from administrators at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora for their daughter to complete an alternate assignment instead of participating in the school’s Student Gender and Sexuality Program. In a statement, the legal group said that the academy “reversed its position and approved senior Marcail McBride’s request for a religious accommodation.”  Christian movie studio changes its name  The faith-based studio Pure Flix Entertainment has changed its corporate name to Pinnacle Peak Pictures as it begins production on “God's Not Dead: We the People.” Pure Flix Entertainment is the studio behind the “God's Not Dead” franchise. It's rebranding to Pinnacle Peak Pictures follows AFFIRM Entertainment acquiring the Pure Flix subscription VOD service last year. Pure Flix’s subscription video on demand will keep its name, but because of Sony’s AFFIRM deal, Pure Flix Entertainment became a separate company. Pinnacle Peak Pictures, which has offices in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, will continue to operate as a leading independent faith and family studio. Along with the “God’s Not Dead” franchise, the indy studio's most popular film releases include “The Case for Christ” and “Do You Believe?” Pinnacle Peak Pictures has also produced, acquired, marketed and distributed more than 100 faith and family-friendly films. 

In today's News: Virtual life conference is scheduled LCMS Life Ministry will host its first-ever virtual life conference March 19–20. The conference will include both live sessions and on-demand videos, as well as the opportunity to engage with speakers through question-and-answer sessions. The theme of the 2021 conference is “Making Disciples: Valuing Life.” Conference sessions will explore the Lutheran understanding of the sanctity of human life. Scheduled speakers include the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president; Timothy Goeglein, vice-president of External and Government Relations for Focus on the Family; and Deaconess Tiffany Manor, LCMS Life Ministry executive director. A Spanish-language track will also be available. To register for the conference, visit lcms-life.org. Education nominee supports transgender sports President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the Department of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, said he will work to protect a new executive order that mandates biological males be allowed to compete against biological females. Specifically, he will work to make sure the practice is allowed in high schools, where female athletes are often stripped of scholarship opportunities and athletic titles after being forced to compete against biological men. This policy has been a major focus in Connecticut where several female athletes are suing. Female athletes want to preserve women’s sports High-profile female athletes and women’s sports advocates are hoping to enact federal legislation that would protect women and girls’ competitive sports by limiting the impact of Biden’s executive order mandating the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports. Biden’s sweeping executive order, dubbed the Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation Act, provides across the board transgender rights. The group is planning to propose federal legislation to codify protections for girl and women athletes from competing against biological men in sports while creating a way for transgender competition. ‘Hurt After Abortion’ campaign starts A prominent pro-life activist has started a new project designed to help women who want to take legal action after experiencing complications from an abortion. Hurt After Abortion, launched last month, is the latest project of Pro-Love Ministries, which was founded by pro-life activist and former Planned Parenthood Employee of the Year, Abby Johnson. The project is a partnership with the Thomas More Society, a notable Catholic law firm. Spiritual confidentiality continues in North Dakota A bill in North Dakota that would have criminalized priests unwilling to report on what they heard during confession and violate the seal of confession under certain circumstances has been withdrawn. SB2180 sought to amend a state law regarding mandatory reporting of abuse or neglect of children or vulnerable adults. On January 29, Republican state Sen. Jerry Klein moved that the bill be withdrawn. His motion prevailed. The bill’s intent was to force members of the clergy to report what they heard about abuse or neglect as spiritual advisors. Two passages exempting clergy from mandatory reporting would have been eliminated from the North Dakota Century Code.

In today's News: Head of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod called home  The Rev. John Arthur Moldstad, Jr., president of the evangelical Lutheran Synod, died in Madison Lake, Minnesota, on Jan. 29. He was 66. For almost 10 years, LCMS president Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison has met informally once a year with Moldstad and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod President Rev. Mark Schroeder. A funeral is set for Saturday, Feb. 6, at 11 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, North Mankato, Minnesota, with committal immediately following at Norseland Lutheran Cemetery in St. Peter, Minnesota. Visitation will be held at Peace on Friday, Feb. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m., and on Saturday, Feb. 6, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.  Democrats urge elimination of religious protection  President Joe Biden is facing pressure from fellow Democrats to eliminate a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) created under the Trump administration in 2018. The Conscience and Religious Freedom Division in the HHS Office for Civil Rights was established to ensure the federal enforcement of laws that exist to protect the fundamental rights of conscience and religious freedom. Both the Democratic Women’s Caucus and Secular Democrats of America are calling on Biden to end the division. Sixty female Democrat lawmakers penned a letter to Biden in December encouraging him to “use executive powers to immediately begin reversing the harm wrought by the outgoing administration…” on the list of their demands is the elimination of the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division of HHS, claiming that it “has been weaponized to justify discrimination.”  First Liberty seeks conscience exemption  Yesterday, First Liberty Institute sent a letter to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) demanding that it immediately approve senior Marcail McBride’s request for a religious accommodation exempting her from the school’s student gender and sexuality program. IMSA requires students to complete the student gender and sexuality program before graduation. Students must agree to both “stay engaged” and “experience discomfort” while participating in the program, which uses sexual language to identify sexual preferences and gender identity. In November, Marcail’s parents notified IMSA leadership that Marcail could not participate in the program because it forces Marcail to violate her religious beliefs. The IMSA leadership repeatedly denied the McBride’s request and threatened to punish Marcail if she does not participate in the program.  Court okays a Nativity Scene  The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of a Nativity Scene displayed annually at the Jackson County Courthouse in Indiana. Liberty Counsel represents Jackson County. The Seventh Circuit ruled that the Nativity Scene is Constitutional under the Supreme Court’s recent decision in American Legion v. American Humanist Association, which upheld the Peace Cross in Maryland. The Seventh Circuit wrote, “applying American Legion, we conclude that the county’s Nativity Scene is Constitutional because it fits within a long national tradition of using the Nativity Scene in broader holiday displays to celebrate the origins of Christmas — a public holiday. 

In today's News: Concordia Irvine raises $100 million  Concordia University, Irvine yesterday announced the successful completion of its comprehensive campaign exceeding $100 million and surpassing its original goal of $85 million, making it the largest campaign in the University’s history. Launched in 2013, Forward in Faith — The Campaign for Concordia focused on new facilities, scholarships, academic programs and the University’s endowment. More than 10,000 donors — made up of alumni, parents, churches and community members — contributed to the record-breaking campaign that exceeded $100 million through private donations.  Pro-life Lutherans rally at Seminary  On a cold and windy Saturday afternoon in mid-January, Lutherans and other pro-life allies gathered in their cars on the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., to show support for the sanctity of human life. The Jan. 16 event, sponsored by LCMS Life Ministry, was one stop on the March for Life Chicago’s “Moving the Movement Tour,” which connected participants across five Midwestern states in a series of pro-life car rallies and caravans. Following the rally, the cars — led by the March for Life Chicago van and decorated with signs and flags — caravanned through Fort Wayne ending at the Allen County Courthouse. The Fort Wayne “Moving the Movement” event was hosted by LCMS Life Ministry and organized with the help of Right to Life of Northeast Indiana, formerly Allen County Right to Life, in addition to the March for Life Chicago. The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, LCMS president, spoke at the beginning of the rally, which was broadcast locally over the radio and worldwide online. Participants tuned in from their cars and honked their horns where, previously, they would have cheered and clapped.  Ohio abortion center injures woman  According to pro-life watchdog group Operation Rescue, an ambulance was called to the Women’s Med Dayton abortion business on Jan. 13 for a woman who was suffering from heavy bleeding following an abortion. The abortion center has a history of injuring women. The 24-year-old woman reportedly required “urgent” transportation to the Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, for medical assistance that the abortionist was not able to provide. Abortionist Jeanne Corwin was present at the facility at the time of the botched abortion. The facility is owned by Martin Haskell, who is known for creating the now federally outlawed partial-birth abortion procedure.  Army chaplain investigated for stand on transgenders  A U.S. Army chaplain based in Texas faces an investigation after he made a social media post suggesting that transgender individuals are “mentally unfit” to serve in the military. In a Jan. 26 tweet, the Army’s Security Force Assistance Command announced that “the recent comments posted to the Army Times Facebook page by Maj. Andrew Calvert regarding President Joe Biden's policy on transgender service members are “under investigation.” A Twitter user flagged Calvert's posts and argued that Calvert "cannot be trusted to support soldiers for another minute." In his post, Calvert argued that there is "little difference" between those who believe in transgenderism and "those who believe and argue for a ‘flat earth' despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary." 

In today's News: March for Life last Friday  Last Friday, 50 pro-life leaders marched through Washington, D.C., and concluded their protest at the back of the U.S. Supreme Court. The march was held to remember the more than 60-million children who have been killed by abortion since the 1973 Roe. v. Wade decision, and to demonstrate that pro-life Americans are not going away despite the pro-abortion policies of the Biden administration. Because of COVID, the annual March for Life rally that usually draws tens of thousands of supporters took place virtually this year.  Senate bills to cut off Planned Parenthood  Two new bills before the U.S. Senate would stop taxpayer dollars from funding the billion-dollar abortion industry. On Friday, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee introduced the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act to prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from giving Title X grants to groups like Planned Parenthood that promote and/or provide abortions, Fox 17 WZTV reports. Planned Parenthood receives more than a half-billion taxpayer dollars annually, mostly through Medicaid reimbursements and Title X grants. Former President Donald Trump issued an executive order that defunded Planned Parenthood from Title X, but President Joe Biden reversed it Thursday. Planned Parenthood does about 40 percent of all abortions in the U.S., or about 345,000 a year, according to its annual reports.  Iowa lawmakers to amend state constitution  Lawmakers in Iowa last week passed a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state constitution which would exclude a “right to abortion” or to public funding for abortion. House Joint Resolution 5 would amend the Iowa state constitution to clarify that it “does not recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or require the public funding of abortion.” The amendment is particularly prescient for Iowa, as the state’s Supreme Court found a “right to abortion” in the state’s constitution in 2018. The Iowa Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a 72-hour waiting period for abortion on the grounds that “a woman’s right to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy is a fundamental right under the Iowa Constitution.” The proposed amendment would nullify the court’s finding.  ILC postpones its annual World Conference  The Board of the Directors for the International Lutheran Council (ILC) met online on Jan. 18 for regularly scheduled meetings. During this time, the board decided to postpone the upcoming ILC World Conference, which had been tentatively scheduled for September 2021, until 2022. The decision comes in response to current challenges in the world related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The board considered the possibility of holding the conference online but recognized disparities in internet access across the world could limit the ability of some members to participate in the conference fully. The board continues to discuss what impact the delay may mean for other planned events, including the ILC’s 2022 World Seminaries Conference. 

In today's News: Concordia NY campus will close  On Jan. 28, Concordia College New York, Bronxville, N.Y., and Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y., issued a joint news release detailing the closure of Concordia, Bronxville, in the fall of 2021. The release “announced the institutions are proceeding with a formal agreement for Iona College to acquire Concordia’s Bronxville campus and provide continued education for Concordia’s students through a teach-out plan, enabling most students to continue their degrees to completion at Iona. Concordia College New York classes will cease beginning with the fall 2021 semester and the college will close.” Concordia, Bronxville, though a separate legal entity governed by the Board of Regents, is part of the Concordia University System and, as such, has been an important part of the mission and ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The impact of the Concordia, Bronxville, closure will be felt by the entire LCMS community. LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison said, “Today our hearts are heavy at the news of the coming closure of Concordia College New York. For 140 years, its graduates have served — and are serving the church and the world — in God-pleasing vocations around the globe.  Virginia adoption agencies under threat  A bill introduced in the Virginia House would repeal a provision that allows certain state adoption agencies to refuse to place children with homosexual couples because of the agencies’ religious or moral convictions. The bill was introduced by House Del. Mark H. Levine and several other Assembly members on Jan. 13. According to the pro-LGBTQ Movement Advancement Project, Virginia is one of 11 states that allows adoption agencies to deny the placement of children with families or same-sex couples that conflict with their religious beliefs. It is legal for single LGBT persons and gay couples to adopt in Virginia, and numerous adoptions agencies provide the service.  Facebook suspends Christian professor  A Christian university professor has been suspended from Facebook for voicing disagreement with President Joe Biden’s executive order allowing gender confused individuals to serve in the U.S. military. Robert Gagnon, who teaches New Testament theology at Houston Baptist University and is a renowned scholar on the subject of sexuality, was locked out of his Facebook account for 24 hours on Tuesday after he posted a comment in defense of a friend who posted a satirical commentary about Biden's executive order. Facebook suspended Gagnon's account for what it deemed as “incitement” to violence. In his post, Gagnon said the executive order will endanger women and noted that those who promote transgenderism are allowing males to invade women’s athletics and shelters. He also likened transgender ideology to a “religious cult” and said it “is indeed a pseudo-science,” in that it forces people to reject basic biology. That Facebook suspended his friend for similar comments proves the cult-like dimension, he said. 

In today's News: Concordia Texas expands residence halls Concordia University Texas will open the doors on a third residence hall in August 2022, one that puts the emphasis on collaborative learning, technology and student community. Every floor will feature study lounges and collaborative learning spaces equipped with technology. Large, open common areas will also provide students with a place to connect with others and build meaningful relationships. Nearly doubling the university’s housing capacity and eliminating the annual waiting list, the new residence hall’s location and design were developed in accordance with environmental guidelines that protect the adjacent nature preserve. An outdoor amphitheater will provide a space for university events and gatherings as well as study, relaxation, and socializing. Hundreds of cars in Chicago’s Life Car Rally Nearly 600 carloads of pro-life advocates participated in March for Life Chicago’s first-ever car rally through the streets of downtown Chicago on Jan. 23. The procession started at St. John Cantius Church on the city’s Northside. Cars were decorated with pro-life signs. About 1 p.m., drivers began to make their way through downtown on a route that brought them past key city, state and federal buildings. Small pro-life groups along the route cheered as the cars bedecked with pro-life signs drove by. The procession ended at Southside Pregnancy Center where participants had the opportunity to support babies and their parents by donating diapers to local pregnancy resource centers. Republicans pledge to support Hyde Amendment This week, 200 Republicans in Congress pledged to stand in support of the Hyde Amendment — which prevents federal taxpayer funding of abortion through government programs such as Medicaid — as President Joe Biden works with abortion supporters in Congress to end the nearly five-decade-long rider. Rep. Jim Banks sent a letter Tuesday to congressional leaders that pledged to oppose any legislation that would either eliminate or weaken the Hyde Amendment. That letter describes the push to end the Hyde Amendment as “pro-abortion crusade.” The Hyde Amendment preventing taxpayer funding of abortion has long had bipartisan support, with every president since 1976 signing the appropriations bill with the inclusion of the Hyde Amendment. Up until June 2019, Biden also supported the Hyde Amendment. LGBT flags to fly over us embassies The newly confirmed U.S. secretary of state has vowed to support the LGBT agenda by flying pride flags at United States embassies and resurrecting the "special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI persons." Antony Blinken, who was confirmed 78-22 by the United States Senate Tuesday, shared his thoughts about LGBT issues during his Senate confirmation hearing last week, which took place before President Joe Biden took office. During the Trump administration, U.S. embassies were told not to fly the pride flag, which consists of the rainbow colors and is designed to show support for LGBT rights. Then-Vice President Mike Pence defended the State Department's declaration that "on the flagpole of our American embassies that one flag should fly and that's the American flag," saying "I support that." Blinken is the fourth member of Biden's cabinet that has been confirmed by the Senate.

In today's News: Lutherans help tornado victims  Late Monday, a devastating tornado went through Fultondale, Alabama, leaving a path of destruction through the town that has killed and injured residents as well as destroyed homes, schools and businesses. This tornado was located just a few miles from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gardendale, where Pastor Ed Brashier, Southern District Disaster Response Coordinator, serves. Kathy O'Day, Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) director of Disaster Response, spoke to Brashier, who has been checking on congregation members and will be assessing damage in Fultondale as soon as first responders say it is safe to do so. He and his L.E.R.T. team began work early Tuesday morning helping a congregation member remove a tree from the roof of their home. LCC L.E.R.T. chainsaw teams are on standby to deploy and assist if requested.  Concordia Texas welcomes nursing students  At a time when the demand for nurses in central Texas is surging, Concordia University Texas has welcomed 288 new students so far this year to its traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. But they didn’t report to main campus as usual. In August 2020, under many COVID constraints, the university opened the doors to its Austin Nursing Satellite Campus. The new, interactive learning environment spans 17,000 square feet, complete with a cutting-edge simulation lab, a 10-bed clinical skills lab and simulation debriefing rooms. The building also houses a student lounge and administrative and faculty offices. Rooted in the university’s Christian values, the nursing program features an accredited and rigorous curriculum delivered utilizing an interactive e-learning platform, along with hands-on skills training and clinical rotations at the area’s top hospitals.  Illinois insurance guidelines investigated  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has informed the Thomas More Society that it is investigating whether Illinois has violated federal law by promulgating and enforcing the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, which generally requires Illinois health insurance plans to cover abortion. A Jan. 19, 2021, letter to the Thomas More Society from Luis Perez, deputy director of the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division of the Office for Civil Rights, states that the Office for Civil rights has reviewed the Thomas More Society’s October 2019 complaint and is investigating whether the state of Illinois, which receives various funds from the Department of Health and Human Services, complies with the federal Weldon Amendment. Specifically, the Office for Civil Rights is investigating whether Illinois, through its Department of Insurance and Department of Central Management Services, is discriminating against health plan issuers and plans that would offer health coverage that limited or excluded abortion coverage but are prohibited from doing so by the Reproductive Health Act.  Connecticut legislature considers euthanasia bill  An assisted suicide bill being considered in Connecticut faces opposition from disability rights activists over what they contend is a lack of safeguards against the abuse of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or the disabled. The legislature in the Nutmeg State is considering a bill that would allow physicians to provide lethal prescriptions to terminally sick adult patients who want to end their lives. 

In today's News: Court hears arguments for praying coach  Yesterday, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit again heard oral argument in the case of Coach Joe Kennedy, the longtime Bremerton, Washington, football coach who was fired after the 2015 season because he took a knee in brief, personal prayer after football games. First Liberty Institute and others collectively represent Kennedy. In January 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to review the case at that time and instead allowed Coach Kennedy’s case to continue through the court system. In a separate statement written by Justice Alito and joined by Justices Thomas, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, the justices explained that the Court needed more information in order to resolve the matter. As Alito wrote, “The Ninth Circuit’s understanding of the free speech rights of public school teachers is troubling and may justify review in the future.” The case then returned to the district court for further review where, in January, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Leighton granted the Bremerton school district’s motion for summary judgment. Kennedy’s attorneys then appealed to the Ninth Circuit.  Texas’ abortion ban thrown out  The United States Supreme Court has reversed a lower court decision that upheld a temporary ban on most abortions in Texas, asking the appellate court to dismiss the case as moot. The Supreme Court granted the petition of Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics to reverse a ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld an executive order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banning most abortions in an effort to free up hospital space for coronavirus patients. The Fifth Circuit's ruling itself reversed a judge's ruling at the district court level. Abbott's executive order came in March, 2020, a time when most U.S. states had implemented shutdowns of varying intensity in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.  Pro-life views termed ‘violence’  In a recent trend, abortion activists have been declaring the at espousing pro-life views is “violence.” One example came on the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris released a joint statement celebrating the “landmark ruling.” The statement lamented the “relentless and extreme attack” of the previous administration on “reproductive health, including the right to choose,” and they pledged to appoint Roe-friendly judges and to codify the ruling into federal law. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee responded to Harris’ tweet linking the statement with his own tweet pointing out “abortion isn’t healthcare.” In a subsequent tweet, he urged followers to support Hope Clinic, a pregnancy resource center that staffs OB/GYNS and nurses and offers a variety of health services. In response, Francie Hunt, executive director of Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood, an affiliate of Planned Parenthood Action, falsely claimed that the governor’s tweet could lead to violence. “political violence is a real danger in this country, and when the governor implies that abortion is something other than life-saving health care, it puts us all in danger,” she asserted. 

In today's News: President celebrates Roe v. Wade anniversary  President Joe Biden released a statement celebrating the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that has resulted in killing 62-million babies abortions. The decision, handed down on Jan. 22, 1973, overturned pro-life laws offering protection for unborn children in most states across the country, and made abortions legal and virtually unlimited. In the last two years, several states have approved new legislation making abortions legal up to the moment of birth. The state of New York led the way and even infamously cheered passage of the bill for unlimited abortions and lit up One World Tower pink to cheer baby-killing. Other states such as Illinois, New Mexico, Vermont and Massachusetts followed suit — either passing or attempting to pass laws overturning every single pro-life law in the state and implementing unfettered access to abortion any time, for any reason and at taxpayer expense.  Kentucky moves to protect abortion survivors  The Kentucky Born Alive Infant Protection Act became law Friday, ensuring that babies who survive abortions in the state will receive the basic medical care that they deserve. State Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Crofton, who sponsored the pro-life legislation, noted the significance of the date: the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, The Lexington Herald-Leader reports. The new Kentucky law protects babies from infanticide by requiring abortionists and medical workers to provide “appropriate and reasonable” medical care to newborns who survive abortions. It also recognizes abortions survivors as legal persons and imposes penalties on those who fail to provide basic medical care to them.  Judge refuses to restrain pro-abortion harassers  A Tennessee woman is appealing to the Tennessee Court of Appeals after a lower court refused to issue protection orders against four radical abortion militants for stalking her outside an abortion facility in Bristol, Tenn. Thomas More Society attorneys filed their opening brief with the Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville, Jan. 15, 2021, on behalf of the petitioner, Erika Schanzenbach. The appeal asks the court to correct the Sullivan County Chancery Court’s refusal to grant Schanzenbach relief after erroneously concluding that protection orders were not “the proper avenue” for stopping the accused’s repeated and relentless harassment against her outside an abortion facility. The judge ruled that Schanzenbach did not prove she was distressed since she continues to witness to life outside the abortion facility — even though Schanzenbach testified that she persists only because of her sincerely held religious duty to speak up for the voiceless no matter her opposition.  Boston refused to fly Christian flag  The city of Boston can stop a citizen from flying a Christian flag over City Hall, the First Circuit ruled on Friday. The petitioners say they will go to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that censoring a private flag because it contains a cross amounts to violation of the First Amendment, 

In today's News: Concordia alumni/student fights infant mortality  The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reports that Detroit’s infant mortality rate is 2.5 times higher than the national average, putting it on par with a developing nation. Three alumni and one current student at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich., are attempting to reduce that mortality rate by working with the Luke Project 52 Clinic, which provides personalized prenatal and infant care at no cost to any family who needs it. The clinic was started in 2016 by the Rev. Brad Garrison, a Lutheran pastor and pharmacist, and his wife, Sherie, who has more than 40 years’ experience as a nurse.  Today is National Sanctity of Human Life Day  Before leaving office, President Donald Trump proclaimed today, Jan. 22, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day as it marks the 48th year since the U.S. Supreme Court decisions of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton — the infamous abortion opinions that opened the door to kill unborn babies up to birth. Since 1973, more than 62-million unborn children have been killed in what should be the safest place — the womb. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation designating Jan. 22 as the National Sanctity of Human Life Day as the result of the influence of one woman, Dr. Mildred Jefferson, who worked tirelessly in support of personhood for every unborn child. Dr. Jefferson was the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School and the first female surgeon at the Boston University Medical Center.  Supreme Court may consider another abortion case  The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled today to consider a Mississippi law that protects unborn babies and mothers by banning abortions after 15 weeks. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch asked the high court to uphold the pro-life law last year, but the justices have not decided yet whether to take up the case. SCOTUS blog reports the justices did not act on the case during their private conference on Jan. 15, but they are scheduled to meet again today. Notably, today is the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that forced states to legalized abortion on demand. The Mississippi case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, challenges the current legal precedent that blocks states from protecting unborn babies from abortions before they are viable.  Lawmakers move to protect women’s sports  Montana lawmakers have introduced a bill protecting girls’ sports in schools, after President Joe Biden signed an executive order forcing them to allow transgender biological males to compete with them. The Save Women’s Sports Act will require public school athletic teams to be designated based on biological sex. The bill cites testosterone levels and other differences between the genders that would create an unfair playing field for young girls to compete under Biden’s order.  Gender-confused victory in Alabama  A federal judge has ruled that an Alabama law requiring residents to provide proof of gender reassignment surgery before they can change the sex listed on their driver's license is unconstitutional. 

In today's News: Biden’s committee funnels money to abortion/LGBT groups The Biden Presidential Inaugural Committee has listed Planned Parenthood and LGBT organizations as the beneficiaries of any donations made for the flags which took the place of spectators on the National Mall, as Biden marks his first day in office by emphasizing his links to abortion and LGBT ideology. Some of the groups mentioned include: Stonewall Community Development Corporation; Rainbow Family 808 Com Inc; Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund; National Center for Lesbian Rights; The Trevor Project; Wanda Alston Foundation; Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center; Howard Brown Health Center; Henderson Equality Center; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; LGBT Center of Greater Reading; Equality Maine Foundation; GLAAD. White House website now asks for pronouns Just hours after Democrat Joe Biden’s swearing-in as President of the United States, the official White House contact page has already been updated to ask users to include their preferred gender pronouns, another early gift to LGBT activists. Among the White House website contact page’s usual fields for name, prefix, phone number, and such is a new “pronouns” field, with the options “she/her,” “he/him,” “they/them,” “Other,” and “Prefer not to share.” The change is in line with the aggressively pro-LGBT platform Biden ran on, the centerpiece of which was forcing widespread accommodation of homosexuality and “gender fluidity” on private citizens by urging passage of the so-called Equality Act. During the campaign, he went so far as to endorse children as young as eight “deciding” they’re transgender, and earlier this week he chose Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine, a man who claims to be a woman, as Assistant Secretary of Health. Medical group affirms adoption In an updated statement published today, the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) affirms adoption as the best option for children who cannot be raised within their natural families. An appropriate adoptive family provides a child with love, permanency, stability, and the same legal rights as a child born into that family. Dr. Leah Wilson is a board-certified pediatrician, ACPeds director, and adoptive parent. She knows firsthand that an infant’s adoptive placement is a courageous, loving, and life-giving alternative to abortion. Dr. Wilson states, “Women experiencing a crisis pregnancy should receive counseling about options including open and semi-open adoption arrangements. Women considering abortion due to an adverse prenatal diagnosis should also be informed of the availability of adoptive families for children born with disabilities.” Governor vetoes pro-life legislation As expected, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a pro-life bill Tuesday that would give the attorney general power to hold abortion facilities accountable to basic health and safety standards. WAVE 3 News reports state House Bill 2 was one of five bills that the pro-abortion Democrat governor rejected this week. The others involved the governor’s powers in a crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic. Sponsored by state Rep. Joseph Fichter, R-Fort Thomas, the pro-life legislation would give the state attorney general power to hold abortion facilities accountable if they do not comply with state health regulations. Currently, that power rests with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which is led by the current governor’s appointee.

In today's News: Pro-Life Action League founder passes  Joe Scheidler, founder of the Pro-Life Action League, received his eternal reward Jan. 18 at the age of 93. He was affectionately dubbed the “godfather of the pro-life movement” and a “racketeer for life.” The announcement was made on social media by the Pro-Life Action League. Scheidler, a former Benedictine monk and journalism professor, was active in the pro-life movement for decades and may be best known for being a named plaintiff in the RICO lawsuit, NOW v. Scheidler, a landmark case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court three times. With help from the Thomas More Society, the plaintiffs, including Scheidler, prevailed in protecting the free speech rights of pro-lifers.  Oregon abortion business closes  An abortion business in Oregon that killed babies in abortions for almost 50 years has finally closed. Oregon’s largest independent and oldest abortion company, Lovejoy Surgicenter, has closed, just shy of 50 years in business. The abortion center killed babies in abortions up to 24 weeks into pregnancy, when unborn children are viable and can survive outside the womb. Lois Anderson, the director of Oregon Right to Life, told LifeNews.com she was excited by the news. Lovejoy Surgicenter conducts abortions through 24 weeks of pregnancy. Those done between 20-24 weeks, 5-6 months gestation, abortions are three-day procedures, according to the abortion facility’s website. These abortions carry more risks, and life-threatening complications can occur that the outpatient facility is not equipped to handle. However, the closing may be short lived. According to Anderson, a Seattle-based abortion practitioner has purchased the abortion center and will be reopening it in March. The Lovejoy web site indicates it will reopen at a new location on March 1, “under new management.”  Court halts religious discrimination policy  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit’s decision last Friday to grant a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit A.H. v. French that stops Vermont officials from excluding religious-school students from the state’s dual enrollment program, which had allowed public, private secular and home-school students to enroll at not cost to them in two college courses before graduating high school but denies that same opportunity to religious-school students. Attorneys for a high school student, her parents and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington filed the lawsuit in district court. They argued that the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue and in the Alliance Defending Freedom caseTrinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, support ending Vermont’s discrimination in its dual enrollment program.  Transgender law put on hold  A federal court in North Dakota just blocked a requirement known as the transgender mandate that would force medical professionals and religious hospitals to perform gender transition procedures on their patients — including children — even when the procedures are potentially harmful. 

In today's News: National Sanctity of Human Life Day is proclaimed  Ahead of his departure from the White House tomorrow, President Donald Trump Sunday issued a presidential proclamation recognizing this Friday as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. This year marks the fourth year in a row that Trump has recognized National Sanctity of Human Life Day in January. Jan. 22 marks the 48th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling making abortion a national right. The president used the proclamation to speak out against the landmark 1973 ruling Roe v. Wade, tout his administration’s accomplishments on behalf of the pro-life movement and call on the American people to respect the sanctity of life. The proclamation praises the activism of the pro-life movement and its advocates, who support policy initiatives that restrict the legality of abortion.  Ban on aborting Down Syndrome abortions proposed  In her Jan. 12 State of the State address, conservative South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem announced that she is calling on the state Legislature to pass a law that would ban the killing of unborn children by abortion just because they have Down syndrome. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Down syndrome continues to be the most common chromosomal disorder. Each year, about 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome, which is about one in every 700 babies born."  Charges dismissed against church deacon  Thomas More Society attorneys achieved victory for a Moscow, Idaho, church deacon who was wrongly arrested on Sept. 23, 2020, for singing while not wearing a mask at a church-sponsored “Psalm Sing” in the Moscow City Hall parking lot. On Jan. 9, the Idaho District Court signed the order dismissing charges against Gabriel Rench, one of three people arrested among the almost 200 attending the event. The September gathering at which Rench and other churchgoers were arrested was hosted by Christ Church as one of the congregation’s monthly hymn sings. This particular event was held outside City Hall in response to the extension of a restrictive COVID-19-prompted mask mandate imposed by Moscow’s mayor.  Christians make up 88 percent of Congress  The 117th United States Congress is made up of 88 percent Christians, according to an analysis by the Pew Research Center. In a report called “Faith on the Hill,” the Pew Research Center analyzed the religious affiliations of all members of the 117th Congress and compared them to the religious demographics of the U.S. as a whole. Pew obtained the data from a questionnaire conducted by CQ Roll Call asking members about their religious backgrounds. The publication of the Pew report came just one day after the 117th Congress was sworn into session on Jan. 3. Pew has been analyzing the religious composition of members of Congress since the 111th Congress, which met from 2009 to 2011. While the House of Representatives has 435 members and the Senate has 100 members, two House seats and two Senate seats were either vacant or undecided as of Jan. 4, when the report was published, leaving the number of senators and representatives analyzed at 531. 

In today's News: Wedding photographer fights state law  Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is arguing today in federal district court in a Virginia photographer’s lawsuit against state officials. The lawsuit challenges a state law, enacted July 1, 2020, that forces Bob Updegrove to use his artistic talents to photograph same-sex weddings if he photographs weddings between one man and one woman. As explained in ADF’s complaint, that law violates foundational rights set forth in the U.S. Constitution, including the First Amendment’s Free Speech and Free Exercise clauses. ADF attorneys have asked the court to enter an injunction halting enforcement of the law against Updegrove while his lawsuit proceeds, and the state has moved to dismiss the case. The law also forbids Updegrove from publicly explaining on his studio’s own website the religious reasons why he only celebrates wedding ceremonies between one man and one woman. Virginia considers such communications “discriminatory.” The law threatens initial fines of up to $50,000 and then $100,000 per additional violation, along with court orders that could force Updegrove to photograph events against his conscience if he wants to stay in business.  School district considers posting Ten Commandments  A North Carolina school board is exploring the possibility of putting Ten Commandments displays near the entrances at each of its school buildings, a possibility that has upset a secular legal group. The Cleveland County School Board first discussed the idea at its Dec. 14 board meeting, drawing support and criticism in the last week from opposing national First Amendment legal groups. Supporters of the measure contend that displays of the Ten Commandments on school grounds are permitted by North Carolina law, as long as they are accompanied by other historical displays. advocates for a strict separation of church and state, sent a letter to Cleveland County School District attorney Colin Shive. In the letter, Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened legal action against the school district if the push to erect the Ten Commandments displays at its schools was not scrapped.  State’s abortion law challenged by women’s group  Women in New York filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a radical pro-abortion law that legalizes abortions for basically any reason up to birth in the Empire State. The class action lawsuit argues that the New York Reproductive Health Act, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2019, puts women in danger and violates the fundamental rights of women and children, including unborn babies who can survive outside the womb. Along with expanding late-term abortions, the law repealed criminal charges for killing an unborn baby even in a violent criminal act against the mother. In the lawsuit, victims of domestic abuse slammed New York for denying them and their children justice, the Catholic News Agency reports.  Pro-life student group wins suit  Oregon’s Chemeketa Community College has settled a federal lawsuit with a pro-life student group by agreeing to pay $25,000 to cover the cost of legal fees and end a policy confining free speech to a small area of campus. The Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal group representing the Chemeketa Students for Life, announced the settlement last Friday. Before the settlement, which is dated Nov. 10, the college limited outdoor free speech in two small areas of campus. According to the legal group, the taxpayer funded school’s policies restricted the free speech rights of students to just 1.5 percent of the school’s 100-acre campus. 

In today's News: Christian persecution up worldwide 2020 continued a trend of rising persecution around the world, with governments often using COVID-19 restrictions as tools of repression, Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors USA announced in its annual report. Open Doors' 2021 report revealed two important persecution trends in 2020. The number of Christians killed has increased by 60 percent this year, mostly because of Islamic violence against Nigerian Christians. Secondly, anti-Christian governments around the world use COVID-19 restrictions to persecute Christians. In Nigeria, more than 2,200 Christians were murdered by radical Islamists. This number makes up slightly less than half of the 4,761 Christians killed for their faith worldwide, according to Open Doors statistics. Most of the Christians killed in 2020 gave up their lives to extremist groups, not governments. New York considers assisted suicide The state of New York is one of the latest to consider embracing assisted suicide. Senate Bill S3151A, or the Medical Aid in Dying Act, was originally introduced in 2017, but died in committee in March of 2018. Another version failed in 2019, yet Assemblyman Kevin Cahill has announced his intentions to resubmit the bill for consideration in 2021 — and one Planned Parenthood political action affiliate is showing its support. Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts released its 2021 legislative priorities, which largely consisted of expanding abortion — but buried at the bottom was a passage linking abortion and assisted suicide under the “bodily autonomy” umbrella. North Dakota considers spiritual advisors must break confidentiality Three North Dakota state legislators introduced a bill this week that would oblige clergy to violate the confidentiality in cases of confirmed or suspected child abuse, on penalty of imprisonment or heavy fines. The bill was introduced Jan. 12 by state senators Judy Lee, Kathy Hogan and Curt Kreun, and state representatives Mike Brandenburg and Mary Schneider. The current mandatory reporting law in North Dakota states that clergy are considered mandatory reporters of known or suspected child abuse, except in cases when “the knowledge or suspicion is derived from information received in the capacity of spiritual adviser”, such as in the confessional. The bill, SB 2180, would amend that law to abolish this exception. Supreme Court rules against mail in abortion drugs The United States Supreme Court reinstated a requirement enacted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that women seeking to obtain abortion drugs must pick them up in person from a hospital or medical office rather than receiving them by mail. The High Court ruled 6-3 in Food and Drug Administration v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that the FDA abortion drug rule may go into effect and lifted a nationwide injunction against it. It granted the FDA request to reinstate enforcement for the “Elements to Assure Safe Use” in the Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for the chemical abortion pill mifepristone.

In today's News: Abortions stop in Missouri  Operation Rescue believes Planned Parenthood in St. Louis has stopped performing abortions and has done none in months. Instead, the group found that the St. Louis facility is referring women to a new Planned Parenthood a few miles across the border in Illinois for abortions. The St. Louis facility still has a license to do abortions, but it is choosing not to. An Operation Rescue spokesman said he believes the reason is because Planned Parenthood does not want to comply with Missouri’s pro-life laws. The St. Louis facility had a poor reputation. Operation Rescue documented 75 medical emergencies at the facility over the past several years. In 2019, state health leaders tried to revoke its license, citing “multiple life-threatening abortions,” but a state commissioner ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood.  Ohio bans abortion drugs by telemedicine  On Saturday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill banning the use of telemedicine to administer the abortion pill in the state. The bill, SB 260, would effectively ban telemedicine abortions in Ohio by requiring that a physician be present when the first of the two drugs in the abortion pill regimen is administered to a woman. Failure to abide by this law could result in a fourth-degree felony, and repeated violations of the law could result in the suspension of the offending physician’s medical license. According to the FDA, at least 24 known women have died from complications associated with the abortion pill and countless women have shared their personal stories of the horrific effects they have endured after taking the abortion pill regimen. Despite claims that the abortion pill is as “safe as Tylenol,” it carries with it a four times greater risk of complications than a first trimester surgical abortion.  Supreme Court sidesteps a First Amendment case  The U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped an opportunity to rule on behalf of the First Amendment right for pro-life speech around abortion centers. The Supreme Court declined to hear Bruni v. City of Pittsburgh, which challenges a law enacted by the city that bans pro-life speech — even prayer — in painted 15-foot buffer zones outside medical facility entrances. The city then chose to paint such zones outside only two facilities in the entire metropolitan area, Pittsburgh’s two abortion centers, and enforced the ban against pro-life speech only. This bans the free speech of sidewalk counselors and those handing out literature informing pregnant women of resources available for them and their children. However, speech on other subjects has been permitted inside the zone. Despite the language of the ordinance and how it was applied, the lower court interpreted the ordinance in such a way that pro-life speech is permitted. And the lower courts did not apply the Supreme Court’s more recent precedent striking down restrictions on speech (Reed v. Town of Gilbert) and pro-life speech outside an abortion clinic (McCullen v. Coakley), and instead relied upon the older case of Hill v. Colorado. 

In today's News: Turkey rejects an American pastor’s appeal  Turkey’s constitutional court last week rejected as “inadmissible” American Pastor Andrew Brunson’s appeal over rights violation for unlawfully arresting him and exceeding the legal limit of his detention. He was imprisoned for his faith for two years in that country. Although he now lives in the United States, the prison sentence against Brunson, who was arrested in October 2016 and charged with espionage and committing crimes in the name of a terrorist organization as a non-member, remains. Brunson's appeal was made on the basis that his arrest was illegal and beyond the legal limit of detention.  Court rules in favor of a Christian club  A Christian afterschool ministry tied to The Moody Church in Chicago is sufficiently religious enough to qualify for an exemption from having to pay into a state insurance program, an appeals court ruled last week. A three-judge panel of the Appellate Court of Illinois on Wednesday upheld a lower court decision and ruled 2-1 that the By The Hand Club for Kids should have been given an exemption to the state’s Unemployment Insurance Act. The Illinois Department of Employment Security’s Board of Review concluded in 2017 that the By The Hand Club was not eligible for an exemption to the state unemployment insurance system. In the majority opinion authored by Justice Margaret McBride, the court ruled that the board of review failed to recognize the pervasive religious nature of the student club. This included the club requiring members and staff to be Christian, hosting Bible studies and chapel services and leading field trips to faith-based events like Christian music concerts.  Judges ask Supreme Court to revisit an abortion ruling  A three-judge panel on a federal appellate court struck down several pro-life laws in Arkansas, and two of the judges have called on the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit its ruling in a major abortion case that upheld Roe v. Wade. The ruling by three judges on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals prevents two pro-life laws passed by the state in 2019 from going into effect. One of the laws prohibits abortions after 18 week’s gestation while the other prohibits abortion of a child based solely on a diagnosis of Down syndrome. Judge James Loken, a George H.W. Bush appointee who authored the opinion, cited the precedent set in the 1992 Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v. Casey when upholding a lower court’s ruling blocking the Arkansas laws from going into effect. While the panel unanimously agreed that Supreme Court precedent required them to strike down the Arkansas laws, two of the judges urged the court to reconsider the finding of Casey. One of the judges, George W. Bush appointee Bobby Shepherd, shared his view that “good reasons exist for the (Supreme) Court to reevaluate its jurisprudence” in Casey.  Satanic Temple opposes burial for aborted babies  The Satanic Temple, a group that believes abortion is a “religious ritual” similar to communion or baptism, is fighting against a new Ohio law that ensures aborted babies receive a proper burial. WLWT 5 News reports the religious group slammed the law as a violation of the First Amendment last week and threatened to take legal action. Signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in December, the law requires the Ohio Department of Health to establish rules for the proper and humane burial or cremation of aborted babies’ bodies. It creates penalties for violations and requires abortion facilities to pay for the babies to be cremated or buried. Several states have similar laws in place, and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s law in 2019. Such laws not only ensure that aborted babies’ bodies are treated with dignity and respect, they also are a safeguard against abortion facilities trying to sell aborted baby body parts. However, the Satanic Temple claims the Ohio law violates their religious freedom. 

In today's News: LCMS schools face the new year  Jan. 24–30 — offers LCMS schools a yearly opportunity to reflect on and share the blessings of Christian education. This year, amid many challenges, they will have many blessings to celebrate. Currently, the LCMS has 1,914 schools across the nation, serving more than 190,000 students. In the past year, these schools have had to make unexpected adjustments in order to continue their mission and ministry. A testament to their hard work is that enrollment trends are up in many Lutheran schools following the onset of the pandemic. The 2021 NLSW theme is “Sent To Serve,” based on Matt. 20:28: “The son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Texas cuts off Planned Parenthood  Starting in February, the state of Texas will no longer be required to award Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood, thanks to a November decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. After the abortion giant requested a six-month grace period for patients to find new providers while still receiving care, the court denied this request but allowed for a 30-day grace period ending Feb. 3. The 5th Circuit and Texas attorney general based this decision in part on Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the illegal trafficking of aborted baby body parts that came to light in 2015. In 2013, Planned Parenthood was fined $1.4 million for fraudulently over-billing the Texas state Medicaid program, as reported by Live Action News.  Abortions increase in Pennsylvania  A new report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health reveals that that in 2019, there were 654 more abortions in the state than in 2018. This marks the second year in a row that the state saw an increase in abortions, and the first time since 2001 that there was an increase in two consecutive years. Altogether, more than 31,000 abortions were committed in the state in 2019, which means that an average of 85 babies died by abortion each day. The majority of those abortions were committed on women ages 25 to 29, and nearly 88 percent of the women were reported as unmarried. More than 47 percent of the abortions were committed on women who already had at least one prior abortion. The report also reveals that 44 percent of abortions were committed on black women, though nationwide, the black community comprises just 12 percent of the population. Additionally, there was an alarming increase in reported abortion complications. The state recorded 285 abortion complications for 2019, significantly higher than the 179 injuries documented in 2018.  U.S. reforms child welfare providers regulations  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ final rule issued last week that eliminates a federal regulation from the previous administration that forced child welfare providers to abandon their deeply held religious beliefs to continue receiving federal funding to serve children in need. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent Catholic Charities West Michigan and New Hope Family Services in New York, both adoption and foster care providers, in federal lawsuits against state officials. 

In today's News: Concordia Seminary offers online visitations Two online visitation events are scheduled for February at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; one for high school men, and another for college-age and second-career prospective students planning to study to become pastors and deaconesses. Registration is now open for Taste of the Sem for high school men Feb. 13-15 and Green & Gold Day for prospective students planning to study to become pastors and deaconesses Feb. 20. The events are typically held in person but have been moved online because of the coronavirus pandemic. Both events are free. Pro-abortion Democrats take the Senate Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff defeated Incumbent Republican Georgia Sen. David Perdue in Tuesday’s runoff election. The victory for the pro-abortion Democrat over the pro-life senator essentially puts the Senate in democrat hands by giving pro-abortion radical Kamala Harris the tie-breaking vote if she becomes vice president. With both senators losing their races, the Senate will have a 50-50 party split, and, if she’s vice-president, Harris, a pro-abortion Democrat, would cast the deciding vote on issues like forcing taxpayers to fund abortions and expanding late-term abortions. Study shows gender dysphoric men outperform women Biological men who identify as women continue to outperform biologically-female athletes for at least two years after they begin receiving “feminizing therapy” (female hormones), a new study shows. “The results, published last month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, could mean the current one-year waiting period for Olympic athletes who are transitioning is inadequate,” NBC reported on Tuesday. States seeking to ban transgender athletes from competing against biological females in school sports are citing the study to document that athletes born as biological males have an unfair advantage over biological females. California defines women’s breasts as ‘abnormal’ The California insurance commissioner is clarifying that insurance coverage on double mastectomies for gender dysphoric females is not "cosmetic" but "reconstructive," and classifying normal breast tissue as "abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects." The move paves the way for more minor girls who identify as something other than their biological sex to undergo breast amputation. Arguments heard on the ‘Ministerial Exception’ The highest court in Massachusetts heard oral arguments on Monday regarding whether an evangelical Christian higher education institution can lawfully refuse to promote a former professor who held pro-LGBT views. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments virtually over a lawsuit filed against Gordon College by former associate professor Margaret Deweese-Boyd. At issue is whether Gordon, founded in 1889, could lawfully deny a promotion to Deweese-Boyd by citing the “ministerial exception,” a legal principle that allows religious bodies to choose their own ministerial staff with exemption from employment discrimination law. Eric Baxter, an attorney with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty who is representing the school, argued in his opening remarks that the exception applied to the employment of Deweese-Boyd since she was expected to undertake certain religious obligations.

In today's News: Judge awards Planned Parenthood $13 million  A U.S. District judge with ties to Planned Parenthood has granted the abortion giant more than $13 million in “attorney fees and costs” despite the fact that attorneys are currently working to appeal the ruling, according to Liberty Counsel. Judge William Orrick III’s connection to Planned Parenthood includes helping to open one of the abortion corporation’s facilities. Despite this conflict of interest, he refused to recuse himself from the civil trial of Planned Parenthood v. The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) regarding CMP’s undercover journalism, which exposed the illegal sales of fetal organs and tissues. The $13 million Orrick awarded Planned Parenthood is in addition to the more than $2 million the jury had awarded the corporation after finding for the plaintiff on all counts in the civil case. That ruling came after Orrick instructed the jury not to consider the First Amendment as a defense for CMP and journalists David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt and blocked the jury from watching much of the undercover videos that revealed Planned Parenthood’s unethical and illegal actions. The jury found Daleiden, Merritt and CMP liable in their undercover journalism of Planned Parenthood in 2019, with Orrick determining that the journalists had trespassed when they attended Planned Parenthood events and visited facilities though they were welcomed into those arenas. The verdict was made against CMP even though Planned Parenthood employees admitted that their words in the videos were their own. Notably, Planned Parenthood has never sued CMP for defamation. With this latest move, Orrick appears to be sending a message to silence pro-lifers from continuing to expose the abortion industry for its horrific practices.  Satanic Temple billboards support abortion  The Satanic Temple is back after a failed attempt to overturn Missouri’s abortion laws, promoting its pro-abortion message on billboards. According to the Houston Chronicle, the temple erected billboards in Texas and Florida to raise awareness of its purported abortion “rituals” — and also to claim that pregnancy is dangerous. “Abortions save lives!” The billboard reads in large letters. Underneath, it says, “our religious abortion ritual averts many state restrictions.” The Satanic Temple’s so-called “abortion ritual” seems to have been created less out of actual spiritual fervor and more to skirt pro-life laws. During the rite, a Satanist merely recites personal affirmations in the mirror before and after an abortion procedure.   ‘Feliz Navidad’ for the unborn  Singer Jose Feliciano has expressed support for the pro-life movement, declaring that “even if all there is a heartbeat, that’s life.” Feliciano, who's blind and best known for his Christmas song “Feliz Navidad,” described his conversion to the pro-life movement in an interview with the National Catholic Register. “I used to be pro-abortion many, many years ago,” he recalled, “But then when I had my daughter Melissa, I went the other way … when I heard Melissa’s little heartbeat on the monitor, I said, ‘well, wait a minute. Even if all there is a heartbeat, that’s life’.” 

In today's News: Planned Parenthood’s ‘wish list’  Planned Parenthood is preparing its wish list for former Vice President Joe Biden’s prospective administration, but pro-life forces are gearing up for a fight. In a Roll Call interview, Planned Parenthood Action Fund President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson said her organization’s top goal in 2021 is abolishing the Hyde Amendment, which for 40 years has prohibited federal funding for most abortions. The Hyde Amendment is named for the late Rep. Henry Hyde of Illinois who sponsored the Amendment, first adopted in 1976. In a statement to The Daily Signal, Jeanne Mancini, President of March for Life, said she is concerned about the obvious pro-abortion trajectory of a Biden Administration.  Pro-lifers sing Christmas carols at an abortion center  Pro-lifers greeted women with Christmas carols and messages of hope for them and their unborn babies on Saturday outside an abortion facility in Alexandria, Virginia. The Arlington Catholic Herald reports pro-life sidewalk counselors faithfully show up every Saturday outside the Alexandria Women’s Health Center to pray and offer information to pregnant women considering abortions. On Dec. 19, their outreach included Christmas carols as part of the national “Peace in the Womb Pro-Life Christmas Caroling” event, a project of the Pro-Life Action League.  Proposed abortion law faces opposition  New Jersey pro-lifers gathered in the cold Saturday to protest a radical pro-abortion bill that would legalize the killing of unborn babies up to birth and force taxpayers to pay for their deaths. Tap Into Union reports about 50 people protested outside the offices of State Sen. Joseph Cryan, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano and Assemblyman Jamel Holley, urging them to reject the pro-abortion legislation and support life. They also listened to women’s testimonies and sang Christmas carols. A pet project of pro-abortion Gov. Phil Murphy, the bill would legalize the killing of unborn babies for basically any reason up to birth.  LA county lifts restrictions on worship  Los Angeles County recently announced that it was allowing houses of worship to hold both indoor and outdoor services, reversing an earlier ban on indoor services. In a statement Saturday, the county government explained that the decision to allow the services comes due to recent legal decisions from the United States Supreme Court. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two orders in which it overturned state-level restrictions on in-person worship in Colorado and New Jersey, respectively.  Biological Sex on Birth Certificates Reconsidered The New England Journal of Medicine joined the ranks of medical institutions elevating “social justice” above sound medicine last week with the publication of an article calling for “rethinking” how biological sex is recorded on birth certificates. The authors go so far as to claim that “sex designations on birth certificates offer no clinical utility; they serve only legal — not medical — goals,” while potentially inviting “scrutiny” and “shame,” as well as thwarting gender-confused individuals’ ability to access opposite-sex locker or shower facilities or serve in the military. 

In today's News: Virginia Christians oppose new law  Churches, ministries, schools and Christian-owned businesses from across the state of Virginia signed an open letter to Gov. Ralph Northam and members of the Virginia General Assembly that urges them not to force religious citizens to violate their beliefs under the so-called “Virginia Values Act.” The law, enacted July 1, on its face compels churches, religious schools and Christian ministries to hire employees who do not share their stated beliefs on marriage, sexuality and gender identity — or face fines of up to $100,000 for each violation. A companion law requires the ministries and other Christian nonprofits and Christian-owned businesses to include in employee health care plans coverage for “sex reassignment” and “gender affirming” surgeries that run contrary to their beliefs. It also prohibits the ministries from offering sex-specific sports, classes for parenting and Christian discipleship, if those programs are based on biological sex.  Medicaid money withheld from California  Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced that his department was taking action against California and a hospital in Vermont that implemented policies violating the conscience rights of those opposed to abortion. Azar was among many notable speakers at a White House event, called “Life Is Winning: Celebrating 4 Years of Pro-Life Accomplishments,” hosted by Vice President Mike Pence Wednesday. During his speech, Azar highlighted how the Trump administration was “protecting conscience rights more aggressively than any previous administration in history." He went on to announce that $200 million in federal Medicaid funds would be withheld from California for the first quarter of 2021 due to the state's refusal to amend its policy "imposing universal abortion coverage mandates on health insurance."  Pro-abortion Representative to Biden’s Cabinet  A New Mexico Congresswoman who was accused of defaming young, pro-life teenagers at the march for life is President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for Secretary of the Interior. The Hill reports Biden nominated U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, a pro-abortion Democrat, to join his Cabinet this week. Haaland has a 100-percent pro-abortion voting record, according to the National Right to Life Committee. Her votes include opposing "The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act," which would protect newborn babies from infanticide. Haaland was sued for defamation in 2019 after she trashed pro-life teenager Nick Sandmann and other high school students who were attending the March for Life, the Los Alamos Monitor reports.  D.C. mayor backs off Christmas restrictions  Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has eased restrictions on houses of worship following a lawsuit by the Catholic Church accusing the Democrat of “arbitrary” and “discriminatory” restrictions on churches ahead of Christmas. In a lawsuit filed Dec. 11, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington said Bowser’s restrictions “bear no relation to either the size of the building or the safety of the activity” and “single out religious worship as a disfavored activity, even though it has been proven safer than many other activities the district favors.” Bowser modified the city’s attendance limits in a Wednesday order, removing the 50-person limit for religious gatherings and instead capping places of worship at 25 percent capacity with a maximum of 250 people. 

In today's News: Arkansas pro-life laws allowed The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Little Rock, Ark., decided on Tuesday that it will not reconsider its earlier decision from this summer to lift a judge’s injunction against four Arkansas abortion restrictions. The court was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center For Reproductive Rights on behalf Of Little Rock abortionist, Frederick Hopkins, after its August decision to allow four Arkansas abortion restriction laws to take effect. Among the four restrictions previously blocked by a judge is a ban on second trimester dismemberment abortion procedures. Additionally, the court lifted the judge’s injunction against a sex-selective abortion ban, a measure specifying how aborted babies’ remains are to be disposed of, and a requirement that police must be notified, and fetal remains must be preserved from abortions committed on girls younger than age 14. Abortionist fined for false advertising A complaint filed by Reprotection, Inc. With Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill’s office has resulted in fines for a Florida abortionist. Earlier in 2020, Reprotection Lodged a complaint against James Pendergraft, owner of the Orlando Women’s Center, for falsely advertising that it operated in Indiana. The complaint led to legal action brought by Attorney General Hill against the Florida-based abortion vendor. This resulted in a civil penalty fine of $9,000 for violating the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act. Reprotection, Inc. filed the complaint after discovering webpages by the Florida abortion business claiming to do abortions in various Indiana cities, including Muncie. Further, the advertising inferred that the dangerous chemical abortion pill could be administered in one day, which is not in compliance with FDA guidelines. Administration’s pro-life record praised President Donald Trump’s administration has been focused on protecting and fighting for the right to life, Vice President Mike Pence said yesterday. Pence’s remarks were delivered at a “Life Is Winning Event,” where the vice president highlighted the Trump administration’s pro-life accomplishments with leaders of the pro-life movement, including Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List, Tom McClusky of the March For Life, David Daleiden of The Center for Medical Progress and Abby Johnson of And Then There Were None. Pence touted the administration’s reinstating of the Mexico City Policy, which ended government funding for abortions globally. Nevada churches win Nevada cannot impose on churches greater public health restrictions than those applied to secular businesses, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday in a victory for religious Nevadans. As previously covered by LifeSiteNews, Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley v Sisolak concerns a case made by Calvary Chapel, an evangelical church, that Nevada is unlawfully discriminating against houses of worship by allowing several public facilities, including casinos, to fill with crowds to 50 percent capacity while restricting religious gatherings to 50 people, no matter how large the building. In Calvary’s case, 50 percent capacity would be 90 people. This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 against taking the case, letting the restrictions stand. But a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit unanimously sided with the church on Tuesday, courthouse news reports. In reaching their decision, the judges relied on the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision last month in favor of catholic diocese of Brooklyn against similar capacity limits imposed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

In today's News: NSLA School Shepherd Award given  The Rev. Jonathan Dinger, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church and School in Pocatello, Idaho, was selected by national Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) as the recipient of the 2020 NLSA School Shepherd Award. This award honors “a faithful pastor who provides outstanding encouragement, support and service to his school,” and who is able to “understand and articulate a clear philosophy of Lutheran education and provide spiritual encouragement, guidance and support for the schools entrusted to his care,” according to NLSA. Dinger is a graduate of Concordia University, Portland, Ore., and of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Prior to his Seminary studies, he served as a high school teacher for several years. He has served as Grace Lutheran’s pastor since 2007. Dinger was nominated by the NLSA validation team and endorsed by the LCMS Northwest District, then selected from among various nominees by the NLSA Selection Committee.  Religious identity in America declines  The most common religious identity among young adults in the U.S. is "none," and the majority of Americans don’t believe it’s necessary for a person to believe in God to be moral and have good values, a new survey has found. Released yesterday, the American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life investigating contemporary religion in the U.S. found that among young adults age 18 to 29, the most common religious identity today is “none.” More than one in three young adults are religiously unaffiliated. Nearly nine in 10 Americans report they believe in God, but just over half report they believe in God without any doubts at all. Of these, more than eight in 10 white evangelical protestants and black protestants say they are absolutely certain God exists. Overall, 42 percent of Americans have a close social connection with someone who is religiously unaffiliated — up from 18 percent in 2004. Additionally, most Americans say it's not necessary for a person to believe in God to be moral and have good values. Close to six in 10 Americans say a belief in God is not a precondition to being moral and having good values, while 41 percent of the public say a belief in God is essential.  Court asked to reinstate abortion pill restrictions  The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate a requirement that women visit a medical facility to obtain abortion-inducing pills, seeking to lift a lower-court order that has allowed delivery by mail during the pandemic. The filing yesterday renews a request the court temporarily rejected in October, when it was shorthanded after the death of justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The Supreme Court now has a stronger conservative majority with Justice Amy Coney Barrett having filled Ginsburg’s seat.  Informed consent law blocked  A Tennessee law that ensures women are not rushed into aborting their unborn babies will remain blocked after a federal judge ruled Monday. The AP reports U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman refused to lift his block on the state 48-hour waiting period law, which requires abortion facilities to provide informed consent counseling to women at least two days prior to an abortion. 

In today's News: Religious schools’ accreditation threatened  The Human Rights Campaign — a large, influential LGBTQ advocacy group — recently released a policy brief with recommendations for a Biden administration, and the suggestions are alarming. The organization’s “Blueprint for Positive Change 2020” describes itself as “a comprehensive list of 85 individual policy recommendations aimed at improving the lives of LGBTQ people.” One of the more alarming suggestions from the organization’s proposal concerns accreditation for religious schools and universities. It states, “the Department of Education should issue a regulation clarifying that this provision, which requires accreditation agencies to ‘respect the stated mission’ of religious institutions, does not require the accreditation of religious institutions that do not meet neutral accreditation standards including nondiscrimination policies and scientific curriculum requirements.”  Native American casinos are exempt  Dec. 3 the office of Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a conditional stay-at-home order which went into effect Dec. 5, giving every region in the state 24 hours from the point its Intensive Care Unit capacity falls below 15 percent to implement the restrictions in the order. Once triggered, the order that restricts residents from gathering, limits grocery stores to 35 percent and retailers to 20 percent capacity; and shuts down bars, salons, indoor and outdoor restaurants, among others, will be in effect for thee weeks. Unlike the rest of the businesses, Native American tribes are not required to follow state’s orders as they are sovereign nations, so Native American casinos are not affected by the governor’s order.  Bill in Congress would defend women’s sports  Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma introduced a bill Thursday banning transgender females — people who were born male — from taking part in women’s sports. The Protect Women’s Sports Act would clarify Title IX for female athletes based on biological sex and require that only biological females can participate in women’s sports.  State capitols display Nativity scenes  Baby Jesus is present at the Iowa statehouse this Christmas season. Starting with an opening ceremony on Dec. 12 and remaining through Dec. 26, a traditional Christian crèche is on display in the first-floor rotunda in Des Moines. The Thomas More Society, a national not-for-profit law firm, has teamed up again with the American Nativity Scene to help keep privately funded manger scenes in the public square for Christmas. The following state capitols featured a nativity scene in 2019: Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. Additionally, during Christmas 2020, manger displays will be featured in Idaho, Oklahoma, Nevada and West Virginia, with newly participating states still being added. 

In today's News: Church wins discrimination case  Yesterday, a California Superior Court issued a preliminary injunction protecting Father Trevor Burfitt and his Catholic parishes from the discrimination being heaped on them by Gov. Gavin Newsom and those under his authority in the name of COVID-19 prevention. Thomas More Society attorneys are representing Burfitt in his suit against Newsom and other state, county, and municipal officials. Judge Gregory Pulskamp issued the order yesterday, prohibiting Newsom and the others named in the lawsuit from enforcing COVID-19 related restrictions against Burfitt. The court specifically singled out the provisions of Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy and his regional Stay At Home order as failing to treat houses of worship in a manner “equal to the favored class of entities.”  Governor tells worshipers how to pray  Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam was widely rebuked for telling churchgoers during a press conference this week how they should worship. In discussing the latest COVID-19 restrictions in the Commonwealth, the governor turned his attention to the religious holidays celebrated this month, noting they are “typically times of joy and community.”  Florida free speech law is hailed  A nationwide pro-life student organization has expressed support for a newly signed law in Florida prohibiting public colleges from creating so-called "free speech zones" to limit on-campus speech. Earlier this week, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 4 into law, which prohibited public colleges from creating "free speech zones" on campus. Florida became the ninth state to pass such legislation, joining Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia.  Born-Alive Bill in the U.S. House A Democratic congresswoman has introduced a “Born-Alive” bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, attempting to protect babies born after a failed abortion attempt. Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who was a contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, has offered H.R. 8923, which aims to amend Title 18 of the United States Code “to ensure a health care practitioner exercises the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion.” The legislation has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.  Woman Injured at Manhattan Planned Parenthood For the fifth time this year, a woman who was a client of the Manhattan Planned Parenthood abortion facility was transported by ambulance to a hospital emergency room. This is the 38th such medical emergency documented by Operation Rescue with the help of local pro-life activists. The incident occurred on last Tuesday just before 11 a.m. according to pro-life activists on the scene, the emergency workers entered the Planned Parenthood facility and came out about ten minutes later with a woman on a gurney completely covered with a sheet. She was loaded into an ambulance marked “Lennox Health, Greenwich Village, Northwell Health,” and was transported immediately away from the scene.  The ambulance only activated its sirens after it was about a block away from the Manhattan Planned Parenthood facility. 

In today's News: Attendance is up at Concordia, Ann Arbor. Despite pandemic-driven plunges in undergraduate enrollment for colleges nationwide, Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich., has reason to celebrate this year with a record high enrollment. The fall 2020 total undergraduate enrollment count is — 1,010 — is up 34 students from last fall’s census number, and the 250-person freshman class beats out last year’s total by 27. The freshman class also has the highest average GPA since the merge with the Mequon campus in 2013. Senator opposes pro-abortion Cabinet selection Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky called out the hard-line, pro-abortion stance of former Vice President Joe Biden’s pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in his administration, saying he would “hate to have” Xavier Becerra in charge of dispensing government money for late-term abortion. On Monday, Biden announced his selection of Becerra, the Democrat attorney general of California, to serve as his HHS secretary. Ohio to recognize the personhood of aborted babies An Ohio bill recognizing the humanity of unborn babies killed in abortions is on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk after The State Senate passed it Wednesday. The final vote on the Unborn Child Dignity Act was 23-7, according to cleveland.com. The State House passed the bill last week, and DeWine, a pro-life Republican, is expected to sign it into law. The legislation requires the Ohio Department of Health to establish rules for the proper and humane burial or cremation of unborn babies who are killed in abortions. It creates penalties for violations and requires abortion facilities to pay for the babies to be cremated or buried. Such laws not only ensure that aborted babies’ bodies are treated with dignity and respect, they also are a safeguard against abortion facilities trying to sell aborted baby body parts. Colorado’s governor says worship is ‘essential’ Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has finally dropped Colorado’s COVID-19 unconstitutional limits on religious gatherings and declared that houses of worship are essential and removed attendance caps on worship effective last Monday. Polis reversed course and took this action because of the Supreme Court’s decision last week in Liberty Counsel’s case of Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry in California and the court’s ruling on Thanksgiving eve in favor of New York churches and synagogues. In-person worship restrictions thrown out on appeal The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision that upheld California’s restrictions on in-person worship gatherings and has ordered the lower court to reconsider the case considering recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings. In a lawsuit challenging California’s worship restriction, South Bay United Pentecostal Church, based in Chula Vista, Calif., argued that there was a double standard between the restrictions imposed on places of worship and restrictions imposed on secular businesses. The church, which draws 200-300 congregants, argued the disparity in treatment demonstrated hostility toward the right to worship guaranteed by the First Amendment and is therefore unconstitutional. Woke Grinch complains of neighbor’s Christmas lights In an anonymous letter sent to the home of Kim Hunt of St. Anthony, Minn., a person claiming to be one of Hunt’s neighbors chastised her and her husband for hanging up Christmas lights. The letter itself, obtained by Crime Watch Minneapolis and posted to social media Monday, suggested that innocuous displays such hunt’s constituted “a reminder of divisions that continue to run through our society” and “a reminder of systemic biases against our neighbors who don’t celebrate Christmas or who can’t afford to put up lights of their own.”

In today's News: Concordia Chicago delivers face masks  Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill., specially delivered 250 face masks to Holy Family School, Chicago, a university partner through Chicagoland Lutheran Educational Foundation. Concordia River Forest Alumni Association launched their “buy one, give one” face mask initiative in June to support fellow graduates. Within the first 48 hours, alumni and friends purchased more than 100 masks. Proceeds from this initiative provide personal protective equipment to faculty and staff at university partner schools and support current undergraduates through the Gard Student Assistance Fund. Additional “mask drops” will be made in the future.  Christian student group is reinstated  Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Bozeman High School students and their Christian student club, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, have secured recognition of the student group as an official non-curricular club and policy revisions from Montana school district officials, allowing the group equal access to resources and the ability to recruit new members. The school responded by reinstating the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ official status as a non-curricular club and changing its policies to ensure that similar unconstitutional actions don’t occur in the future. Bozeman High School recognizes many different non-curricular clubs on campus, including the Climate Crisis Club, Sexuality and Gender Alliance, Human Rights Club, Project X2+ and Native American Club.  New Labor Department rules  The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a new rule intended to foster “full and equal participation” of religious groups as federal contractors. The final rule will become effective Jan. 8, two weeks before the presidential inauguration. It is the latest development in the long-running battle over how to balance religious rights with other, particularly LGBT, rights. The Trump administration’s focus on religious liberty has been hailed by conservatives and questioned as discriminatory by advocates of church-state separation and LGBT activists, who are concerned that religious exemptions will deprive same-sex couples' access to services.  Democrats claim abortion funding restriction is racist  House Democrats and their witnesses at an appropriations committee hearing yesterday characterized the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the federal government from funding abortions, as “clearly racist.” The Hyde Amendment prevents federal funding of abortions except “to save the life of the woman,” or in the case of incest or rape. It was passed in 1976 and was upheld by the Supreme Court in a 1980 ruling. The Hyde Amendment, which is a budget provision, has been passed every single year, no matter the party of the president or the party in control of congress. Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, who were pro-abortion presidents, signed appropriations bills that included the Hyde Amendment. 

In today's News: LCMS may delay conventions  COVID-19 continues to impact both the world and the work of the church. Due to ongoing effects of the pandemic, some LCMS district presidents have expressed uncertainty that their district conventions will be able to convene at all during 2021. The LCMS Council of Presidents voted unanimously at their November 2020 meeting to encourage Lcms President The Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison to put before congregations a proposal as per LCMS constitution to delay the 2022 Synod convention one year to 2023, thus extending the window for district conventions to include the calendar year 2022. Harrison also consulted with The Synod Board of Directors. The participation of each LCMS congregation in this deliberation and decision is vital as the Synod navigates this historic vote. While congregations can begin considering the issue immediately, instructions on the electronic voting process will be sent to member congregations by mail early in January; the vote, which requires participation of at least one quarter of the synod’s congregations, will conclude Feb. 15.  A House body considers funding abortion  Today, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies is holding a virtual hearing to discuss the Hyde Amendment, which forbids federal tax dollars from being used to pay for abortion through the federal Medicaid program. The Hyde amendment is a rider that has been added to the House appropriations bill every year since it was first passed on Sept. 30, 1976. Every president since then has supported it, and it is credited with saving at least 2.4-million lives from abortion. Today’s hearing includes four witnesses, with only one being pro-life — Christina Bennett, communications director for the Family Institute of Connecticut.  Biden picks pro-abortion Cabinet Secretary  Presumed President-Elect Joe Biden has nominated California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to serve as secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services. Becerra, who has no experience in health care, is known for his hostility towards pro-life activists. As California’s attorney general, Becerra was preceded by Biden’s pick for vice president, Kamala Harris. Together, Becerra and Harris persecuted pro-lifers, with David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt as the most notable examples. As lead investigators for the Center for Medical Progress, Daleiden and Merritt exposed Planned Parenthood’s participation in the illegal trafficking of aborted baby body parts.  Hawaii court hears atheist case  A Hawaiian court has heard arguments in a lawsuit brought by two atheist activists accusing two churches of not properly compensating local public schools for using their facilities. Last Friday, Calvary Chapel Central Oahu and One Love Ministries went before a state trial court to argue that they lawfully compensated the schools they met in on weekends. The two churches were represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm that has argued religious liberty cases before The United States Supreme Court. 

In today's News: Lutheran principal is honored  Scott D. Browning, principal of St. Paul Lutheran School in Fort Worth, Texas, has been selected as a 2020 National Distinguished Principal (NDP) by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. He credits in large part his fellow staff at St. Paul. The NDP award was established in 1984 to recognize elementary and middle-level principals who set high standards for instruction, student achievement, character and climate for the students, families and staffs in their learning communities. Browning holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia University Nebraska, Seward, Neb., and a master’s in educational administration from The University of Arkansas in Little Rock, Ark. He and his wife Kristen, who also graduated from Concordia, Seward, have four children ranging in age from 10 to 21.  Abortions resume in South Dakota  Abortions are again being performed in South Dakota, following a seven-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sioux Falls Planned Parenthood, the state's only abortion clinic, halted procedures in March. Beginning in October, the clinic resumed performing abortion, but only one day per month. The head of the clinic told CBS News that it is questionable if the clinic will remain financially viable.  ‘Choose Life’ license plate petitions started  The Children First Foundation and Life Site News jointly launched a national petition on lifepetitions.com demanding that government officials in American states stop blocking pro-lifers from sharing the simple message “Choose Life” on their vehicles. The plates have been called pro-life “scare tactics” by Planned Parenthood and unlawful or hateful “private speech” by pro-abortion lawyers. States offer custom license plates that benefit various causes, such as the environment, animal rescues and medical research. Some states also offer pro-abortion license plates, but 17 states forbid “Choose Life” plates.  California’s ban on churches is lifted  Churches in California received a major victory yesterday when the Supreme Court struck down Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ban on indoor worship services. The unsigned decision follows on the heels of a major ruling at Thanksgiving striking down a New York ordinance severely limiting church attendance to as low as 10 people. The Supreme Court yesterday sided with a California church challenging Newsom’s order. The unsigned order had no dissents as the nation’s highest court tossed out an order from the federal district judge Central District of California, which had upheld Newsom’s restrictions. The justices vacated the district judge’s ruling and sent the case back down to the lower court for further consideration in light of its ruling in Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which struck down New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s restrictions. 

In today's News: Giving Tuesday exceeds goal Thanks to 245 generous donors, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis raised a record $66,320 on giving Tuesday, Dec. 1, surpassing its goal by $6,320. The Seminary set a goal of raising $60,000, which included a matching gift from a generous donor. Donations were matched dollar for dollar up to the first $30,000. The raised funds on giving Tuesday will be used where needed most in support of the seminary’s mission to prepare the church’s future pastors, deaconesses, missionaries and teachers. Because safety precautions in light of the pandemic kept members of the campus community from gathering together on campus on the day of giving itself, they were encouraged to wear their giving Tuesday t-shirts wherever they were to foster the support of friends, family members and colleagues. More racism accusations at Planned Parenthood More new accusations of racism from Planned Parenthood’s employees surfaced last week in Pennsylvania as the abortion chain grapples with its eugenic roots. And they have caused an abortion business director to resign. Over the past several months, hundreds of Planned Parenthood employees have been accusing the abortion chain of racism – though many failed to recognize that the discrimination hurts unborn babies as well as born patients and staff. The latest complaints came from the staff of Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania Advocates, the political advocacy branch of the abortion group in Pennsylvania. According to the Pittsburgh Current, staff published an open letter Nov. 24 demanding the resignation of Executive Director Emily Callen and several board members. Pro-life advocates fight radical abortion legislation Pro-life activists in Boston are rallying to persuade legislators to defeat a radical pro-abortion measure that would allow for abortion up to birth and would permit abortion for minors without parental consent. Now pro-life Christian activists are sponsoring a “Memorial of Roses for the Unborn” event to urge enough legislators who supported the abortion amendment, to reconsider their position and sustain the governor’s veto. The event’s webpage affirms that they are within reach, needing only five more votes to sustain the veto. This prayer rally will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5, upon the steps of the state house at 21 Beacon St., Boston. Satanic Temple loses court case The battle the Satanic Temple has waged for years against the state of Missouri is finally at an end. After attempting to convince the courts to overturn the state’s pro-life laws, the Supreme Court refused to hear the temple’s case. The Satanic Temple has begun calling abortion a “religious rite” in recent years, seemingly in an attempt to skirt pro-life laws like the one in Missouri. The temple’s abortion “ritual” consists of making affirmations in front of a mirror before and after the procedure. A pastor is cited for not having a mask in an empty building A Pasadena, Maryland, church was cited recently after the pastor — who was alone in the building during office hours — answered the church door without wearing a mask for a health department official, who was making an unannounced visit. After issuing the citation, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health official told The Rev. Dennis Jackman that he would return, and if Community United Methodist Church in Pasadena was not in full compliance with COVID-19 guidance, the church would be deemed an "unsafe facility" and "closed until the state of emergency has been terminate."

In today's News: Concordia Nebraska names new president  The Concordia University, Nebraska, Seward, Neb. Board of Regents is pleased to announce that Dr. Bernard D. Bull has accepted a divine call to serve as the university's 11th president. Bull, currently serving as president of Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont, succeeds The Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, who served As Concordia, Seward's president 2004-19. Bull will fulfill his contractual obligations with Goddard College for the 2020-21 academic year, and then begin his Concordia, Seward, tenure in August 2021. During this timeframe, the university will continue to be served by Interim President The Rev. Russ Sommerfeld, who has competently and faithfully served in the role of president since Jan. 1.  ‘Unplanned’ awards second scholarship  Another mom who’s prevailed after facing unplanned pregnancy is benefitting from the scholarship inspired by a movie bearing a powerful pro-life message. “Sarah” recently finished school for massage therapy and took out student loans for the program and licensing. The “Unplanned” Movie Scholarship will now help cover her costs related to school. Sarah, a single mom of four, is the second recipient of the scholarship, a collaborative project with actress Ashley Bratcher and Heartbeat International, benefitting moms facing unplanned pregnancy who choose life and wish to pursue their education.  Americans back religious freedom  Most Americans back religious freedom as they agree that religion is a "fundamental part" of people, a recent survey by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty found. Sixty percent of Americans said that "Religion, for some people, is a fundamental part of 'who I am' and should be protected accordingly." A majority of the 1,000 respondents across the United States also agreed that religious freedom and exercise are inherently public and extend to school, work, social media and other places. Generation Z and Black respondents supported this belief most strongly, the survey found.  Woman injured by abortion  Pro-life activists with Springfield Right to Life have reported that an ambulance was called to the Springfield, Ill., Planned Parenthood abortion facility on Nov. 19. Video posted on the group’s Facebook page showed an EMS crew wheeling a woman out of the abortion facility on a gurney and loading her into an awaiting ambulance, which transported her to an unknown hospital for emergency care. Operation Rescue requested 911 records and received a redacted report that verified the medical emergency at Planned Parenthood, and that an ambulance with advanced life support capabilities was dispatched. Information about the patient’s possible condition was redacted. However, a garbled radio dispatch audio clip was obtained that noted an 18-year-old woman fell, hit her head, and was “not alert” at the time the dispatch was made. 

In today's News: Pro-life cases before the Supreme Court  The U.S. Supreme Court is slated to privately discuss two abortion-related cases this week, one concerning a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi, the other concerning the rights of pro-life protesters in Pennsylvania. The first case concerns Mississippi’s HB 1510, which prohibits abortions from being committed past 15 weeks for any reason other than physical medical emergencies or severe fetal abnormalities. The other case concerns a 2005 Pittsburgh “bubble zone” ordinance requiring pro-life activists to stay more than 15 feet away from the entrance to abortion facilities, effectively keeping pro-lifers from communicating with women entering or exiting the building to appeal to them to choose life or offer them assistance with abortion alternatives. These two cases will be an early test of the Supreme Court’s newest member, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, in whom conservatives have placed great hopes for the future of abortion jurisprudence. Last week, she joined a 5-4 majority that blocked New York’s COVID-19 restrictions from discriminating against churches and synagogues.  The Rev. Paul McCain enters Glory  The Rev. Paul Timothy McCain, publisher and executive editor at Concordia Publishing House (CPH), died In Ballwin, Mo., Nov. 25. He was 58. During his time at the publishing house, McCain was general editor of Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, A Reader’s Edition and also played pivotal roles in the publication of the Lutheran Service Book, The Lutheran Study Bible and Treasury Of Daily Prayer. He was a frequent guest on KFUO and other programs and podcasts and the author of numerous articles. As word of his death spread across the synod on Thanksgiving Day, The Rev. Todd Wilken, host of the radio program “Issues, Etc.,” credited McCain for putting the Book Of Concord “back into the hands of the laity. For that, and for all the other gifts god gave through Paul, every confessional Lutheran should give thanks today.”  Finnish church enters alter and pulpit partnership  On Nov. 14, the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (ELMDF) unanimously declared altar and pulpit fellowship with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). The decision came during the Finnish church’s annual diocesan assembly, held this year online as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The LCMS for its part also expressed recognition of fellowship in a letter of greeting presented to the Finnish diocese gathering. In a letter to the diocesan assembly, President Matthew Harrison of the LCMS expressed joy at the prospect of an official declaration of fellowship.  China cracks down on religious discussion  The Chinese Communist Party has drafted strict new rules preventing foreigners in the country from discussing religion with locals, a move that experts say will make practicing belief far more difficult. This week, China’s Ministry of Justice published a list of new restrictions on religious foreigners who are visiting or working in the Communist country to prevent them from spreading so-called "religious extremism," or use religion "to undermine China's national or ethnic unity." 

In today's News: Local abortion facility injures two women  An abortion facility near the Illinois-Missouri border injured two women within just days of each other, the latest in a disturbing string of seemingly botched abortions and dangerous behavior. According to Operation Rescue, the first emergency took place on Oct. 15th at the Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City, Ill. Instead of being transported to The Gateway Regional Medical Center Hospital Emergency Room across the street, the injured woman was loaded into an ambulance, which took her to an unknown location. The second emergency took place just two days later on Oct. 17th, but this time, no ambulance was called. Instead, abortion facility staffers pushed the patient across a busy street in a wheelchair to the Gateway Emergency Room. The Hope Clinic for Women has previously been cited for numerous health violations, including failure to prevent potential cross-contamination and infection, as well as a lack of properly working equipment. Abortionist surrenders license  A California abortionist who was responsible for hospitalizing six women with life-threatening complications within a nine-month period of time in 2017, has entered an agreement to surrender his medical license, effective today. Donald Clyde Willis was employed at the FPA Women’s Health abortion facility in Bakersfield, Calif., at the time of the abortion-related emergencies. Operation Rescue filed a formal complaint with the California Medical Board against Willis on Oct. 3, 2017 — the same day that the sixth medical emergency took place. An Operation Rescue staff member was interviewed by a medical board investigator regarding the case, which led to a formal accusation against Willis related to three of the injured women. Willis agreed to surrender his California medical license to avoid expensive disciplinary action. New Jersey faces religious liberty suit  Attorneys from the Thomas More Society have filed an emergency application for an injunction pending appellate review from the United States Supreme Court in a federal religious liberty lawsuit against New Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy. On Nov. 19, the not-for-profit national public interest law firm filed the application with Justice Samuel Alito on behalf of The Rev. Kevin Robinson, a Catholic parish priest, and Rabbi Yisrael Knopfler, leader of an orthodox Jewish synagogue, who are suing Murphy and his administration for discriminatory abuses of religious freedom in their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The application alleges that New Jersey’s COVID-19 restrictions limiting houses of worship to 25 percent of capacity or a numerical cap, whichever is less, while imposing less restrictive limits on secular activities that evidently pose the same or greater risk of viral transmission, violates Robinson and Knopfler’s rights to the free exercise of religion and free speech and assembly.

In today's News: Planned Parenthood removed from Texas Medicaid  The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Texas can remove Planned Parenthood facilities from the state’s Medicaid program. Texas moved forward with cutting Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood in 2016 after the Center for Medical Progress released undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood staff appearing to participate in the illegal trafficking of aborted fetal body parts. After a years-long court battle, the 5th Circuit has overruled a lower court ruling and has sided with the state of Texas. The case may be headed to the Supreme Court.  Protection for female athletes  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit received friend-of-the-court briefs this week from female athletes, medical professionals, feminist groups, the United States and 14 states that all support Idaho’s “Fairness In Women’s Sports Act” and are asking the court to reverse a district court order that temporarily halted enforcement of the law. The district court’s hold on the law means female athletes must compete against males who identify as female while the lawsuit proceeds. Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys, representing two collegiate athletes who run track and cross-country at Idaho State University in Pocatello, are defending the law alongside the state of Idaho on appeal to the 9th circuit and filed their opening brief on Nov. 12.  Move to reopen religious schools  A religious liberty law firm and the Kentucky Attorney General have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Andy Breshear asking a court to block the implementation of his executive order banning religious schools from holding in-person learning. First Liberty Institute filed the lawsuit on behalf of Danville Christian Academy in the Eastern District of Kentucky Friday. Attorney general Daniel Cameron joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff. Citing a “potentially catastrophic surge in covid-19 cases,” Breshear issued an executive order Wednesday, which mandated all public and private elementary, middle and high schools to “cease in-person instruction and transition to remote or virtual instruction” beginning yesterday.  Governor urged to veto abortion amendment  Massachusetts pro-life leaders are urging people to call Gov. Charlie Baker and ask him to veto legislation that would legalize the killing of unborn babies up to birth. The pro-abortion amendment to the state budget passed the Massachusetts House and the Senate earlier this month. Among other things, it would expand late-term abortions, weaken protections from infanticide and allow young girls to abort their unborn babies without their parents’ knowledge or consent. Michael king of the Massachusetts family institute told One News Now that Baker can line-item veto the amendment and stop the radical pro-abortion expansion in their state. 

In today's News: Concordia Wisconsin ranked among top tier of national universities U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 “America’s Best Colleges Guide” has ranked Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW), Mequon, Wis., among the top tier of national universities. CUW rose 23 places this year, even after moving into the more competitive “national universities” category due to a growing portfolio of doctoral programs. The ranking considers a total of 17 indicators, including test scores, retention rates, mission allegiance and alumni engagement.  Concordia Ann Arbor has a new program  In a related story, the Academic Resource Center of Concordia University, Ann Arbor (CUAA), Mich., has launched Destination Cardinal, a summer “bridge” program geared primarily toward first-generation or low-income students. Students will begin the program the summer before they officially start at CUAA in order to ease the transition from high school to college. The program is also open to students who are already enrolled at CUAA and has proven useful for many this year as they navigate academics during COVID-19.  LGBT advocacy group lobbying against Christian schools The nation's largest LGBT advocacy group is urging the future Biden administration to help pull the accreditation of Christian colleges and schools if they don't have a policy prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Human Rights Campaign posted its goals for the Biden administration in a Nov. 11 document, “Blueprint for Positive Change.” The 22-page brief includes dozens of objectives for the Biden White House, but its targeting of Christian institutions would have a major impact on religious schools. Under a current law known as the Higher Education Opportunity Act, accrediting agencies are told to ensure their standards "respect the stated mission of the institution of higher education," including a school's "religious" mission.  Forcing abortion coverage again goes to court  Attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom go to court today in San Francisco representing three California churches seeking exemption from a Golden State rule mandating they pay for abortions. The case originated in a suit filed by the Foothill Church in Glendora, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino and Shepherd of The Hills Church In Porter Ranch. The three congregations are challenging the department’s mandate on appeal in Foothill Church v. Rouillard.  Pro-life activists are arrested  Pro-life activists were arrested Tuesday outside of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where first and second-trimester abortions are committed, and the bodies of aborted children are used for research at the University of California San Francisco. Terrisa Bukovinac, executive director of Pro-Life San Francisco, Lauren Handy of Red Rose Rescue, and other pro-lifers including Cheryl Conrad of Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, were protesting outside of the hospital when they were arrested. The activists were charged with trespassing, but claim they were on public property. Pro-Life San Francisco announced it will be pursuing legal action regarding the arrest and are confident it will win in court. 

In today's News: Concordia St. Paul sets record Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., set a new fall enrollment record with 5,567 students — 428 more than its previous high of 5,139 a year ago. Traditional undergraduate programs gained 56 students, adult undergraduate programs 361 students, and graduate programs 11 students. Enrollment for students learning on campus now stands at an all-time high of 1,756, while graduate programs saw their total enrollment surpass 2,000 students for the second consecutive year. Adult undergraduate program enrollment, which includes the bulk of online students, stands at 1,788. Suit filed against the city of Washington, D.C, Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing two pro-life organizations filed suit in federal court Wednesday after the city of Washington, D.C., refused to grant permission for the groups to paint a pro-life message on a city street shortly after the city commissioned or allowed the painting of other messages on a different street. In June, a mural reading “BLACK LIVES MATTER” was created using permanent yellow paint, the length of an entire city block, extending the width of the street. Shortly after the mural was painted, another mural reading “DEFUND THE POLICE” was also painted on the street. The Frederick Douglass Foundation and Students for Life of America then sought to paint a similar mural outside of the Planned Parenthood Carole Whitehill Moses Center with the message “BLACK PRE-BORN LIVES MATTER,” but the city refused to grant a permit to the two groups. Students for Life of America applied for a permit and received permission to hold a rally, but neither group received a formal response from the city regarding the painted mural. Pro-abortion follower appointed to Biden’s staff Former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen an outspoken pro-abortion activist to serve as his White House chief of staff should he end up assuming the presidency in 2021. Last week, the 77-year-old Biden announced that he would tap Ron Klain, who had previously worked as chief of staff to Al Gore and Biden during their respective vice presidencies, to serve as his chief of staff. Over the years, Klain has repeatedly heaped praise on the pro-abortion movement and questioned the legitimacy of both the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections. In a series of tweets he sent out in 2018 and 2019, Klain voiced his admiration for pro-abortion activists and organizations. City lifts ban on sidewalk counseling In a victory for life Tuesday, the city council In Jackson, Missi. voted to repeal an ordinance that restricted pro-life free speech outside the only abortion facility in the state. The AP reports the Jackson City Council voted unanimously to repeal the 2019 buffer zone ordinance after pro-life sidewalk counselors sued the city. The ordinance prohibited people from “oral protest, education or counseling” within 15 feet of the entrance to a health care facility and prohibited amplified sound within 100 feet of the property line. It also banned anyone from coming within eight feet of another person without their permission. Those who violated the ordinance could face a $1,000 fine or jail time. The ordinance technically applied to all health care facilities in Jackson, but it really targeted pro-lifers. As a result, peaceful pro-life advocates could have been punished for praying outside the abortion facility or handing a woman information about pregnancy resources in the city. The victory Tuesday may be temporary. According to the AP, City Council President Aaron Banks promised to take new action to “guarantee safety and that individuals aren’t harassed.”

In today's News: Concordia Chicago sets enrollment record  This fall, Concordia University Chicago (CUC), River Forest, Ill., celebrated its largest-ever enrollment with a total of 6,490 students, a growth of 5 percent more than last year. This also marks the third consecutive year of combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment exceeding 6,000 students. CUC’s 2020 enrollment includes 4,953 graduate students — its largest number ever. In addition, the university’s accelerated degree program, a pathway for non-traditional undergraduates to earn their degrees, grew to a record 287 students.  Colorado’s anti-discrimination law challenged  A Colorado web designer should not have to create wedding websites for same-sex couples under the state’s anti-discrimination law because it would amount to forced speech that violates her religious beliefs, a lawyer told an appeals court Monday. Kristen Waggoner, a lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom, told a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver that the issue for designer Lorie Smith, who is a Christian, is the message and not the customer. She is trying to revive a lawsuit challenging the state’s law, which her group also targeted on behalf of Colorado baker Jack Phillips in a case decided in 2018 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court decided the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had acted with anti-religious bias against Phillips after he refused to bake a cake for two men who were getting married. But it did not rule on the larger issue of whether a business can invoke religious objections to refuse service to LGBT people.  New York to add ‘X’ for sex on licenses  New York intends to offer driver’s licenses with a nonbinary gender identity marker of “X,” but it could take more than a year before Department of Motor Vehicles computers will be able to automatically handle the option, state officials said in court filings. Officials made the disclosure in papers filed in a federal lawsuit brought against them by Sander Saba, who is challenging the state policy of limiting gender identity on licenses to either “male” or “female.” Saba, who claims to be a nonbinary transgender New York City resident, said in the lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal this summer that the policy is discriminatory.  Astronaut takes God with him in orbit  Astronaut Victor Glover wasn’t trying to get away from God as he blasted to the International Space Station (ISS) in the SpaceX crew Dragon’s capsule “Resilience” on Sunday. As the first African-American astronaut to go on a long-term mission, Glover took on board communion cups and the Word of God. He plans to utilize the strong internet connection aboard the craft to access faith-based programs, too. Glover arrived at the ISS with the three other crew members onboard the first commercially developed space vehicle certified by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration to ferry astronauts up to low-earth orbit and back again. The crew will stay at the space station until the spring. Glover’s making his first space journey after serving as a Navy F/A-18 carrier pilot who flew combat missions in Iraq. He also previously served as a legislative aide to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, himself a naval aviator. 

In today's News: A Kansas school cancels Christmas  A Kansas school has canceled its participation in Operation Christmas Child after an atheist group wrote to the school district alleging that the program “violates basic constitutional principles.” The annual project is sponsored by the Christian nonprofit Samaritan’s Purse, through which shoeboxes filled with gifts are sent to children in more than 160 nations. Liberty Middle School must “cease participation in Operation Christmas Child or taking any other actions promoting Christianity like including religious references over morning announcements,” the atheist legal group, Freedom From Religion Foundation, wrote to Tony Helfrich, the superintendent of Pratt School District, claiming “many egregious Constitutional violations [are] occurring” at the school.  The Rev. Dr. Pittelko called to glory  The Rev. Dr. Roger Dean Pittelko, who served as president of the LCMS English District from 1986 to 1997, died on Nov. 11. He was 88. In addition, he was a professor and supervisor of the D.Min. Program at Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, fourth vice-president of the LCMS (1998–2001) and chairman of the LCMS Commission on Worship (1983–1990 and 1992–1998). He also served as chairman of the Agenda Committee during the production of Lutheran Service Book. Pittelko sat on a variety of District and Synod committees and boards, authored numerous articles, and was a frequent presenter on topics related to liturgy and worship. Pittelko is survived by his wife, Beverly; his son, The Rev. Dr. Dean (Kay) Pittelko; daughter Susan (Howard) Gorecki; and grandchildren Hillary Pittelko and Jon, Jessica and Sarah Gorecki. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no public service is planned at this time.  Biden administration to roll back abortion protections  Americans can expect to be forced to send hundreds of millions of tax dollars to pro-abortion groups if Joe Biden is confirmed to be the winner of the white house. Biden, a pro-abortion Democrat, promised to reverse President Donald Trump’s progress for life when he takes office, including ending the Mexico City Policy and restoring Title X funds to Planned Parenthood. These two executive orders alone defunded Planned Parenthood and the British-based abortion chain Marie Stopes International of more than $200 million U.S. tax dollars. Among other priorities, Christianity Daily reports Biden also is expected to repeal a Trump executive order that granted relief to charities like the Little Sisters of the Poor. Biden would once again force them to follow the Affordable Care Act contraception mandate, which includes drugs that may cause abortions.  Supreme Court Justice sounds a warning  Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito gave a strong and impassioned speech to the Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention on Thursday, where he condemned efforts by the left to take away religious freedom — in particular efforts to force Christians like the Little Sisters of the Poor to fund abortions. Addressing the theme of religious liberty, Alito criticized the Obama administration for what he called a “protracted campaign” and “unrelenting attack” on the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of Catholic nuns that Democrats have repeatedly tried to force to fund abortions. 

In today's News: Strip Clubs, yes; churches, no  A California judge ordered San Diego to reopen strip clubs even as local officials crack down on churches. San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil ordered the state to end any actions that prevent the clubs from "being allowed to provide live adult entertainment," according to the decision. The owners of two strip clubs argued that their business is legally protected speech guaranteed by the first amendment — the same argument that churches have been making about their own services. The judge's decision is not final as that in a full hearing, which will occur at the end of the month, but it temporarily allows the strip clubs to reopen for indoor services, as other institutions close. In their legal complaint, strip-club owners argued they have complied with social distancing requirements. They also warned that another shutdown would mean financial ruin. The judge temporarily sided with them.  Arguments heard yesterday on nativity scene  Liberty Counsel presented oral argument yesterday before a three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals refuting the opinion by an Indiana federal judge who ruled against the nativity scene display at the Jackson County Courthouse. Liberty Counsel represents Jackson County and also filed a motion to stay asking the court to allow the nativity scene to be displayed during the holiday season this year while the judges make a decision. In addition to the nativity scene, the annual holiday display also includes a large lighted Santa Claus, sleigh with reindeer, and a group of Christmas carolers. The courthouse grounds are also decorated with many kinds of lights and other non-religious symbols of the holiday season. Judge Tanya Pratt previously ruled in favor of a plaintiff who does not live or work in the county and does not transact any business in the Jackson County Courthouse. This building no longer hosts court proceedings as they are now conducted in the new courthouse.  The Rev. Dr. David G. Schmiel called home  The Rev. Dr. David G. Schmiel, who served as the 15th president of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., (CTSFW) from 1993 to 1996, died on Nov. 3. He was 88. In addition to serving as president of CTSFW, Schmiel was pastor of congregations In Gresham, Neb., and Onalaska, Wis.; professor at St. Paul’s College in Concordia, Mo.; professor and dean of faculty at Concordia College, St. Paul, Minn.; director of instruction at CSL; president at Concordia College, Ann Arbor, Mich.; and director of theological education for the LCMS Board for Higher Education. He authored numerous papers and served for several years on the LCMS Standing Committee on Pastoral Ministry. A funeral was held on yesterday at Crossview Lutheran Church, Edina, Minn., with burial at Lakeside Cemetery in Minneapolis. In addition to the Lcms Office of Pastoral Education, memorials may be made to CSL or a recipient of the donor’s choice. 

In today's News: Seminary to digitize rare books In the coming decade, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis will make some 10,000 books and manuscripts, including more than 6,000 volumes in its rare book collection, available to scholars worldwide thanks to the mobilization of a monumental digitization effort. The Seminary’s Kristine Kay Hasse Memorial Library, the largest Lutheran library in North America, will begin using state-of-the-art technology in the coming months to photograph, scan and convert its most fragile and unique manuscripts and books into electronic files. It will take about a decade to complete the process of digitizing all the materials. Massachusetts tries to expand abortion As companion bills aimed at allowing abortion up until the moment of birth continue to be stalled, Massachusetts lawmakers are now working to insert an amendment into the state budget that would accomplish the same goal. State Representative Claire Cronin, the co-chair of the Joint Committee on The Judiciary, filed Amendment 759, which would be added to the annual budget bill. The leadership of both houses of the Massachusetts General Court have spoken out in favor of the amendment, similar to the Roe Act that failed. New Jersey to make abortion a right Last month, New Jersey lawmakers introduced a bill that would permanently enshrine abortion as a right in the state. Created as a response to the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the so-called “Reproductive Freedom Act” would not only protect abortion within the state but would also do away with virtually all restrictions. Gov. Phil Murphy announced the legislation, which he crafted with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, as a move to “expand health care” on his website. In addition to making abortion a state right, it mandates that insurance covers both birth control and abortion, with no out-of-pocket cost. Finally, it removes what it labels “medically-unnecessary restrictions” on abortion, which it considers a “fundamental right.” Michigan’s Supreme Court to rule on school funding Michigan’s highest court heard oral arguments in a case over whether the state can provide funds to private and religious schools to maintain state-mandated health and safety regulations, despite a state constitutional amendment barring public funding of nonpublic schools. The Michigan Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in the case of Council of Organizations and others for education about Parochiaid v. State of Michigan. At issue was a law passed in 2016 that allocated $2.5 million to reimburse private schools for the cost of complying with state-mandated health, safety, and welfare regulations. The lawsuit against reimbursing private schools filed by a coalition of groups, including the ACLU of Michigan, Michigan Parents for Schools, Middle Cities Education Association and Kalamazoo Public Schools. The oral arguments before the Michigan Supreme Court come months after the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that religious schools in Montana can qualify for a state tax credit program even though their state constitution bans public aid to religious entities.

In today's News: Supreme Court again delays on abortion law  Pro-life advocates are hopeful the Supreme Court will review an abortion law in Mississippi, even though the court once again delayed its decision on whether to hear the case. Lynn Fitch, the state’s attorney general, has asked the court to review its law, which bans abortion after 15 weeks of gestation and has been challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights. The state’s only abortion clinic offers abortions until the 16th week of a pregnancy. Mississippi’s previous governor, Phil Bryant, signed the ban into law in 2018, but it was subject to immediate legal appeal and blocked by a District Court. In 2019, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the law to be unconstitutional. Fifteen weeks is considered prior to fetal viability outside the womb. The Supreme Court had been expected to announce whether it would heat the case on Friday. The Court was due to conference regarding the law on Nov. 13, but instead announced on Monday that it had again delayed a decision. This is the fifth time since Sept. 22 that the conference has been rescheduled. No reason for the delay, or new date, was given.  Abortion security guard removed  According to pro-life organization Abortion on Trial, a security guard has been removed from his position at a New Mexico abortion facility owned by Franz Theard, an abortionist currently under investigation for abandoning a patient who suffered two concurrent botched abortions under his care. Bertram Wiles, employed by Securitas Security Services USA Inc. as a security guard, was placed at Hilltop Women’s Reproductive Clinic in New Mexico. In video which Wiles posted himself, which has since been removed, he was seen harassing pro-life women across from the abortion business. Though portions of the video used voiceovers, other portions showed him directly sexually harassing women. He is also accused of following one woman to her job and leaving his card on her car. Wiles has since scrubbed his social media accounts, which included multiple similar videos that included sexual remarks directed toward young women, racial slurs towards Latina women, and vulgar language directed at pro-lifers.  Forty percent of the world’s believers subject to persecution  Dictators are the worst persecutors of believers. This uncontroversial finding was verified for the first time in The Pew Research Center’s 11th Annual Study surveying restrictions on freedom of religion in 198 nations. He median level of government violations reached an all-time high in 2018, as 56 nations suffer “high” or “very high” levels of official restriction. The number of nations suffering “high” or “very high” levels of social hostilities toward religion dropped slightly to 53. However, the prior year the median level recorded an all-time high. Considered together, 40 percent of the world faces significant hindrance in worshiping God freely. 

In today's News: Supreme Court to settle Title X dispute  Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing two pro-life medical associations filed a Friend-of-the-Court brief yesterday, encouraging The U.S. Supreme Court to take a case concerning a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule that prevents federal family-planning funding under the Title X program from being used for abortions. The brief explains that the HHS final rule essentially revives one that the Supreme Court already found Constitutional in a previous case and should therefore be upheld. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit blocked the HHS regulations in Maryland while a 9th Circuit decision in a separate case upheld them. The rulings create a split between the circuits that only the Supreme Court can resolve.  Biden promises funding for Planned Parenthood  Should Joe Biden become president after recounts and court cases involving allegations of massive election fraud, he says he will sign an executive order on week one of any potential presidency to force American taxpayers to fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Even though Biden may not be certified as the new president, he has already formed a presidential transition team and that team has released a set of priorities of the first things he would do in office. On the list is a promise to reverse President Donald Trump’s Protect Life Rule that make sure taxpayers aren’t forced to fund groups such as Planned Parenthood that perform and promote abortions in other countries. During a Town Hall in South Carolina Biden confirmed that one of his first acts as president would be using taxpayer dollars behind the global abortion agenda.  Global abortion giants praise Biden  Abortion giants around the world have celebrated Biden’s reported presidential victory by releasing a series of statements praising his pro-abortion position and policies. Biden was announced as the winner of the 2020 presidential election by media outlets during the weekend. Some remaining us states continue to count their votes. Following the announcement, global abortion giants took to social media to congratulate Biden and Vice President-apparent Kamala Harris for their commitment to expand abortion.  South African rector retires  The Rev. Dr. Carlos Walter Winterle has announced his retirement as rector of the Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) in Tshwane, Pretoria in South Africa. Winterle, who turned 70 earlier this year, said, “It is time to retire and give way to the younger generation.” Succeeding Winterle as rector of the LTS is the Rev. Dr. Heinz Hiestermann. Winterle served as president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil from 1998-2006. He has spent the next 14 years serving throughout Africa: four years in Kenya; seven in Cape Town, South Africa; and the past three as the rector of LTS in Pretoria. He has also been heavily involved with missions and theological education in Mozambique. 

In today's News: Planned Parenthood drops suit  Planned Parenthood of Arizona has dropped its lawsuit against Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, which sought to have several state regulations on abortion overturned. The suit challenged laws which mandated only physicians commit abortions, banned abortion pills dispensed via telemedicine, and required women to have an ultrasound at least 24 hours before an abortion. Despite dropping the suit, the abortion business is still pressing judges to overturn the laws. In addition, the organization announced on Oct. 24 the resignation of Bryan Howard, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of Arizona. Howard spent 36 years working for the abortion chain, 23 of which were with Planned Parenthood of Arizona. Howard had previously complained about ultrasound legislation, noting that it has led to fewer abortions being committed, meaning women have “had their life substantially disrupted.” He also falsely claimed to provide prenatal care, and opposed legislation banning discriminatory abortions committed based on the race or sex of the child.  Black pro-life leaders tell Planned Parenthood to leave  Black pro-life leaders are telling the Planned Parenthood abortion chain to get out of their neighborhoods and stop targeting black women and unborn babies. The National Black Pro-Life Coalition recently filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accusing the abortion chain of decades of racial discrimination, One News Now reports. Planned Parenthood itself recently admitted that its founder, Margaret Sanger, held eugenics beliefs “rooted in racism, ableism and classism” and removed her name from its New York City facility. Hundreds of Planned Parenthood employees also accused its leaders of racism earlier this year. Lori Hoye of the Issues4Life Foundation said the abortion chain needs to do more than just disavow its founder. Though abortions hurt families of every race and culture, statistics indicate that abortions disproportionately hurt the African-American community. Census data indicates that African Americans make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population, but they have about 40 percent of all abortions. Malagasy Lutherans choose a new leader On Nov. 5, the Malagasy Lutheran Church elected the Rev. Dr. Denis Rakotozafy to serve as its new president. The vote came during the church’s 23rd synodical conference held Nov. 4-8, which gathered under the theme: “and increase the harvest of your righteousness…” (2 Corinthians 9:10).  Same-sex marriage ban overturned  Nevada voters overturned a ban on same-sex marriage, making it the first state to recognize gay couples' right to marry in its constitution. The right to same-sex marriage was one four new amendments to the state constitution, which also included a voters' bill of rights and a renewable energy mandate. 

In today's News: Nevada church seeks equal treatment  Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing a church filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme court yesterday that asks it to declare Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak’s coronavirus restrictions on churches unconstitutional. For months, Sisolak allowed casinos to operate at 50 percent capacity while capping churches at 50 people. That meant a casino with capacity for 2,000 could host 1,000 gamblers, while a church with the same capacity could welcome only 50 worshipers. Although the governor’s newest order increased the cap, it continues the unequal treatment by allowing casinos and other secular establishments to operate at 50 percent capacity with no cap. A procedural rule allows Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley in rural Lyon County to ask the high court to weigh in even while its lawsuit moves forward at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit; the ordinary process could result in the church being subject to unconstitutional gathering restrictions for many additional months. Number of Christian voters declines  The share of registered voters in the United States who say they are Christian has declined by about 15 percent since 2008 while the number of religiously unaffiliated voters has nearly doubled, Pew Research Center data suggests. Pew drew the data from a balanced survey of more than 360,000 registered voters surveyed over a 25-year span that include over 12,000 voters questioned in 2018 and 2019. The data indicate that 64 percent of all registered voters surveyed in 2019 self-identified as Christian. That figure is down from 79 percent of registered voters surveyed in 2008 who identified themselves as followers of Christ. The study shows that the decline in registered Christian voters is most stark in the Democratic Party. In 2008, 73 percent of registered democrats identified as Christian. But by 2019, only 52 percent of Democrat voters said the same. Registered Republican voters have seemingly moved away from God at a slower rate, dropping from 87 percent Christian in 2008 to 79 percent Christian in 2019. In comparison, the number of religiously unaffiliated voters has almost doubled from 15 percent to 28 percent in the same years.  'Jesus' no, 'Black Lives Matter' yes  A Mississippi elementary school that allowed students to wear “Black Lives Matter” masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic ordered a third-grade girl to remove her “Jesus Loves Me” mask. On Monday, Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit defending her First Amendment rights. The third-grade pupil, Lydia Booth, aimed to peacefully share her Christian faith by wearing the “Jesus Loves Me” mask. She wore the mask without disruption or incident on Oct. 13, but the principal at her school demanded she remove and replace it. Two days later, Simpson County School District administrators announced a policy prohibiting masks that are “political, religious, sexual or inappropriate symbols, gestures or statements that may be offensive, disruptive or deemed distractive to the school environment.” According to the lawsuit, the school has allowed students to wear masks with the logos of local sports teams or even the political slogan “Black Lives Matter.” 

In today's News: Pro-life increases in House of Representatives The number of pro-life Republican women in the House of Representatives will more than double in 2021, in another likely disappointment for Speaker Nancy Pelosi who has yet to see her prediction of an increased Democratic majority materialize. At least 14 pro-life women have won Houses races, and in seven cases they flipped Democrat-held seats. Aborted babies memorialized in sculpture A new sculpture installed at Resurrection Cemetery in The Diocese of Madison, Wisc., is dedicated to the memory of children lost to abortion. The powerful sculpture depicts a grief-stricken mother and father and their aborted daughter shown as a young child. The sculpture, called “The Memorial of Unborn Children II,” was created by Slovakian sculptor Martin Hudáček, whose “Memorial for Unborn Children” of a mother and her aborted child touched hearts in 2010. His new sculpture portrays the pain both mothers and fathers can experience after an abortion. Hudáček told Catholic World Report that people in Poland came to him with the idea of showing it isn’t only women who regret abortion and weep for their children. Fathers, too, can suffer the effects of abortion trauma. Supreme Court heard religious freedom argument The Supreme Court of The United States yesterday heard oral argument in Philadelphia v. Fulton, a case in which the justices will decide whether religious organizations can be disqualified from serving children and families. First Liberty filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case on behalf of Galen Black, a plaintiff from the landmark 1990 Supreme Court Case Employment Division v. Smith. First Liberty Institute Counsel Keisha Russell said the Constitution prohibits government from punishing religious organizations for acting consistently with their sincerely held religious beliefs. The court should ensure that religious adoption providers can continue their centuries-old work serving families and children without suffering government discrimination because they believe that the best home for a child includes a mother and father. Planned Parenthood drops a suit Planned Parenthood’s filed a notice to a federal district court Tuesday that the abortion giant wishes to drop its lawsuit against Arizona laws that protect women considering an abortion by ensuring they have at least 24 hours to reflect and investigate after receiving critical information — in person — about abortion and available alternatives and ensuring that abortions are performed only by licensed physicians. In March, The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona allowed Choices Pregnancy Centers of Greater Phoenix, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys, to intervene in the lawsuit, Planned Parenthood Arizona v. Brnovich, specifically to defend the 24-hour waiting period provision in Arizona law.

In today's News: Louisiana voters support pro-life amendment  Louisiana voters passed an amendment to the state constitution yesterday evening establishing that there is no constitutional right to an abortion. The New York Timesreported that 62 percent of Louisiana voters supported Amendment 1, “Love Life Amendment,” an amendment stating that nothing in the Louisiana state constitution protects the right to abortion or abortion funding. Louisiana also has a trigger law automatically banning all abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned, according to NBC News. Abortion advocates argued that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, the amendment unfairly impacts access to abortion. Michelle Erenberg, executive director of the abortion-rights group Lift Louisiana, said the amendment is part of a long strategy to strip the right to an abortion. Colorado voters reject pro-life legislation  Voters in Colorado have rejected a pro-life ballot measure that would have banned abortion after 22 weeks, according to the Associated Press. The measure was defeated, with approximately 60 percent of the vote opposing the measure. Proposition 115 would have prohibited abortion once a preborn child reached 22 weeks gestation. Any doctor who committed or attempted to commit an abortion after 22 weeks would have been charged with a misdemeanor and faced fines. There was an exception for when the mother’s physical health was in danger. Babies born as young as 21 weeks have survived with medical assistance. Facebook censors a pregnancy crisis center  An Illinois pro-life organization trying to raise money to help pregnant women and babies is being censored on Facebook. The Federalist reports the social media giant rejected the fundraising ad From Illinois Right to Life this fall, claiming it violates its advertising policy. The ad highlights Project Love, an initiative of Illinois Right yo Life to “Support pregnant women and new mothers in a financial crisis by providing grants for rent, utility bills or other necessities.” The pro-life organization hoped to raise money through the ad to help mothers and babies in need, but Facebook refused to run it. Meanwhile, the abortion Giant Planned Parenthood is still running ads on Facebook. School bans ‘Jesus Loves Me’ mask  Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Monday on behalf of an elementary school pupil and her parents against the Simpson County School District in Mississippi after school officials prohibited her from wearing a face mask with the message “Jesus Loves Me” on it. The third-grade pupil, Lydia Booth, wished to peacefully share her Christian views with her schoolmates but, even though she wore the mask without disruption or incident on Oct. 13, the principal at her school in Pinola required her to remove and replace it. Two days later, administrators announced a policy that prohibits messages on masks that are “political, religious, sexual or inappropriate symbols, gestures or statements that may be offensive, disruptive or deemed distractive to the school environment.”