Items included for this subject area come from a variety of sources. The perspectives conveyed may or may not express a Lutheran ethos. They can serve our instruction as discussion-starters, examples (positive and negative), and illustrations of intersections between God’s two kingdoms, intersections sometimes characterized by tension, sometimes by congruence. Inclusion does not imply endorsement.
More Americans Say Personal Immorality Not Disqualifying for Elected Officials: (scroll down) Americans today are less likely to believe personal transgressions prevent public officials from performing their duties well. Compared to 2011, Americans today are more likely to say elected officials can still perform their public duties in an ethical manner even if they have committed immoral […]
Appeals court upholds California’s abortion education law: The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld California’s FACT Act which requires licensed pregnancy counseling clinics to disseminate a notice on the existence of publicly-funded family planning services, including contraception and abortion. The court affirmed denial of a preliminary injunction to three religiously-affiliated non-profits, rejecting free speech and […]
The New Culture of Life: The demographic outlook for the pro-life movement looks anything but bleak. On issues from race to sexuality to drug law, Americans are used to seeing each new generation become more progressive than their parents; with abortion, it’s not happening: 51 percent of anti-abortion voters younger than 30 considered the issue “very […]
Martin Luther as history’s first tweeter? An ongoing legacy, 500 years later: Three artifact shows demonstrate how Luther’s legacy is also as relevant and immediate as a Facebook feed. The Morgan Library exhibition in New York, “Word and Image: Martin Luther’s Reformation,” includes an extensive display of Luther-related materials. An exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art focuses on the cultural and […]
Disclaimer Requirement Violates Pregnancy Center’s Free Speech Rights: In Greater Baltimore Center for Pregnancy Concerns, Inc. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, (D MD, Oct. 4, 2016), a Maryland federal district court held that a Baltimore ordinance requiring limited purpose pregnancy centers to post specified disclaimers is unconstitutional as applied to the pregnancy center.
New California Law Requires Disclosure of Title IX Exemptions: As reported by The Advocate, last Friday California’s Gov. Jerry Brown signed S.B. 1146 (full text) into law. The new law requires religiously affiliated schools in California that have obtained an exemption from any of the anti-discrimination provisions of Title IX or California’s Equity in Higher Education […]
Creationist receives six-figure legal settlement from public university: A creationist scholar recently received a six-figure settlement from California State University Northridge, a payout that resolved a 2-year-old lawsuit that alleged the scholar had been fired after discovering soft tissue on a triceratops horn and publishing his findings.
China Seeks Tighter Grip in Wake of Religious Revival: This NYT article discusses new measures in China intended to tighten government oversight of religious activities including Christian schools, limits of access to religious writings, and to the internet.
Focus on the Family has sponsored a third annul Bring Your Bible to School Day for Christians attending public schools. “This year’s Bring Your Bible to School Day comes as confusion continues over students’ religious freedoms.” Various sources estimate participation at 300,000, up from 8000 on the first such day in 2014.
Drawing the line: Colorado artist prohibited from disagreeing with govt about marriage files suit — This “pre-enforcement challenge,” which allows citizens to challenge a law that threatens their rights before the government enforces it against them, contests Colorado’s anti-discrimination law as a constraint on religious speech. A graphic designer who specializes in designing and creating custom websites […]
