The 3 - October 4, 2020

This edition of The 3 features more news out of California and worship gatherings, this time out of San Francisco, where a 1-person limit has been in effect for houses of worship in the city. Also, the state of Virginia has attempted to impose so-called "values" that contradict Christian values on its people, and legal challenges have been filed.  And, the President's diagnosis with coronavirus has dramatically affected the faith community.

Frisco mayor ups restrictions on houses of worship from 1 to a maximum of 100

Up until last Wednesday, the city of San Francisco had a limit on worship "gatherings," well not really a gathering, because it provided for one - one, person to be involved in a worship event.  That has not gone away, according to ChristianHeadlines.com, which says that city Mayor London Breed has loosened the restrictions to 25 percent capacity, with a cap of 100 in an indoor worship setting.

The article notes that, "...several religions and denominations have protested the city’s restrictive rules as 'unjust' limitations not imposed on their secular counterparts.

Also, as the article states:

The Department of Justice also recently warned San Francisco over its limitations, stating they were “draconian, out of step with the treatment afforded other similar indoor activities in San Francisco, wholly at odds with this Nation’s traditional understanding of religious liberty, and may violate the First Amendment to the Constitution.”

Challenge filed to so-called Virginia Values Act

On July 1, a piece of legislation known as the Virginia Values Act went into effect in the state - but whose values or what values are mandated in the law?  According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the new law "compels churches, religious schools, and Christian ministries to hire employees who do not share their stated beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and gender identity." And, a companion bill forces employers to include "in employee health care plans coverage for sex reassignment and 'gender affirming'” surgeries that run contrary to their beliefs. And, ministries can no longer offer gender-specific classes in the areas of "parenting, Christian discipleship, and sports."

So, ADF filed a lawsuit in a state court last week on behalf of two churches, three schools, and a pregnancy center network challenging the law, and filed a Federal lawsuit against the law on behalf of a photographer who does weddings and special events, contending the law would force him to photograph events (such as a same-sex wedding ceremony) that violate his religious beliefs.

ADF Senior Counsel Denise Harle is quoted as saying, regarding the lawsuit on behalf of faith-based ministries, "Virginia’s new law forces these ministries to abandon and adjust their convictions or pay crippling fines—in direct violation of the Virginia Constitution and other state laws. Such government hostility toward people of faith has no place in a free society.” 

ADF Senior Counsel Jonathan Scruggs said, regarding the Federal suit supporting the photographer, Bob Updegrove, “Because of Virginia’s new law, photographers like Bob face an impossible choice: violate the law and risk bankruptcy, promote views against their faith, or close down. The government cannot demand that artists create content that violates their deepest convictions.”

Faith leaders concerned after President's COVID diagnosis

With news of the President's and First Lady's diagnosis of COVID-19, there have been numerous expressions of prayer.  The Presidential Prayer Team issued its original alert on Friday, and has continued to provide updates on Mr. Trump's condition.

There has been media speculation about where the President may have contracted the virus; and the outdoor event announcing the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday, the 26th has been the center of attention.  There is certainly a connection to the Christian community, because a number of Christian and pro-life leaders attended the announcement.

Religion News ran a story that outlines some of the faith leaders who were in attendance. One of those mentioned was the President of Notre Dame University John Jenkins, who announced on Friday he had tested positive.  Two individuals, who had been involved in the Washington Prayer March earlier in the day had tested negative, according to the article, which said:

A spokesperson for Franklin Graham said the evangelist — who also led a faith-themed march on Washington the same day as the announcement, attended by thousands — was tested before a trip to Alaska this week, and his results were negative.

The acting Liberty University president Jerry Prevo was also seen sitting behind Jenkins at the event, but a school spokesperson told Religion News Service that Prevo was tested for COVID-19 on Friday morning and his result was negative.

Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, a Christian who was scheduled to speak in Atlanta last week, according the article told an RNS reporter on Friday, "that he was driving home from Atlanta to quarantine after coming into contact with someone who has the virus and intended to get a test when he arrived." He identified that person as Sen. Mike Lee, who was one of three senators who were initially specified as testing positive for coronavirus.

The article relates that Vice-President Pence, who has tested negative, spoke at the event, as did pastor Jentezen Franklin, who was part of a Call to Prayer for the President yesterday afternoon, hosted by the President's daughter-in-law, Lara on the President's campaign Facebook page.

And, the news came out earlier today that Greg Laurie, Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA and speaker on A New Beginning on Faith Radio, has contracted the coronavirus. He wrote on his Facebook page:

I tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday. I have been in quarantine since then. My wife Cathe is also in quarantine with me. I am happy to report that all members of my family have tested negative for COVID. My symptoms have been mild so far, and I expect to make a full recovery. I have always taken the Coronavirus seriously, and it has tragically taken many lives. At a time like this, we need to pray for those that have it and avoid politicizing it. If our President and First Lady can get COVID-19, clearly anyone can. I chose to first tell those I was directly in touch with and the congregation I pastor. Thank you for your concern and prayers. I hope to see you all soon.

The 3 - September 27, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, spotlights a pro-life executive order announced by the President on behalf of babies who survive abortion attempts.  Also, there's more news on churches and COVID, with one California church being granted a trial for next year, meaning that it can continue to worship in-person, and a DC church suing the city because of its excessive COVID restrictions.  And, a government agency has stepped in to defend two former grocery store employees who would not wear an apron depicting what they views as an endorsement of LGBTQ.

President issues order protecting abortion survivors

At the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President Trump announced his intent to issue an executive order to protect babies who survive an attempt to take their lives through abortion.

Liberty Counsel, on its website, notes:

Speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President Trump called this “our sacrosanct moral duty.”

President Trump said, “We believe in the joy of family, the blessing of freedom and the dignity of work and the eternal truth that every child born and unborn is made in the holy image of God. I will always protect the vital role of religion and prayer in American society, and I will always defend the sacred right to life.”

Congress has been unable to pass legislation that would protect abortion survivors, according to the website, which notes that there have been over 80 chances to do so.  The site says:

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as the personal testimonies of nurses and abortion survivors themselves, provide evidence that babies survive abortions. According to the CDC, at least 143 babies were born alive after botched abortions between 2003 and 2014 in the U.S., though there likely are more. The CDC also notes that this number is likely underestimated because of unclear terminology and a lack of understanding about spontaneous abortions.

The President began his week by issuing this welcome news to those who are pro-life, and at the conclusion of the week, he made a popular decision among pro-life groups by naming Federal appeals court judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court.  

California church gets reprieve, DC church sues city

The saga involving a California church that made the decision to gather in indoor worship services, in response to local COVID-19 health orders that it deemed to be excessive, continues.  An article at The Federalist website states that:

Grace Community Church and its Pastor John MacArthur won another victory in their journey to fight for their constitutional right to worship on Thursday when a judge awarded them the opportunity for a trial.

That judge, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff had earlier issued a preliminary injunction that would have stopped the church from meeting, but the church continued to meet. Now, Beckloff has set a trial for early in 2021, although he will hold a hearing in mid-November. 

Special Counsel Charles LeMandri of the Thomas More Society said, “This ruling prevents Los Angeles County’s attempted rush to judgment in its continued prosecution of Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church for courageously exercising their First Amendment rights,” adding, “We are pleased that Judge Beckloff indicated he agreed with the major points that we made on behalf of Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Church and we are very gratified that the judge’s ruling today reflects that he appreciates the importance of the constitutionally protected rights at issue in this case.” Pastor MacArthur said, in part, "The reality is that the county cannot show that their order is even rational, much less necessary..."

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the country, a church in Washington, DC has sued the District for its excessive COVID-19 regulations. The Christian Post reports that:

The 850-member Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., is suing Mayor Murriel Bowser over her ban on outdoor church services of more than 100 people during the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that the gathering restriction has been applied unfairly.

First Liberty is involved in the case. The article quotes Justin Sok, one of the pastoral staff members of the church; it says, "The church has applied for multiple waivers to the mayor’s policy. However, city officials 'refuse to provide CHBC with a waiver beyond 100 persons as part of a mass gathering,' Sok added."  He is also quoted as saying, 

“The lawsuit filed Tuesday simply asks that CHBC be permitted to meet in-person, with similar restrictions as area businesses and other gatherings have employed to protect public health,” the pastor stressed. “A church is not a building that can be opened and closed. A church is not an event to be watched. A church is a community that gathers regularly and that community should be treated fairly by the District government.”

Grocery store employees gain powerful ally in refusal to display LGBTQ symbolism

In a case in which an employer attempted to force two of its employees to display symbolism that conflicts with their religious beliefs, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC has stood with the two employees, who lost their jobs, according to the Family Research Council website.  The site relates that:

In this case, the Kroger grocery store in Conway, Arkansas issued new aprons to employees that featured a small, rainbow-colored heart emblem. Two employees perceived this as an endorsement of the LGBT movement, and they objected on religious grounds.

The article goes on to say that: 

The two Kroger employees asked if they could either wear a different apron or wear their name tag over the rainbow emblem. Kroger refused this accommodation and ended up firing the two employees -- leading to the EEOC suit in support of the employees. 

The article, written by Peter Sprigg of FRC, quoted Sharon Fast Gustafson, General Counsel of the EEOC, who said, "If the applicant or employee has a religious belief or practice that requires some kind of religious accommodation, the law requires the employer to give that accommodation to the employee unless it would present some sort of undue hardship to the business."

Sprigg points out that this is a shift for the EEOC, which had filed the original lawsuit against a funeral home on behalf of a transgender employee in the Bostock case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the word "sex" in civil rights law should be interpreted as "sexual orientation" or "gender identity." He writes, "We trust that the Kroger lawsuit means that the EEOC has taken a turn in the direction of consistent support for religious liberty."

The 3 - September 20, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes the issuance of a letter from over a hundred African-American leaders calling out the nation's largest abortion provided for racism. Also, a Federal judge has found that Pennsylvania's restrictions during COVID-19 are unconstitutional.  And, California lawmakers have relaxed the law concerning sexual relationships between adults and minors.

Bi-partisan group of African-American leaders decry Planned Parenthood's emphasis on taking lives of Black children

A group in excess of 120 African-American leaders from both political parties has sent an open letter to the head of the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, calling it out for racism in its targeting of Black pre-born babies, according to The Christian Post, which reports that:

Among those who have signed the letter are Louisiana state Senator Katrina Jackson, Georgia state representative Mack Jackson, and Michigan's Kent County Commissioner Monica Sparks, all of whom are Democrats. Black Republican signers include Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill and Texas state representative James White. Conservative think tank Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James, former NFL star Benjamin Watson and pro-life activist Alveda King, who is the niece of Martin Luther King Jr. also signed the letter.

The letter states: “The impact of abortion on Black communities is unequal and disproportionate... Despite constituting only 13% of the female population, Black women represent 36% of all abortions, and Black women are five times more likely than white women to receive an abortion. In some cities, like New York, more Black children are aborted every year than are born alive."

Dean Nelson, Executive Director of the pro-life organization, Human Coalition Action, in a statement to The Christian Post, said that this is a representation of "...the outrage among the Black community that we have been strategically and consistently targeted by the abortion industry ever since the practice was legalized almost 50 years ago.” 

By, the way, Benjamin Watson has a new film, called Divided Hearts of America, which deals with the abortion issue. Crosswalk.com describes it in this way: "In the span of about 90 minutes, Watson interviews more than 30 pro-life and pro-choice leaders as he unveils – in his words – 'the truth about abortion, the laws, the history and where our country is headed.'” Alveda King and Katrina Jackson appear in the film.  Watson is quoted as saying, “Can anything save us? Yes. It’s love,” adding,“Will we decide to love each other enough to mend our divided hearts? That's a choice we all have to make. That's a choice that will determine how the story ends.”

Judge rules PA governor's COVID restrictions unconstitutional

Government restrictions in the face of the COVID-19 virus have been challenged in court, and a recent ruling out of Pennsylvania by a Federal judge said that the governor had overstepped his bounds and issued unconstitutional orders. Bruce Hausknecht, writing at the Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family, stated:

Just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court let a COVID-related state lockdown order in California remain effective in the face of constitutional challenges, a federal district court judge in western Pennsylvania says those can’t go on indefinitely, striking down several of Governor Tom Wolf’s orders restricting indoor and outdoor gatherings in that state, his designations of “life-sustaining” and “non-life-sustaining” businesses, and his general “stay-at-home” order.

Hausknecht writes:

The judge addressed the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court action in denying an emergency injunction blocking the California governor’s lockdown order in that state, and, in particular, Justice Samuel Alito’s dissent which argued in favor of granting an injunction in that case.

“There is no question, as Justice Alito reasoned in Calvary Chapel, that courts may provide state and local officials greater deference when making time-sensitive decisions in the maelstrom of an emergency. But that deference cannot go on forever. It is no longer March. It is now September and the record makes clear that Defendants have no anticipated end-date to their emergency interventions.

The article says that: "It’s worth quoting something that the U.S. Department of Justice began saying months ago when it came to the support of citizens’ constitutional rights in the face of onerous state lockdown orders: 'There is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights.'"

The American Pastors Network, which is led by former Pennsylvania representative Sam Rohrer, partnered with the Pennsylvania Pastors Network to issue an open letter a few weeks ago concerning these orders from state officials.  A summary on the APN site says:

This letter from APN and PPN, which represent more than 1,200 PA pastors, explains that the current COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the executive branch are without authority, are therefore unlawful, and in violation of both the Constitution and statutory law, particularly since the General Assembly in accordance with the law ordered the Governor to rescind all COVID-19-related orders resulting from his natural disaster proclamation on March 6. The resolution calls out these realities and highlights how the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has only deepened the constitutional crisis, the letter states.

California liberalizes sex offender law

Concern has been raised about a new California law, recently signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, that appears to loosen restrictions on those who have been found to have sexually abused children. The Daily Signal reports that:

Senate Bill 145—which passed both the state Assembly and Senate, and Gov. Gavin Newsom just signed into law—ensures that adults will not automatically be placed on the sex offender registry even if they engage in sexual acts with minors aged 14 to 17, regardless of what kind of sex they had.

According to the law’s text, SB 145 will “exempt from mandatory registration under the act a person convicted of certain offenses involving minors if the person is not more than 10 years older than the minor and if that offense is the only one requiring the person to register.”

Bottom line, according to the writer of the piece, Nicole Russell: "So, even though it is illegal in California for any adult to have sex with a person under 17, this law will require judges to take each case separately."  She notes that Dr. James Dobson stated, "Any law that lessens protections for vulnerable children is a bad idea. There’s a word for adults who pursue sex with children: pedophiles..."  He also said, “Any proposed legislation that gives incentive or cover for such depravity should be condemned, not passed into law.”

The 3 - September 13, 2020

In this week's edition of The 3, there is a victory for a pro-life student organization at a Georgia college campus.  Plus, the U.S. Department of Education has committed to preserve the First Amendment rights of students, including free expression of religious faith. And, in North Carolina, a school has nixed day planners provided to students by a local church.

Pro-life group wins religious freedom at university campus

Last year, the pro-life group, Students for Life, on the campus of Georgia Tech, sought university funds in order to present an event featuring the pro-life niece of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alveda King.  A CBNNews.com report noted that all students, which would include SFL members, pay dues to the Student Government Association for the purpose of on-campus activities.

The article states:

When Students For Life member Brian Cochran presented his group's request to the graduate and undergraduate houses of the SGA, they interrogated him on the content and viewpoints that Students for Life and King would present at the event.

SGA denied the funding, noting the "inherently religious" nature of Alveda King's life. The event went on as scheduled, but without university dollars. But, Students for Life also contacted Alliance Defending Freedom. 

ADF filed a lawsuit against the school, and recently, it was announced that the school and Students for Life had reached an out-of-court settlement.  The article reports:

The University has agreed to change its unconstitutional policies that had allowed the SGA to discriminate against Alveda King and Students For Life. As part of the settlement ending the federal lawsuit, the university agreed to revise its policies to treat all student organizations fairly, regardless of viewpoint, and to pay $50,000 in damages and attorneys' fees.

Department of Education issues order to preserve First Amendment protections regarding faith

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a new regulation that is designed to protect the First Amendment rights of students on college campuses. The Christian Post reports that:

The regulation — Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities — comes in response to an executive order issued in March 2019 signed by President Donald Trump that vowed to withhold federal research grants from colleges and universities that are hostile to First Amendment rights of students.

The article quotes from a summary of the rule, which states that the “...Final Rule prohibits discrimination against religious student organizations because of their beliefs, practices, policies, speech, membership standards, or leadership standards, which are informed by sincerely held religious beliefs..."  The Post says that:

The final rule comes as some faith-based campus groups across the country have been denied recognition by universities for having policies that require leaders of the organizations to adhere to their statements of faith, which has led to several legal battles.

NC school removes Bible verses from daily planners donated by church

A church in Alexander County, North Carolina donated 600 planners to a middle school there, only to find out that the school removed, or, as WSOC Television reported, "cut out" the two Scripture verses that were contained on the back of the planner.

The television report said that, "Parent Roger Hayes said he is in disbelief that East Alexander Middle School cut up his daughter’s planner in an effort to remove the Bible verses."

The article states:

Sulphur Springs Baptist Church said it reached out to the school this summer to find out how they could help and ended up spending more than $2,000 to have the planners printed.

“We just put them back there for encouragement. We know the school year ended rough last year. We know coming back with split days,” Assistant Pastor James Safrit said.

The television station notes that, "The school district said while they appreciate the community support, the principal believed including the scripture verses would violate a student’s rights." Hayes said, “That hurt my feelings, it really did. This society right now, I think we need God in our lives and Jesus in our lives and this tears my heart apart,” adding, “Why couldn’t it be my decision or my child’s decision to take it off.”  School officials, according to WSOC, felt that the planners would be unconstitutionally "indoctrinating" the students.

The 3 - September 6, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance in the Christian community, we find that Christian leaders are applauding a move from the President that purports to eliminate vestiges of Critical Race Theory in government training.  Also, a U.S. Senator has said "no" to a demand from an atheist organization to cease to post Bible verses online.  Plus, California churches are in various stages of opposing government attempts to limit worship, ostensibly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President issues order to block "critical race theory," Christian leaders opposing CRT commend

The debate about and exposure of what is known as Critical Race Theory has flared within the Southern Baptist Convention since the haphazard passage of a resolution at its annual meeting in Birmingham last year, when messengers - at least those who were left in the building during the closing hours of the convention - passed a resolution branding CRT and Intersectionality as "analytical tools" in understanding race relations that should be subjected to Scripture.  A number of Christian leaders basically believe that to submit these worldly, divisive philosophies that label people as oppressors and the oppressed based on racial and cultural generalizations to Scripture would mean to repudiate them totally. 

The CRT resolution, also known as Resolution 9, was one of the factors leading to the formation of a group called the Conservative Baptist Network, which has thousands of adherents on social media and relates on its website that its Steering Council is made up of, among others, "former Atlanta fire chief Kelvin Cochran, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, past SBC President Charles Stanley, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Vice President Tom Phillips, and immediate past SBC Executive Committee Chairman Mike Stone."

The network and other Christian leaders, including Tom Ascol of Founders Ministries, which has released a video and book, called, By What Standard, that includes information on the infiltration of evangelical Christianity by critical race theorists have offered praise to President Trump's executive order that, according to FoxNews.com, ends "'critical race theory' training in federal agencies, with White House officials calling it “anti-American propaganda."  Fox goes on to report:

Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote a memo informing agencies of Trump's instruction to stop using controversial forms of training on “critical race theory,” “white privilege” and “any other training or propaganda effort that teaches or suggests either...that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or...that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil.”

“It has come to the President's attention that Executive Branch agencies have spent millions of taxpayer dollars to date "training" government workers to believe divisive, anti-American propaganda,” Vought wrote in the memo to heads of federal agencies and offices.

The Conservative Baptist Network offered gratitude for the Adminstration's action, saying: 

The Conservative Baptist Network has been clear from the beginning regarding this divisive, anti-gospel ideology. The Network strongly believes in a just society for all based on biblical truth, opposing racism and sexism in all forms, and therefore rejects worldly ideologies infiltrating the Southern Baptist Convention, including Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, and other unbiblical agendas deceptively labeled as “Social Justice.”

U.S. Senator declares intent to continue posting Bible verses online

Even though there are those that attempt to label politics as something that Christians should not participate in, especially when the philosophies of other believers differ from their own, it is gratifying to see that politicians, governmental leaders, actually apply their faith to their practice of lawmaking. An example is found at the ChristianNews.net website, which announced that:

A Louisiana senator says he won’t stop posting from the pages of Scripture on Sundays after the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) requested that he take down such quotes from his official social media pages and refrain from citing Scripture on his government accounts in the future.

“The Freedom From Religion Foundation has demanded that I stop sharing Bible verses with you. The left won’t bully me into canceling Christianity. Their request is denied,” Sen. Bill Cassidy posted to his accounts on Tuesday.

FFRF had sent a threatening letter to the senator, to which the article links, in August saying that a "concerned Louisiana resident," who was not named in the letter, had complained about Cassidy's inclusion of Scripture online. ChristianNews.net reported last week that:

On Tuesday, Cassidy said that he would not oblige the Church-State separation group’s request, referring to the letter as an attempt to “bully” him into “canceling Christianity” from the public square.

The following day, FFRF published a news release opining that Cassidy was being “unconstitutionally stubborn” as he “doubled down on his obstinacy.”

California church continues its fight against governor's order

A California church's legal team is declaring that church is "essential" in its fight against draconian restrictions on worship in the Golden State.  That's according to CBN.com, which reports that:

A California church has appealed its case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals concerning Gov. Gavin Newsom's ban on all indoor worship services, including Bible studies, and singing.

The religious rights law group Liberty Counsel is representing the Pasadena-based Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry. Attorneys argue that the governor's actions are contradictory, as he continues to encourage thousands of people to gather for protests against social injustice.

The pastor is Che Ahn, and on August 13, Pasadena officials had "threatened fines and criminal charges against Pastor Ahn, the church, and staff of up to one year in prison for noncompliance..."  Just last week, a Federal district court had written an order rejecting a request for a preliminary injunction against the governor, which paved the way for Liberty Counsel to appeal to the 9th Circuit.  Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel stated, "The church has been essential for 2,000 years, and the First Amendment recognizes that the free exercise of religion is essential," adding, "The church is now more essential than ever because there are so many hurting people, especially in California, where the governor has decimated the economy and hurt many people by his draconian restrictions."

Meanwhile, as reported on ToddStarnes.com, Los Angeles County, which had been leasing a piece of property to Grace Community Church, pastored by John MacArthur, for 45 years, has informed the church that the lease is not terminated. A letter sent to the church says, "If Grace fails to vacate the premise as required, the District may enter the premises and remove Grace’s personal property..." Attorney Jenna Ellis, representing the church, said, "Los Angeles County is retaliating against Grace Community Church for simply exercising their constitutionally protected right to hold church and challenging an unreasonable, unlawful health order..."

And, the fines keep accumulating for North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California, according to an article at The Christian Post, which reports that:

The pastor of a large California church that was fined over $50,000 for holding indoor worship services despite adhering to social distancing guidelines said that even as the county continues to increase penalties, the church will remain open.

Jack Trieber, pastor of North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, California, said Tuesday that Santa Clara County posted an additional order on the church’s doors this week and is fining the congregation $5,000 for each service.

As of last Thursday, the church has been fined $52,750. 

Treiber is quoted as saying, "I'm in charge of the spiritual health of the people in this city and in this area,” adding, “I've been trying to do it for 45 years. Though health is [of the] utmost importance, spiritual health is supreme. Because we've been locked out in this county of churches, suicide is up, domestic violence, addiction is up, homelessness is up, alcoholism is up. We need to get back to worshiping God. I am commanded to worship God.”  Liberty Counsel is also representing that church.  The article also notes, "Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks was found to be in contempt of court for violating the state's COVID-19 health orders."

The 3 - August 30, 2020

This edition of The 3, with three stories of relevance to the Christian community, features news from around the world, including a man in Pakistan who is facing death for violating the country's "blasphemy" laws.  Also, China is continuing to dismantle crosses from church buildings.  Plus, Idaho's new law banning biological males from participating in women's sports has been put on hold, but two women who have been adversely affected by the influx of males claiming to be transgender will be allowed to participate on behalf of the law in a lawsuit filed against it.

Pakistani man faces death due to blasphemy laws

The same charge that was leveled against Pakistani wife and mother Asia Bibi has now been used against a Pakistani man because he allegedly posted negative comments against the founder of Islam, Mohammed, on Facebook. The Christian Post reports that:

The London-based Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, an interdenominational aid agency serving persecuted Christians in Muslim-majority Pakistan, reports that Sohail Masih in the Nowshera Virkan in Punjab province was arrested on Aug. 5.

CLAAS-UK Director Nasir Saeed, stated: "This is not the first case of its kind, and several Christians... have been charged with blasphemy for sharing or having blasphemous contents either on their phone or on their computers...”  Masih was charged under 2 sections of the Pakistani Penal Code, one of which, 295-C, is the one that was used against Asia Bibi.

According to BBC.com, Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy and released from prison by the nation's Supreme Court in 2018, is now living in Canada. News of her freedom set off protests that the BBC describes as "violent." She was in France not too long ago to promote her book, and said, "I left of my own volition because I was in danger there. Anything could have happened to me at any point. So that's why I left my country. But I have the same love for my country in my heart now. I still respect my country and I want to see the day when I'm able to go back." The article says:

Ms Bibi called on Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan to free anyone unjustly accused or convicted of blasphemy and to ensure that the charges are investigated properly.

"Innocents should not be punished for no reason and people who are innocent, in prison, should be freed," she said.

Over 900 crosses and counting removed from Chinese churches in 2020

The oppression of Christianity, even in state-sanctioned churches, continues in China. According to a piece at the ChristianHeadlines.com website, more than 900 crosses on church buildings in just one province of the massive country were "forcibly removed."  The article reports that:

Bitter Winter, which monitors religious liberty violations within China, says 906 crosses were pulled down by cranes and other machines in the province of Anhui from January through July. Anhui has the second-largest Christian population in China, Bitter Winter said.

All 906 cross removals involved churches within the legal but heavily restricted Three-Self Patriotic Movement.

According to a church member quoted on the Bitter Winter website, government officials have cautioned Christians that, "Protesting cross demolitions means protesting against the government.” The same church members stated that "all crosses taller than government buildings must be demolished because they overshadow state institutions..."

Idaho ban on transgender athletes put on hold by judge

A new Idaho law that prevents males who claim to be "transgender" from participating in women's sports has been put on hold by a state judge, according to Politico, but there is some positive news about which Alliance Defending Freedom reported.

The Politico article said that:

Idaho Chief Judge David C. Nye, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said those suing Idaho over the law "are likely to succeed in establishing the Act is unconstitutional as currently written." Nye also knocked the Trump administration's own position on transgender athletes, saying that an Education Department threat to schools this year is "of questionable validity."

The Idaho law is the only prohibition in the country against transgender student athletes participating in sports that match their gender identity. The Trump administration has filed a brief in the case supporting the law, which went into effect July 1.

But, as ADF pointed out, in the same order, it gave two athletes the opportunity to intervene in the case, stating: "Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys represent the two collegiate athletes, who run track and cross-country at Idaho State University in Pocatello. The two women, Madison Kenyon and Mary Kate Marshall, are long-time athletes, well familiar with the difference in strength and speed between comparably gifted and trained male and female athletes."

ADF Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb said: “The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act is good law because it seeks to protect girls and women across Idaho. Our clients have already experienced the deflating experience of losing to a male runner, and this should not be allowed to continue.” She added: “In one year, 275 high school boys ran faster times than the lifetime best of World Champion sprinter Allyson Felix. As long-time athletes, these young women deserve and will now have a voice in this lawsuit and the opportunity to protect the future of girls’ and women’s sports in Idaho.”

The 3 - August 16, 2020

This week's edition of The 3 continues to glance at restrictions on worship in California and provides an update to the response to restrictions by Grace Community Church, pastored by John MacArthur.  Also, a new document has been released that takes aim at what is called "cancel culture."  Plus, a handful of colleges and universities have altered their policies toward speech on campus.

MacArthur files lawsuit, receives positive temporary court reprieve

This past week, Grace Community Church in California, under the leadership of John MacArthur, filed a lawsuit against California Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, according to CBN.com, in order “to prohibit California from enforcing its unconstitutional and onerous coronavirus pandemic regulations” against the church.

The church, in a press release, stated that "Judge James Chalfant denied almost all of the County’s requests, agreeing with Pastor MacArthur and the Church that it is the County’s burden to show why it should be permitted to infringe on the constitutionally protected rights of churches to freely exercise religion. The judge did also express concern for some safety protocols." Legal counsel for the church "offered to comply with mask wearing and social distancing indoors until the matter could be fully heard, rather than the County simply rushing to shut down the Church."  

Then, late Saturday night, the California Court of Appeal set aside the judge's order, saying, according to Yubanet.com, in a story linked to Grace to You Executive Director Phil Johnson's Twitter feed:

The Court of Appeal’s decision temporarily upholds the County’s Health Officer Orders prohibiting indoor worship services in order to protect congregants and the community as a whole from transmission of the highly contagious and potentially fatal COVID-19 virus.

The Sunday morning indoor service at Grace Church went on as scheduled, presumably because the church viewed the appeals court ruling as bringing the status back to square one. After agreeing to masks and social distancing, the service featured none of the above, since the city had violated the original agreement by filing an appeal.  The Christian Post reported:

MacArthur told the attendees Sunday, “We agreed … look, we’ll comply for a few weeks. They asked that for three weeks. We’re not wanting to be defiant. We will do what is reasonable. That was not enough for the city. They went to the appellate court Saturday late, and had that order removed.”

A hearing is set for September 4.

In a related story from the Golden State, according to The Christian Post:

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow confirmed late last month he will not prosecute churches for holding worship services or for singing in church, which was deemed unlawful by an order from California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In many counties, pastors have had to decide between revolting or abiding by the order.

Newsom’s order to ban or limit church gatherings has led to lawsuits from churches and even a federal court ruling in May, where District Judge John A. Mendez ruled that Newsom’s order is legal during the COVID-19 crisis.

Christian leaders, other participate in Philadelphia Statement, responding to "cancel culture'

The proliferation of what has come to be known as "cancel culture" has sparked a number of academicians and thought leaders, including Christian ministry leaders, to attach their names to a document called the Philadelphia Statement.  The Daily Signal reported that the statement said, in part: "If we seek to change our country’s trajectory; if we desire unity rather than division; if we want a political life that is productive and inspiring; if we aspire to be a society that is pluralistic and free, one in which we can forge our own paths and live according to our own consciences, then we must renounce ideological blacklisting and recommit ourselves to steadfastly defending freedom of speech and passionately promoting robust civil discourse."

Some familiar names have endorsed the document, including Professor Robert George at Princeton University, who was one of the original co-creators of the Manhattan Declaration, which was a statement of affirmation for life, marriage, and religious liberty.  The founder of the Alliance Defending Freedom, Alan Sears, and its current President, Michael Farris, are signers of the Philadelphia Statement, as well as Dean Nelson, chairman of the Frederick Douglass Foundation.  Other notable signers including recent Meeting House guests Mike Gonzalez of the Heritage Foundation and former Vanderbilt law professor Carol Swain, who were mentioned in the Daily Signal article.  The website for the statement also indicates that Colson Center head and Breakpoint speaker John Stonestreet also signed on to the document.

The Statement also notes:

A society that lacks comity and allows people to be shamed or intimidated into self-censorship of their ideas and considered judgments will not survive for long. As Americans, we desire a flourishing, open marketplace of ideas, knowing that it is the fairest and most effective way to separate falsehood from truth. Accordingly, dissenting and unpopular voices—be they of the left or the right—must be afforded the opportunity to be heard. They have often guided our society toward more just positions, which is why Frederick Douglass said freedom of speech is the “great moral renovator of society and government.”

Good news for free speech on campus as college students return to school

Students are returning to campuses nationwide, and while the learning environment will certainly be different due to COVID-19 and its accompanying safety protocols, the Alliance Defending Freedom has continued to take steps to make sure that free speech is guaranteed on campus. On behalf of its client, Young Americans for Liberty, ADF's website notes that it has sent 26 letters "to schools in 14 states in response to official policies that violate students’ rights protected by the First Amendment. Many of those policies directly violate state laws known as 'FORUM acts,' which expressly protect students’ free speech on campus. The latest schools that have made policy changes as a result of the letters they received are Jacksonville State University in Alabama, St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and the College of Charleston in South Carolina."

For example, at Jax State, according to ADF, the school has "removed an unconstitutional policy that required its students to notify the school in advance before engaging in any expressive activity..."

Two other schools, Santa Rosa Junior College in California and Western Illinois University, had already changed their policies in response to the letters that had been sent out.  

ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, who is director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, stated: “The colleges and universities that have made policy changes so far should be commended for their willingness to quickly conform their rules to the U.S. Constitution and applicable state laws, and they serve as an example to other schools who should likewise desire to respect the constitutionally and legally protected freedoms of their students.”

The 3 - August 9, 2020

On this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is news out of Portland, as an anti-Bible campaign emerged in the midst of the protests.  Also, Chinese state-sanctioned churches are preparing to re-open, but the pre-requisite is to follow Communist Party directives.  And, another California church is at odds with government authorities, as a local judge has said that the church could not hold indoor worship services.

Portland protesters burn Bibles

The violence in Portland continues to be a problem, even after the withdrawal of Federal agents.  A CBN News story said:

While CBN News was there, windows were smashed, buildings defaced, and fires burned nightly around the courthouse, but Portland mayor and police commissioner Ted Wheeler ignored the conduct, even joining the protesters in calling for federal police to leave the area.

Wheeler has since taken protesters to task and reminding them that they are contributing to the re-election of Donald Trump.  Meanwhile, as the story, posted last Monday, points out: "Tensions eased somewhat over the weekend as federal agents were replaced by...police officers who must follow much more restrictive rules of crowd control measures. But that didn't stop protesters from burning American flags and even Bibles. How that relates to racial justice wasn't immediately clear.

The story quoted Pastor J.W. Matt Hennessee from Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church Portland, who said: "We need to pray for the ability to listen, to learn and to find out how God wants us to engage and to do that in a very, very like, intentional way for us to be able to be used by God, as instruments in this space..."

Author and commentator Eric Metaxas has been on the forefront of decrying this behavior that has disrespected the Bible.  A Christian Post article chronicled Eric's appearance on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News recently:

In an interview with Fox News opinion host Tucker Carlson on Thursday, Metaxas stressed that he wasn't suggesting everyone living in the U.S. must identify as Christian. Instead, his point was that the Bible is more than a sacred book; it's "what led ... to freedom and self-government" that most Americans cherish.

“We’ve forgotten that freedom is utterly impossible on the American model without the values we got from the Bible,” said Metaxas, a bestselling author and radio host, in response to images of rioters burning stacks of Bibles in Portland last Friday night.

Metaxas went on to say:

“All of the Founders understood that the Bible wasn’t just a sacred book for some people. It was what gave us the West and what led to the idea of freedom and self-government,” Metaxas said, asserting that those who are attacking the Bible and Christianity are “attacking foundational ideas” that built the nation.

Chinese churches allowed to reopen after COVID only after swearing allegiance to leader

The reopening of churches is not only an issue in the United States, but the nation of China has some troubling guidelines in its progress to reopening, according to a Bitter Winter article referenced by the Christian Post.  The article, released last week, says that:

In mid-June, the Religious Affairs Bureau of Zhengzhou, the capital of the central province of Henan, issued a list of 42 requirements for places of worship to start functioning after the coronavirus lockdown has been lifted. On top of scrupulous adherence to the epidemic prevention measures, people who want to enter religious venues must register online, cross-referencing their health code, and provide their personal details, including name, gender, ID card, and phone number. Venues must intensify patriotic education and study China’s religious policies and other regulations, and implement the “four requirements.” Those that fail to meet the prerequisites are not allowed to reopen.

The article reports that these types of requirements were seen throughout Henan province.  In June, churches in one particular county in the province were given their "marching orders:"

They all were to extol President Xi Jinping for “the right way to lead people in defeating the epidemic” and praise China for its single-party rule while slandering the United States and other countries. “I had to preach as the state required,” one of the preachers said. “Otherwise, the church would not have reopened.”

These restrictions, of course, are for the government-sancition, Three-Self churches.  The article says: 

“The government said that churches must preach about national affairs if they want to reopen,” a Three-Self church member from Henan’s Sanmenxia city commented. “With Xi Jinping’s speeches as the main content, it’s better for churches not to reopen.”

The Christian Post article said:

It was previously reported that Communist authorities converted a number of state-approved Three-Self churches into cultural centers promoting Xi's socialist values.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, poor Christian villagers in several provinces were ordered to renounce their faith and replace displays of Jesus with portraits of Chairman Mao and Xi or risk losing their welfare benefits.

In recent years, hundreds of Christians have also faced arrests, detentions, imprisonments, and church attacks.

California judge places halt to church's indoor services

The law firm, Tyler and Bursch, reported on its website on Friday that, "A Ventura County Superior Court judge issued an emergency temporary restraining order today against Godspeak Calvary Chapel and its Pastor Rob McCoy. The church has been holding indoor worship services asserting its constitutional right to the free exercise of religion."  A hearing has been set for August 31; the firm states, "The church intends to present expert witnesses for the purpose of establishing that the State of California and the County of Ventura lack a compelling interest for the prohibition of indoor worship services and that the decision to prevent indoor worship services, while allowing other indoor activities, is arbitrary and without a rational basis."

The VCStar.com website reported that in mid-July, the county's Public Health Officer, Dr. Robert Levin "...ordered the closure of indoor activities at places of worship as well as for protests, offices offering non-essential services, malls, salons, barbershops and gyms. That followed a similar action by the state after the county and others were placed on a state watch list because of concerns over progress in curtailing the disease."

The law firm's website says that, "We believe that COVID-19 can be fought with far less restrictive measures than banning all healthy persons from church and our expert witnesses will prove that," citing statistics that the risk of death for Ventura County residents under age 65 is .18%, based on reported cases.

The 3 - August 2, 2020

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, shines the spotlight on a group of senators who called on President Trump to undergird the First Amendment rights of people of faith during the COVID-19 situation.  Also, with recent attacks on churches and religious symbols, some churches may sense a need for relief; the Department of Homeland Security has recently announced a new effort designed to enhance church security.  And, a letter sent to the NCAA urges the governing body of collegiate sports not to support a boycott of the state of Idaho because of its law that mandates that athletes compete in sporting events based on their biological gender.

Senators speak out on First Amendment protections for churches, urge COVID-19 relief to be conditional on respect for religious freedom

It has certainly been discouraging to see how churches in a number of states have not been afforded the same opportunities to assemble under the law as other forms of gathering.  In addition to multiple lawsuits that have been filed against states by churches, with some yielding a positive outcome, now members of the U.S. Senate have asked the President to take action against state and local government officials that do not allow church participants to exercise their First Amendment rights.

The National Religious Broadcasters website announced that 10 U.S. Senators wrote a letter to that effect, stating:

In their letter, the senators urged the President to support proposals in Congress to place restrictions on any forthcoming COVID-19 relief funding to states and localities that prevent churches, houses of worship, and religious schools and institutions from reopening with appropriate CDC implemented guidelines.

“Such executive action would send the nation and government leaders a clear and unequivocal message that religious liberty matters, and that no state or locality can unilaterally strip away protected constitutional rights,” they said.

NRB CEO Troy Miller said, in part, "we’re seeing special restrictions on the First Amendment right of faithful Americans to exercise their religion – even when done in compliance with safety precautions found in CDC guidance..."

Department of Homeland Security provides assistance for churches under duress

There is great concern over a spike in attacks on churches around the world; noted author and commentator Eric Metaxas is quoted on the Family Research Council website as saying: "There is something about it that is an unbridled, roaring fury...and if you don't treat it in the way that it needs to be treated, if you don't deal with it with some force, really then you are allowing other people to be harmed." The FRC site said that Metaxas "ticked off examples throughout history of rebels wanting to overthrow authority and then turned their attention to the church -- people in France, Russia, China. They all 'found themselves swept up in a rage that had no bounds and that could never be satisfied.'"

The Christian Emergency Network website pinpointed several attacks on churches, including, a Florida church statue being beheaded, an attack on a pastor in Virginia, and arsons in California and Florida. Mix that with the burning of Bibles in Portland by protesters and it is not too far of a reach to think that churches and religious artifacts are in danger.  

The Department of Homeland Security has announced its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure (CISA) Faith-based Website, which, according to CEN, provides access to information that supports efforts to secure churches or ministry gatherings whether large or small. In addition, the website contains a self-assessment tool that is designed for individuals as well as security teams with little or no experience to take the first step in knowing their risks and capabilities to develop customized security plans even in the midst of escalating civil unrest.”  CEN expressed its appreciation for the DHS efforts, and highlighted resources that it provides in order that churches can keep their attendees safe.  

Christian groups part of effort to keep males identifying as transgender out of women's sports; letter recently sent to NCAA

A letter was sent this past week to the NCAA by over 300 female athletes, in association with a coalition called Save Women's Sports, which supports a recently-passed Idaho law that, according to ChristianHeadlines.com, "requires biological sex – and not gender identity – to be used in determining who plays on high school and college teams." The letter urges the NCAA to, according to the article, "reject calls for a boycott of Idaho due to a new law that protects the integrity of women’s sports."

The organization was founded by powerlifter Beth Stelzer; WORLD Magazine says that some of the allies of the group include Concerned Women for America, the Heritage Foundation, Family Research Council, and Alliance Defending Freedom, as well as liberal groups.  The article relates:

Stelzer says biological males are competing as females in swimming, wrestling, track and field, cycling, soccer, softball, powerlifting, and other sports, robbing females of opportunities, medals, scholarships, records, sponsorships, and even participation. “I never would’ve started powerlifting if I’d known I’d have to compete against males,” she told me.

Recently, Concerned Women for America announced its support for this letter, with Penny Nance, CEO and President of the organization saying:

“Female NCAA, professional, and Olympic athletes who signed this letter speak for all women and girls across America who simply want to compete against other female athletes. This is what Title IX achieved over 40 years ago. The NCAA has no business overturning that victory by promoting inequity in women’s athletics.

“This is not a left or right issue. Women and girls, regardless of political affiliation, deserve to have the laws that protect us respected and followed, ensuring equal opportunities and benefits in sports for all female athletes.”

The 3 - July 26, 2020

This week in The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, the state of Nevada will not have to change its restrictions on churches that were initiated as the result of the coronavirus, thanks to the highest court in the land.  Also, a large social media platform has announced its intention to censor therapy that results in people struggling with same-sex attraction changing.  Plus, a faith-based adoption agency in New York has received a favorable ruling from a Federal appeals court after a governmental entity tried to shut it down because of its beliefs about Biblical marriage.

U.S. Supreme Court upholds state restrictions during COVID-19 - again; this time for Nevada

For a second time, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to lift restrictions placed on churches during the coronavirus crisis.  Just days ago, as CBN.com reports:

In a 5 to 4 ruling Friday against the request filed by Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, the high court upheld the limit of 50 people in houses of worship due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The church, which is located east of Reno, argues that the state is treating churches unfairly compared to casinos, restaurants, and entertainment parks.

The dining and entertainment venues are allowed to open at 50% capacity, which, as the article points out, could be significantly larger than the 50 people or less allowed in churches.

Three justices wrote dissents, including the court's newest justice, Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote that he is in agreement that “courts should be very deferential to the States' line-drawing in opening businesses and allowing certain activities during the pandemic." He added, "But COVID-19 is not a blank check for a state to discriminate against religious people, religious organizations, and religious services...Nevada is discriminating against religion."

In late May, the high court had denied an emergency appeal, again by a 5-4 margin, by a California church that had challenged an order by the governor that loosened some of the restrictions on houses of worship, but still only allowed up to 25 percent of capacity, with a maximum of 100 people, according to Liberty Counsel.

Meanwhile, in California, in light of recent orders by California Governor Gavin Newsom that banned indoor worship in much of the state, The Christian Post reports that Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, pastored by John MacArthur, announced it would be meeting this past weekend.  The article quotes MacArthur as saying, "Government officials have no right to interfere in ecclesiastical matters in a way that undermines or disregards the God-given authority of pastors and elders..." The article also states:

The pastors and elders of Grace Community Church, therefore, “respectfully inform our civic leaders that they have exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction, and faithfulness to Christ prohibits us from observing the restrictions they want to impose on our corporate worship services,” he added.

The welcome to Dr. MacArthur was described as "raucous" over at Capstone Report, where these words from the sermon can be found:

“This is not a problem to be feared. This is a triumphant hour for the church to be the church,” MacArthur said. “Standing for the glory of our Lord is more important in this hour than I’ve ever known it in my life. For His glory, we will stand and meet and worship and preach the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

The report says:

MacArthur read from the Book of Daniel, chapter 6 and explored the purpose of the church and the eternal condition of the lost world citing Scripture that shows the lost world does not understand the spiritual things—in fact the things of God are foolishness to the world.

MacArthur pointed out the double standard during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic.

Facebook announces ban on posts supporting sexual orientation change therapy 

It's called "gay conversion therapy," and there are many who try to make that seem like a bad thing. But, it's essentially helping a person who has experienced unwanted same-sex attraction to break free through the power of Christ.  But, Facebook apparently wants to quell any talk of it on its platform, according to an article at the CBN.com website.

A spokesperson for Facebook says, "We don't allow attacks against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity and are updating our policies to ban the promotion of conversion therapy services. We are always reviewing our policies and will continue to consult with experts and people with personal experiences to inform our approach..."  As the article points out, Facebook-owned Instagram has already banned ads for this type of therapy.

Well, perhaps Facebook would consider the testimonies of people who have been set free in Christ. CBN quoted April Lockhart from Albuquerque, New Mexico, who wrote: "I had fully believed in this lie that gets perpetuated that people don't change, they can't change, and if you try to change them, it's detrimental to their health. And I just want to say that's a lie." She added, "Nobody has the right to tell you can't be what you want to be. And I did want change. And through the power of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, this was able to happen. These days we're able to happen. These moments. And I'm a happy woman. I don't suffer depression. I don't suffer with anxiety. I don't drink myself into stupors like I used to have to."

Luis Ruiz of Orlando testified to Jesus "looking for me." He said, "I was able to find a church where they loved me. And they taught me that my identity is not my behavior. My identity was not who I thought it was. But it was a child of God. So, I stand here to say that I was a homosexual,...And now I am a child of God."

New York faith-based adoption agency receives positive ruling from Federal appeals court

New Hope Family Services is a faith-based adoption agency based in the state of New York. According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, "The New York State Office of Children and Family Services singled out the religious nonprofit for its policy prioritizing the placement of children it serves in homes with a married mother and father."  So, the office set out to close New Hope down.

A Federal district court dismissed New Hope's lawsuit against the agency, but recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit said the suit should not have been stopped.  ADF's website says that the 2nd Circuit...

...reversed a district court’s dismissal of New Hope’s lawsuit against New York officials seeking to shut down the provider simply for its religious beliefs about marriage. In November, at the request of Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing New Hope, the 2nd Circuit temporarily halted state officials from interrupting current adoption placements or mandating the closure of New Hope’s adoption program until the court had a chance to consider whether to reverse the federal district court’s decision. The case now goes back to district court for further proceedings.

It seems that the court actually went back to Justice Kennedy's majority opinion in Obergefell, stating, regarding so-called "same-sex marriage": "Indeed, the Court has suggested that differing secular and religious views in this area should be allowed to coexist. This is evident from the fact that, at the same time that the Court ruled that the Constitution does not permit government to prohibit same-sex marriage, it ‘emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned.’”

The 3 - July 19, 2020

This week on The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there are developments concerning a ban on singing in churches in California, where indoor worship services have been prohibited for around 8-out-of-10 residents of the state.  Plus, members of the U.S. Navy, as the result of a recent order, can not participate in indoor worship services.  And, two states recently have experienced rulings against pro-life "heartbeat" bills.

California singing ban challenged, governor enacts more restrictions

There was certainly consternation at the announcement by California health officials that singing and chanting in public settings was no longer allowed.  The law firm, Tyler and Bursch, in association with other organizations, including the American Center for Law and Justice, has challenged the edict in court, requesting, according to a press release by the law firm, "...a restraining order and injunctive relief based on the First and Fourteenth Amendments," adding, "Our clients would like to see a quick resolution, with the governor and health officers changing or modifying this wording."

The firm notes:

Since the initiation of the lockdown, restrictive mandates in the state’s health orders have been applied to houses of worship unfairly and much more aggressively than other businesses arbitrarily deemed essential, including restaurants and other gatherings. In fact, once they are allowed to reopen, this current state order does not ban singing or chanting in dine-in restaurants/bars/wineries, casinos, family entertainment centers, day camps, hotels, shopping malls, childcare centers, schools, or music, tv and film production.

In some counties of the state, indoor worship has been prohibited - this was not challenged in the lawsuit against singing, because the plaintiffs were not in counties where this was put into effect.

But, the Sacramento Bee reports on Governor Newsom's July 13 order, stating:

The order restricting indoor worship services applies to any county on the state’s COVID-19 monitoring list. On Monday, Newsom said that encompasses 80 percent of Californians.

Jonathan Keller, president of the conservative California Family Council, said Newsom’s order shows that the governor “trusts big box stores like Costco and Target more than churches and synagogues.”

In a statement, Keller said, “Coupled with last week’s ban on singing during worship services, people of faith are increasingly alarmed by Sacramento’s disregard of their constitutional rights. We have to ask ourselves: where do we draw the line?”  The article reported on some churches' disappointment in this new order.

U.S. Navy allows indoor worship

In the Faith Radio broadcast area, worship services have been allowed on Maxwell Air Force Base and at Fort Rucker for several weeks.  But, because of early concerns about outbreaks on certain U.S. Navy vessels early on in the coronavirus pandemic, Navy members were apparently not being allowed to take part in indoor worship services, according to a Daily Caller article, which said:

A memo issued July 7 by the acting assistant Secretary of Defense for the U.S. Navy sought “clarification” of earlier orders prohibiting service members from attending “indoor religious services.”

The article also states:

The follow-up memo states in part that “nothing” in the original orders “should be construed to restrict attendance at places of worship where attendees are able to appropriately apply COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures, specifically social distancing and use of face covering.”

Some Christian organizations had challenged the initial order, so that indoor worship would be allowed, prior to this new language.

Federal judges block GA, TN pro-life "heartbeat" bills

As you are probably aware, a number of states have passed bills that would ban abortion after a heartbeat is detected in an unborn child, which could be "as early as six weeks of gestation," according to a report at the WORLD Magazine website, which reported on recent decisions by Federal judges who have ruled against "heartbeat" legislation in two states.

The article says that, in the case of a Georgia law, "U.S. District Judge Steve Jones on Monday permanently ruled the state’s 2019 “heartbeat” law unconstitutional after the American Civil Liberties Union sued on behalf of pro-abortion advocates and abortion providers." And, in Tennessee, "U.S. District Judge William Campbell on Monday issued a temporary restraining order on similar protections for unborn babies in Tennessee, just hours after Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law."  Keep in mind this is temporary; and a hearing is scheduled for July 24.

WORLD reports that eight states passed "heartbeat" bills in 2019 and all eight have been blocked by court action.

The 3 - July 12, 2020

There is encouraging court action from the highest court in the land, which handed down another victory for religious schools, this time in the area of employment practices.  Plus, it gave a charity that is operated by nuns a long-fought victory against a government mandate to provide objectionable components in its health insurance plan.  And, Virginia has a new law that could force wedding photographers to photograph same-sex weddings, and a man in that profession has challenged it.

U.S. Supreme Court follows one positive ruling for religious schools with another plus for religious schools

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of the participation of religious schools in a scholarship program made available to private institutions. Another ruling favoring religious schools came down from the high court this week involving granting that type of organization's right to govern its practices toward employees.

Liberty Counsel offered on its website some information and analysis of the decision, saying:

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that faith-based schools have a First Amendment Free Exercise right to make employment decisions regarding religious teachers without government interference. The principles set forth in the consolidated cases of Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel apply beyond teachers at a religious school.

Two teachers at separate Catholic schools who had signed employment agreements that included upholding church teachings were dismissed at the time of their annual review and filed lawsuits claiming discrimination. As Liberty Counsel points out, "The Supreme Court ruled that both schools were protected religious organizations and that the courts could not interfere with their employment decisions under the 'ministerial' exception that protects the autonomy of houses of worship and religious employers."  The website also says:

The majority opinion, authored by Justice Alito, states: “The First Amendment protects the right of religious institutions “to decide for themselves, free from state interference, matters of church government as well as those of faith and doctrine.”

Little Sisters of the Poor journey through courts may have reached end at Supreme Court

It has been a lengthy case, one among many centered on the Affordable Care Act dictates that employers, even religious ones, must provide free contraception and abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans.  The group of charitable nuns known as Little Sisters of the Poor did not wish to violate its religious convictions by providing these components in their health insurance.  After many years of litigation, the Little Sisters have received relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.

As the Susan B. Anthony List states on its website:

Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of President Trump’s regulations protecting the Little Sisters of the Poor and other moral and religious objectors from the Obama-Biden HHS abortifacient drug mandate, which sought to require the Little Sisters and other entities to provide abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans.

The article quotes SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said, “We hope today’s victory at the Supreme Court will finally allow the Little Sisters to carry out their mission to love and serve the elderly poor without having to violate their conscience. The Sisters, along with other religious and moral objectors who conscientiously object to abortion, should never be forced to go against their consciences to provide abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans."

Virginia photographer challenges new law that could force him to photograph same-sex wedding ceremonies

Recently, the state of Virginia passed a law called the Virginia Values Act.  A Christian photographer, concerned about perhaps being forced to create works that violate his Biblical beliefs, filed a lawsuit in association with the Alliance Defending Freedom.  CBN.com states:

Chris Herring believes the newly enacted Virginia Values Act forces him to promote same-sex marriage in defiance of his Christian convictions, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

The entrepreneur “faces an impossible choice: violate the law and risk bankruptcy, promote views against his faith, or close down,” said his attorneys at ADF. “And this was exactly what Virginia officials wanted for those who hold Chris’ religious beliefs about marriage. Legislators who passed Virginia’s law called views like Chris’ ‘bigotry’ and sought to punish them for ‘unlimited punitive damages’ to remove them from the public square.”

The CBN article says the new law, "...bans discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations, and access to credit." Herring, according to his attorney, would like to post a notice on his website regarding why he will not photograph same-sex wedding ceremonies, but he thinks that doing so may result in a stiff fine, according to CBN - "...starting at $50,000 and $100,000 for each additional violation, according to the ADF’s court documents..."  But the article notes that the attorney general is doubling down to "protect" LGBTQ individuals from so-called "discrimination," according to a spokesperson for the AG.

The 3 - July 5, 2020

There was plenty of activity from the U.S. Supreme Court during the past few days, and while the high court did offer some glimmers of hope, two rulings stand out as being disappointing for Christian groups and leaders: the rewriting of civil rights law to include sexual orientation and gender identity under a broadened definition of "sex" and ruling against a LA law requiring hospital admitting privileges for abortion doctors.  But, the court did issue a ruling allowing religious schools to participate in a Montana scholarship program.  And, it sent two Indiana pro-life laws back to an appeals court for another review.  Plus, California has banned singing in church to try to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.

U.S. Supreme Court rules that religious schools should be eligible in choice programs

In Montana, a state program had forbidden scholarship dollars made available for students to choose private schools from going to religious schools.  According to Family Research Council, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that program to be unconstitutional.

The piece at the FRC site was written by Katherine Johnson and she said that, "More broadly, we are confident that the case sounded the death knell for Blaine Amendments, which are state constitutional provisions that prevent any public aid from being distributed to any schools with a religious affiliation," pointing out that, "Thirty-eight states have Blaine amendments that prevent religious parents and students from using tax credits to sectarian schools."  Johnson points out:

In the majority opinion, the Supreme Court noted the injustice of only allowing students who would use the tax credits towards secular schools to participate in the scholarship programs. This choice forces students to choose between their faith and educational opportunities.

After disappointment in LA case, SCOTUS makes decisions more acceptable to pro-lifers

The Supreme Court, while getting it right on religious freedom, had a chance to reverse a decision from four years ago, when the court at the time struck down a Texas law requiring doctors to have admitting privileges at a local hospital.  With two new justices and a Chief Justice who had voted in favor of that Texas law, you would think that the high court would right its wrong in a similar case out of Louisiana that came before it.

But, as the Christian Post reports, that is not the case. Here's the backstory, according to a Post article:

In 2014, Louisiana passed the Unsafe Abortion Protection Act, requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where they perform the procedure.

The law was blocked from taking effect and a similar law passed in Texas was struck down by the Supreme Court in a 5-3 decision in 2016 known as Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.

Last October, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal in the case and in March, oral arguments in the case were heard, with both sides holding demonstrations outside the court.

Many considered the case noteworthy since it was the first abortion-related case brought before the Supreme Court since the confirmations of Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled against the Louisiana law, with Justice Breyer writing the majority opinion: “Those findings mirror those made in Whole Woman’s Health in every relevant respect and require the same result. We consequently hold that the Louisiana statute is unconstitutional.” The article said that Justice Thomas "authored one of the dissents to the court decision, saying that the majority was 'enjoining a perfectly legitimate state law and doing so without jurisdiction.'

Later in the week, though, the high court issued rulings in two cases out of Indiana; the Christian Post reported, "In orders issued Thursday, the high court tossed out rulings against Indiana laws requiring abortion clinic staff to show mothers an ultrasound image of their baby before an abortion is scheduled to be performed, and another requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on an underage girl."  Those cases will now go back down to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.  The article stated:

Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter said in a statement released Thursday that he was “cautiously optimistic that the ultrasound and parental notification appeals will find success in the Seventh Circuit.”

California governor to churches: no singing

State officials in California are trying to get a handle on the surge in Coronavirus cases in his state, so they have taken a rather novel approach that has a chilling effect on freedom of speech and religion - just ban singing in churches!  That's right, The Sacramento Bee reports on the state's newest set of guidelines:

Citing the risk of spreading the coronavirus, updated COVID-19 guidelines issued Wednesday by the state Department of Public Health say “places of worship must therefore discontinue singing and chanting activities.”

In previously allowing religious organizations to reopen in late May, the state merely said these institutions should “strongly consider discontinuing singing, group recitation, and other practices and performances.”

The article says:

It remains to be seen if, or how, the state or counties are expected to end singing in houses of worship. Churches were among the most aggressive institutions in pushing back on Newsom’s original stay-at-home order in mid-March. Several sued the governor to overturn the order, saying it violated their First Amendment rights, although none were successful in court.