The 3 - December 9, 2018

This week's edition of The 3 focuses in on a large Christian women's organization that wants to see a Cabinet member removed.  Also, a family in Idaho has received a federal court ruling in a lawsuit against a homeowners' association that did not approve of a Christmas display.  And, two board members of a Christian college have resigned, citing a departure from Christian teaching.

3 - Large Christian women's organization calls for Cabinet member's resignation

There are changes in the offing for the Trump Administration, with his announced intentions to nominate William Barr as Attorney General, a position he held during the Bush 41 Administration, and Heather Nauert as U.N. Ambassador.  Plus, Chief of Staff John Kelly will be leaving his post soon.

A well-known Christian organization, Concerned Women for America, would like to see another Cabinet official replaced.  The Washington Times reports that CWA's CEO, Penny Young Nance, has called for Labor Secretary Alex Acosta's resignation. The reason, according to the report, is "his former role as a prosecutor in a plea deal for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein."

Nance, according to the story, "said she believes President Trump would not have nominated Mr. Acosta for the Cabinet post if reports by the Miami Herald had emerged earlier about Mr. Acosta’s role in the scandal in Florida." She tweeted out, “Labor trafficking is often conjoined w/ sex trafficking. I believe @SecretaryAcosta should resign..."

The Times reports:

Epstein’s lawyers got an extremely favorable deal in 2007 from Mr. Acosta, the prosecutor at the time, who agreed to allow him to serve a short sentence in the county prison and obtain daily work-release for up to 12 hours per day.

2 - Residents win court fight over Christmas display

It can be very discouraging when you see the celebration of Christmas used as a source of division.  We have seen that occur in schools, displays on government property, and in one case in Idaho, in a neighborhood.

WORLD Magazine reported on a family from Idaho that had moved into a particular neighborhood in Coeur d'Alene and was told by the local homeowners' association that they would have to cease their five-night Christmas display.  The article says:

Before moving to their current home in the West Hayden neighborhood of Coeur d’Alene, the Morrises began holding a public Christmas program in their front yard, complete with an elaborate lights display, live music, actors, and animals to share the story of the birth of Jesus. They paid for the event out-of-pocket, did not charge for admission, and gave all donations to local charities benefiting childhood cancer victims and providing safe haven for children suffering abuse.

When the family decided to buy a new home in West Hayden, Jeremy Morris contacted the local homeowners association saying he intended to continue offering the program at their new home. In early 2015, the HOA board sent a letter saying he would have to scrap the Christmas event if he bought a West Hayden home.

The Morrises continued their display at the new home and even expanded.  This drew the ire of some neighbors who, according to the article, "...became vigilantes, reportedly throwing snowballs at buses hired to transport attendees, yelling 'Get out, this is our neighborhood,' and kicking cars."  There was even a reported death threat. 

Morris went to court; he filed a lawsuit against the homeowners' association for "religious discrimination and property right violations." And, as WORLD reported, a federal jury "unanimously ruled in favor of Jeremy and Kristy Morris in late October, awarding them $75,000 in damages and concluding a four-year dispute with the couple’s homeowners association."  The Morrises now plan to leave their West Hayden neighborhood.

1 - Christian university trustees resign over perceived drift on theology

There's more trouble out of a Christian college out of California.  Last September, CBN News reported that "the university came under fire after reversing its policy on banning public LGBTQ relationships on campus after caving in to pressure from activists. However, the Board of Trustees said they never approved the change and have reinstated the policy."  The Board said in a statement:
"That action concerning romanticized relationships was never approved by the board and the original wording has been reinstated."

Now, there's more controversy at the school: CBN News now reports that:

Two members of the board of trustees of Azusa Pacific University, (APU) the first Christian college on the West Coast, resigned last week, arguing the major evangelical university has "drifted" from its mission and that its new ideology is at odds with many of its policies, statement of faith, and even the Bible itself.

The story says that "WND (formerly WorldNetDaily) reports Raleigh Washington, a prominent pastor known for his leadership of the Promise Keepers men's movement, and Dave Dias, a Sacramento-area business executive submitted their letters of resignation to Azusa's board of trustees."

Washington said to WND: "What happened with the student handbook was an indication of a bigger problem that exists, and that problem is theological drift from what is required of an evangelical Christian university," a statement with which Dias agreed. Board chair David Poole, in a statement to CBN News, said, "Despite the assertions made by those who resigned, the board stands united in our commitment to our evangelical Christian identity."