The 3 - June 17, 2018

In this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance for the Christian community, a Bible-based organization has issued new guidelines calling for employees to follow...the Bible in certain areas.  Also, the U.S. Justice Department has issued a policy designed to protect churches and religious organizations, providing a level playing field in areas concerning land and facilities use.  And, a ruling from Canada's highest court has clouded the future for a Christian university that has a new law school in the works.

3 - Bible organization announces guidelines for employees to adhere to the Bible regarding marriage

I have a lot of respect for the work of the American Bible Society, and recently, the organization issued employee guidelines that actually directs those who work for it to - believe the Bible regarding marriage.  A CBN News story relates:

The new policy asks employees to conduct themselves according to biblical principles, including refraining from extra-marital sex and honoring God through marriage between one man and one woman.

"I will seek to refrain from sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant prescribed and exemplified in the Bible: 'a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one,' symbolizing the relationship between Christ and His Church," the statement reads.

And, the story points out, "The document also asks employees to refrain from 'malicious speech, stealing, cheating others,' and drug abuse."

The article quotes a Religion News Service article that says the "nine of the company's 200 employees have resigned," presumably because they disagreed with the new principles.

So, even though the Society will no doubt be branded as intolerant, American Bible Society President and CEO Roy Peterson thinks it made the right call, telling RNS, "We did this because we believe a staff made up of people with a deep and personal connection to the Bible will bring unity and clarity as we continue our third century of ministry."

2 - US Department of Justice takes step to protect religious organizations in matters of use of land and facilities

The Justice Department has announced a new religious freedom regulation that is designed to protect churches and other religious organizations in matters of land and facility usage.  The Alliance Defending Freedom stated on its website:

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday its new “Place to Worship Initiative,” which will focus on “protecting the ability of houses of worship and other religious institutions to build, expand, buy, or rent facilities—as provided by the land use provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).”

ADF Senior Counsel Erik Stanley, director of the ADF Center for Christian Ministries, is quoted as saying, “No city should use its zoning laws to engage in religious discrimination. Unfortunately, in the 18 years since Congress passed RLUIPA, local governments have done just that, blatantly disregarding the law,” adding, “For that reason, we commend the Department of Justice and the Trump administration for placing a much-needed focus on the freedoms churches and other religious groups have under this federal law.” As the site says, ADF has been involved in defending religious organizations to uphold their rights under the act.

1 - Canadian Supreme Court rules against law school requiring students to adhere to Christian sexual ethics

Trinity Western University in Canada has been making plans to open a law school, but it has faced opposition because of its "community covenant," which, according to a story on the WORLD Magazine website, "requires students and faculty to abstain from sex outside heterosexual marriage."

According to WORLD:

Leaders of the Law Society of British Columbia initially said the group would recognize the school’s graduates but reversed course after a majority of its members objected. Lawyers in Ontario took a similar stance, while societies in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, the Yukon, and Nova Scotia agreed to recognize the graduates.

The issue of whether or not regional law societies would accredit Trinity's school had gone to various regional appeals courts, which issued a variety of decisions.  So, the case went to the Canadian Supreme Court, which recently issued a 7-2 ruling against Trinity and in favor of the discretion of the regional societies.

The article linked to a story at the CBC website, which stated that the high court said "it's 'proportionate and reasonable' to limit religious rights in order to ensure open access for LGBT students. The story quotes Janet Epp Buckingham, described as "a TWU professor who helped develop the law school proposal," who "said she was saddened by the ruling." She is quoted as saying, "We feel that this is a loss for diversity in Canada," adding, "Canada has traditionally upheld values of diversity for a broad array of religious views. So we're very disappointed in the way the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled today."