Wheaton College bars employees from using preferred pronouns
WHEATON, Ill. (RNS) — Wheaton College, a flagship evangelical school, recently updated its student and employee handbooks to restrict employees’ ability to designate personal pronouns and to elaborate on the school’s position on trans/nonbinary students and faculty.
FIRST-PERSON: Commending classical evangelicalism
The evangelical label has fallen on hard times. A growing number of Americans treat it almost like a slur, especially on social media.
On the YouVersion Bible app, Americans looked for hope in 2023
(RNS) — Bobby Gruenewald might know more about how Americans read the Bible than anyone else in the country. For the past 15 years, Gruenewald, an online entrepreneur turned pastor, has run the popular YouVersion Bible app — a free application that has been downloaded more than 700 million times in the U.S. and around the world.
Pope approves blessings for same-sex couples that must not resemble marriage
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced Monday, a radical shift in policy that aimed at making the church more inclusive while maintaining its ban on gay marriage.
Year’s top findings from State of the Bible 2023
PHILADELPHIA (BP) – Online church attendees read the Bible more than onsite worshipers. Nonbelievers outpace Christians in valuing several pro-social Bible-based behaviors. And Black Americans are more spiritually vibrant than whites and Hispanics.
Satanic Temple display at Iowa Capitol spurs outrage, debate, prayer
DES MOINES, Iowa (BP) – The Satanic Temple’s display at the Iowa Capitol has spurred outrage, debate and prayer as many spar over the boundaries of free speech.
Near quarter of U.S. adults ‘spiritual but not religious,’ Pew finds
WASHINGTON (BP) -- Nearly a quarter of American adults consider themselves “spiritual but not religious,” and a plurality of those say organized religion is divisive and spreads intolerance, Pew Research said in its latest release.
Religious exemptions from Title VII LGBTQ rules vary among courts
SEATTLE (BP) – Christian companies have seen conflicting legal decisions about religious exemptions from Title VII LGBTQ rules after the U.S. Supreme Court said in 2020 that the statute prohibits bias based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
SBC defies downward trend in donor trust in religious charities
ARLINGTON, Va. (BP) – Religious organizations including churches are no longer the most trusted charities among American adults, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) said in its 2023 Give.org Study.
New Jersey drops religious oath for public office after legal challenge
TRENTON, N.J. (BP) – New Jersey has dropped its requirement that political candidates swear an oath recognizing and honoring God when seeking ballot placement, evading a lawsuit filed by a self-proclaimed nontheist.
