DES MOINES, Iowa — Four Planned Parenthood locations in Iowa will close next month following a newly-passed budget bill that strips state and federal funding from abortion providers. The organization announced on Thursday that it would close its Sioux City, Bettendorf, Burlington and Keokuk offices, leaving eight Planned Parenthood locations in the state and five abortion […]
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. — A sheriff in Virginia has been instructed to remove decals bearing the words of Christ from patrol cars in the midst of an inquiry and complaints from two church-state separation groups. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office had been gifted with the decals in March, which quote from Matthew 5:9, which reads, “Blessed are […]
JUNEAU, A.K. — An Alaskan lawmaker has proposed a bill that would abolish abortion in the state and criminalize the act as murder. Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, recently introduced H.B. 250, which “brings state law into conformity with the Constitution of the State of Alaska, which provides that ‘all persons have a natural right to life,’ […]
(Evangelical Focus) — The Romanian Chamber of Deputies has voted in favor of a proposal to amend the Constitution to ensure that marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman. The proposal, led by a group called Coalition for Family, passed with 232 votes in favor, 22 against and 13 abstentions. […]
WASHINGTON — An annual government report outlining the state of affairs for religious freedom across the globe has found “worsening” conditions worldwide, and urges the U.S. Department of State to designate 16 nations as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC). “Overall, the Commission has concluded that the state of affairs for international religious freedom is worsening in both the […]
AUSTIN, Texas — The attorney general of Texas has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit against a judge who was sued by a prominent professing atheist organization over his practice of opening court with a chaplain-presented prayer. “The lawsuit against Judge Mack is an affront to religious liberty and yet another attempt to […]
AUGUSTA, Maine — A special education technician at a public high school in Maine has filed a federal complaint against her school district after she was reprimanded for telling a coworker, who is a member of her church, that she would pray for them. According to her complaint, Toni Richardson began expressing concern last fall […]
LYNCHBURG, Va. — The president of what heralds itself as the world’s largest Christian university, who declared during the 2016 presidential election that he was “convinced” that Donald Trump is a Christian, conferred an honorary doctorate upon the nation’s leader on Saturday during his visit as commencement speaker. Standing in front of a backdrop bearing the motto “Training Champions […]
FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Republican governor of Kentucky has appointed a seminary official and former pastor to overhaul the state’s struggling foster care and adoption services program. Gov. Matt Bevin selected Daniel Dumas, a senior vice president with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and adoptive father of two, to lead the post effective June 19. “There is no […]
PHOENIX – A leading Christian geologist has filed suit against the U.S. National Park Service, alleging that they wrongfully discriminated against him on the basis of his religious beliefs by not allowing him to conduct research in the Grand Canyon. Dr. Andrew Snelling is a research geologist who currently serves as director of research at […]