ERLC Staff

NASHVILLE (BP) -- In June, the United States Supreme Court announced it would hear the case of United States v. Skrmetti, a lawsuit joined by the Biden administration against a Tennessee law prohibiting all medical procedures intended to “affirm” a gender inconsistent with a minor’s biological sex. The law provides necessary protection to children under the age of 18 from harmful and dangerous “gender transition” medical procedures like hormone therapy, puberty blockers and surgery that carry devastating, lifelong consequences. 

Shortly after President Joe Biden formally ended his pursuit of the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, following weeks of pressure from party officials, elected leaders and donors, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the nominee.

Throughout the world, many Christians face imprisonment or even death for expressing dissenting religious beliefs. Today, such persecution often comes at the hands of other religions such as Islam and Hindu nationalism. But in early modern Europe, religious conformity was often enforced by state power and by the hands of believers in Christ.

On June 27, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court decided on a vote of 5-4 not to rule on whether there is a conflict between the Idaho pro-life law, the “Defense of Life Act,” and federal law. The court dismissed the case as “improvidently granted,” meaning the court determined they should not have initially taken up the case.

Following the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade, the issue of abortion rights has taken center stage in state-level politics.

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to deliver rulings on three cases important to Southern Baptists by the end of June. Each case centers around the protection of vulnerable lives, including the lives of preborn children and of vulnerable women and children suffering from domestic violence.

Scripture clearly speaks to the dignity and value of every human being, no matter their location or capacities (Genesis 1:26-28, Exodus 20:13, Joshua 20:3-6, Psalm 139:13, Proverbs 6:16-17, Luke 1:41). This value is not dependent on what one does or contributes but simply on the fact that they are made by God as biological human beings on whom God bestows value.

Over the past month, the Biden administration has finalized numerous problematic rules that undermine religious liberty, widen access to abortion, and harm children and families. Some rules, such as the rule implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, directly conflict with direction from Congress.

The attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, marked a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. This attack was characterized by its scale and coordination, differing markedly from previous skirmishes or individual acts of aggression. As a result of these attacks, the Israeli military responded with air strikes and ground operations in Gaza.

In February 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling in favor of parents who had utilized in vitro fertilization (IVF) and had their embryos dropped and destroyed at the fertility clinic. The court stated that frozen embryos created and stored in IVF clinics can be considered children under state law.