John Ross
Editor's Links of Interest
Crosby: Attorneys for Wayside Cross child sex offenders, Kane state’s attorney hold ‘productive’ meeting – The Beacon-News
The Kane County State’s Attorney’s office, which has remained tight-lipped about what the future holds for the men at Wayside Cross who a judge ruled are in violation of a child sex offender residency law, described the meeting as “productive.” Source: Crosby: Attorneys for Wayside Cross child sex offenders, Kane state’s attorney hold ‘productive’ meeting – The Beacon-News
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, made headlines by taking a different angle.
Opinion: Will the real pro-life political party please stand up?
by: Paul O’Donnell Feb. 15, 2020 (RNS) — The presidential election is shaping up to be a tough one for those who see it literally as a matter of life and death. The Democrats running for the White House all vow to take action on gun violence and police misconduct, health care, the environment and abolishing the death penalty. At the same time they consider the idea of an anti-abortion progressive an absurdity. In New Hampshire last Sunday (Feb. 9), the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, said thatRead More
Southern Baptist leaders fear controversy over Moore could lead to a drop in donations.
Trump critic Russell Moore, ERLC to face scrutiny by Southern Baptists
by: Paul O’Donnell NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 18, 2020 (RNS) — The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee will launch a task force to examine the activities of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the convention’s public policy organization headed by the theologian and author Russell Moore. Southern Baptist leaders fear controversy over Moore could lead to a drop in donations. Moore, 48, who has been president of the ERLC since 2013, has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump since the president began campaigning for the White House. In 2016, MooreRead More
Stetzer is a professor at Wheaton College, where he also serves as executive director of the Billy Graham Center and dean of the School of Missions, Ministry, and Leadership.
Stetzer to chair 2020 SBC Resolutions Committee
by BP Staff NASHVILLE, Feb. 11, 2020 (BP) — Missiologist and researcher Ed Stetzer has been named chairman of the 2020 Southern Baptist Convention Resolutions Committee, SBC President J.D. Greear announced today (Feb. 11). Greear also announced his appointment of Angela Suh Um of Cambridge, Mass., as vice chair. Um will be only the second woman to serve in a leadership role on the committee, according to Baptist Press’ review of SBC records. “Ed Stetzer has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches across the country in a variety of settings,” GreearRead More
Her presence on the list was met with protests on social media.
For now, Southern Baptists stick by Hosanna Wong, spoken word artist and pastor
by: Bob Smietana Feb. 14, 2020 (RNS) — Organizers of a major Southern Baptist pastors conference are standing by their choice to feature a spoken word artist and pastor named Hosanna Wong despite a growing controversy over whether Wong’s presence contradicts the Southern Baptist Convention’s doctrine on women pastors. Wong, who is scheduled to perform a spoken word selection at the June meeting of the SBC Pastors’ Conference in Orlando, Florida, serves as a teaching pastor for a San Diego church. She is the only woman included in a list,Read More
Meanwhile, the source of the surge in religious support for Klobuchar is unclear...
Klobuchar wins over New Hampshire voters who attend religious services
by: Jack Jenkins Feb. 12, 2020 (RNS) — Sen. Amy Klobuchar may have come in third in the New Hampshire Democratic primary on Tuesday (Feb. 11), but the Minnesota native managed to best her competitors among at least one group: voters who regularly attend religious services. CNN exit polls from the New Hampshire contest show Klobuchar, who attends a United Church of Christ congregation, claiming support from 28% of voters who said they show up to worship services once a week or more. Her Democratic rival Pete Buttigieg, an EpiscopalianRead More
Wayside attornys & state's attorney's office to meet
Wayside Cross, state’s attorney to work on plan that will help child sex offenders leave downtown Aurora mission – The Beacon-News
Relief replaced angst when lawyers for Wayside Cross residents and officials from Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon’s office agreed to sit down and iron out a plan that “gives us that much needed time” to find shelter and jobs for child sex offenders at the mission in Aurora. Source: Wayside Cross, state’s attorney to work on plan that will help child sex offenders leave downtown Aurora mission – The Beacon-News
“This attack on me is an attack on religious freedom and freedom of speech,” Graham told Religion News Service...
Franklin Graham vows UK tour will go on, after all planned venues back out
by: Yonat Shimron Feb. 6, 2020 (RNS) — Franklin Graham said he will seek out alternative venues for a United Kingdom tour this spring after all eight venues reneged on plans to host the evangelist, saying his views on homosexuality are incompatible with the values of the British people. Graham, who was in London on Thursday (Feb. 6) to rally churches to his tour, said seven venues canceled their contracts with him and an eighth backed out after agreeing in principle. “This attack on me is an attack on religiousRead More
Senator Mitt Romney declared his faith compelled him to believe the president was guilty of an impeachable crime.
Impeachment leads to theological war of words among Trump critics and backers
by: Jack Jenkins Feb 8, 2020 (RNS) — Religious rhetoric is not uncommon on Capitol Hill, where politicians often thread references to the Almighty into speeches while participating in political theater. But in the drama-filled final week of President Trump’s impeachment trial, God was essentially a supporting character. Senator Lindsey Graham said he used his God-given common sense to decide the impeachment case against President Trump was “BS.” Senator Mitt Romney declared his faith compelled him to believe the president was guilty of an impeachable crime. The president himself insistedRead More
A new survey by the California-based Christian research firm found that Protestant pastors are worried less about hot topics...
What’s on pastors’ minds? It’s not religious liberty: New study
by: Emily McFarlan Miller Feb 10, 2020 (RNS) — What’s on pastors’ minds? It may not be what you think, according to a report released last week by Barna Group. A new survey by the California-based Christian research firm found that Protestant pastors are worried less about hot topics like religious liberty than they are about the decline of religion in America. RELATED: More than two dozen countries launch new religious freedom alliance The report is the first of a series of monthly releases from Barna Group’s State of theRead More