The Supreme Court Sets a Good Precedent in Fulton, But Questions Remain

The court sidestepped some of the major issues, but this is still a good day for religious liberty. This week the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) delivered an overwhelming ruling in favor of a Catholic foster care agency that may carry significant implications for the church, children, and families. In a surprising unanimous decision (9-0), the Court determined that the city of Philadelphia had erred in breaking a longstanding contract with Catholics Social Services (CSS) over their... Read More

Bringing Birth Fathers Back into Adoption Narratives

This Father’s Day, more families are recognizing the God-given dignity of adoptees’ biological dads. When Darrick Rizzo was 18, his girlfriend of three years told him she was pregnant. With the couple on the cusp of their college careers and unprepared to parent, his girlfriend chose to pursue adoption. Despite opposing the decision, Rizzo ultimately acquiesced, hoping to offer the best life possible for his son. “I was willing to do anything for my boy, even if that meant... Read More

It’s Never Too Late to Forgive a Flawed Father—or to Ask How He Got His Scars

What an attention-starved son learned while reconstructing the life of his distant dad. Our family is a bit raw this week. Packing your whole life into a U-Haul and leaving behind everything called “home” has a way of putting everyone on edge. We moved several times during my childhood, but this was my first time doing it as a father. I remember moving to South Florida in the third grade—the tears, the uncertainty, the upheaval. It’s been hard to watch a familiar... Read More

Supreme Court Sides with Catholic Foster Care Agency

Majority declines to revisit rules for religious accommodation, over protests from justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. Update (June 17): The United States Supreme Court ruled decisively in favor of a Catholic foster care agency on Thursday, with all nine justices agreeing that the city of Philadelphia violated the First Amendment’s protection of religious liberty when it ended a contract with Catholic Social Services (CSS) over service to LGBT people. “It is plain that the... Read More

Marijuana amendment struck down by Florida Supreme Court

Justice Alan Lawson, in a dissent joined by Justice Jorge Labarga, acknowledged that Sensible Florida proposal was a “close case.” But he said the court should have read the ballot summary in conjunction with a ballot title that said, “Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol to Establish Age, Licensing, and Other Restrictions.” ... Read More

The State of the Diaspora Church: Part 2

Cross-cultural diffusion of the Gospel through people on the move. The Impact of COVID-19 on Diaspora People and Churches The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for all churches; however, it has had a disproportionate impact on immigrants, especially the Latino, and refugee communities as globally, borders have been closed. Refugees have languished in camps in Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Within the global refugee community, we do not even know how many lives have been... Read More

DeSantis, Cabinet approve highway extension across wetlands tied to Everglades

“The judge found, not surprisingly, that building a 14-mile highway outside the (county’s urban development boundary) is inconsistent with the county’s own comp plan requirement that they develop in a way that shifts travel modes,” said Paul Schwiep, representing Tropical Audubon Society. “That is a fact finding that is unassailable, because the county’s own experts said, and this is this is a quote, that the plan amendment will not shift travel mode from single occupancy... Read More

Southern Baptists Approve Major Investigation Into Abuse Response

Pastors speaking on behalf of victims pushed for a task force to direct inquiry into the Executive Committee. Southern Baptists called on their denomination to launch what would be its biggest investigation into sexual abuse responses and coverup. While the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) recently commissioned its own independent inquiry through Guideposts, messengers voted at its annual meeting to transfer oversight of that investigation or launch an additional... Read More