The 3 - November 17, 2024

This week's edition of The 3, spotlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a court ruling that puts the new 10 Commandments law in Louisiana on hold. Plus, a Christian missions organization as strengthened its doctrinal statement.  And, an attempt to put an Indiana law on hold that would protect children from dangerous procedures that are falsely characterized as helping a child change his or her gender, has been turned back by a federal appeals court.

Federal judge puts new LA 10 Commandments law on hold

A new law in Louisiana requiring the 10 Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms across the state has been put on hold by a federal judge, according to WORLD Magazine, which reported:

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry approved a law in June that would require all classrooms in the state to hang up the Biblical Ten Commandments alongside a statement about their historical role in shaping American education. Less than a week later, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the state, saying the law violated the First Amendment’s prohibition on government endorsing religion.

WORLD stated that: "U.S. District Judge John deGravelles...issued a preliminary injunction preventing authorities in Louisiana from enforcing a law putting the Biblical Ten Commandments in classrooms. Judge deGravelles described the law as facially unconstitutional."  The article added that the state's attorney general said she would appeal this ruling.

The Liberty Counsel website states:

Louisiana has considerable grounds for its appeal. Recent Supreme Court precedents show that displaying the Ten Commandments is not necessarily a religious endorsement. In American Legion v. American Humanists Association, the High Court wrote that the Ten Commandments “have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system” and represents a “common cultural heritage.” Then, in 2022, the cases of Shurtleff v. City of Boston and Kennedy v. Bremerton School District rejected and overruled the 1971 case of Lemon v. Kurtzman. The High Court replaced the “Lemon Test” by returning to a traditional First Amendment standard where courts must interpret the Establishment Clause by “reference to historical practices and understandings.”

The case now goes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. 

Christian missions organization announces strengthening of doctrinal issues

In the face of churches and ministries compromising on their fidelity to Biblical truth, it is important that Christian entities are solid in their adherence to God's Word. One missions organization, the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, has revised its statements of faith to make clear where it stands on important Biblical matters.

A press release published on Inspire Newswire, reports that the changes will become effective on January 1st, and it states:

This significant update comes as part of a broader effort to reaffirm ABWE’s unwavering commitment to historic, biblical orthodoxy and address contemporary cultural and theological challenges.

ABWE President Paul Davis is quoted as saying, "Our new doctrinal statement strengthens our stance on essential truths and equips our workers to faithfully proclaim the gospel in today’s changing world,” adding, “In a time when doctrinal clarity is often compromised, ABWE remains committed to defending the ageless truths of Scripture and providing the necessary theological grounding for effective ministry.”

The organization states: "The revised language provides a robust articulation of doctrines such as the Trinity, the exclusivity of Christ, and the authority of Scripture." It also notes: "Updates respond to current issues, including the biblical definition of marriage and sexuality, and the influence of false teachings."

Federal appeals court rules in favor of ban on dangerous "gender"-related treatments

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit has issued a "decision in the case of K.C. v. Individual Members of the Medical Licensing Board of Indiana," according to the website for Alliance Defending Freedom. The court decided "to uphold an Indiana law that protects children from harmful, unnecessary, and high-risk drugs and surgeries that alter their bodies to make them look like the opposite sex..."

ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Litigation Strategy and Center for Conscience Initiatives Jonathan Scruggs said: "...These procedures have devastated countless lives, which is why countries that were previously leaders in so-called ‘gender affirming’ care are reversing course and curtailing these experimental efforts to alter children’s bodies. The 7th Circuit was on solid ground to uphold Indiana’s law that allows children to receive the help they need—safely.”

Writing for the majority, according to TheHill.com, Judge Michael B. Brennan stated: “These constitutional arguments threaten significant consequences. Appellees ask us to constitutionalize and thus take from Indiana the power to regulate a new and heavily debated medical treatment with unknown risks..."

Attorney General Todd Rokita said on X, “By rejecting the injunction against our commonsense state law, dangerous and irreversible gender-transition procedures for minors will remain banned in Indiana..."