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The Weekly is a highlight of the work the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is doing to strengthen you and our churches for God’s glory.

‘The boys of Pointe du Hoc’: Remembering Ronald Reagan's D-Day speech

Thirty-five years ago this week, President Ronald Reagan stood on a beach in Normandy, France and gave a speech recounting the events of D-Day, commending those who fought the battle, and connecting the fight against Nazi totalitarianism to the fight against the totalitarianism of the Soviet Union.

“For sheer oratorical elegance,” said historian Douglas Brinkley, it would become “one of the most inspirational presidential speeches ever delivered.”

President Reagan spoke these words to an audience of dignitaries that included Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, King Olav V of Norway, and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada. But the true luminaries in the audience were the 62 D-Day veterans, the American Rangers who had scaled the 100-foot cliffs of Pointe du Hoc 40 years earlier.

This Week at the ERLC

The Sexual Abuse Advisory Committee launched an important resource this week. Check out Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused here.

Jason Thacker writes about transhumanism at The Gospel Coalition.

We relaunched Russell Moore's podcast, Signposts. Listen to his conversation with David Brooks here.

What You Need to Know

An important call to action was launched this week that Phillip Bethancourt and J.D. Greear, on behalf of the ERLC and SBC, are asking your church to prioritize. Find out more about the Caring Well Challenge here and help make your church a safe place for those who have experienced abuse and safe from abuse.

The Caring Well Challenge is a unified call to action on the abuse crisis in the Southern Baptist Convention. The goal is to equip churches to be safe for survivors and safe from abuse. It provides churches with an adaptable and attainable pathway to immediately enhance their efforts to prevent abuse and care for abuse survivors.

We live in a fallen world that not only affects our physical world, but our minds as well. Many of our struggles either find their root in or influence our mental health. Jesse Masson, a counselor, provides several resources to equip those who suffer in certain ways and those who just want to help. Read his recommendations here.

It is important that we take care of our holistic health and God-created bodies. This includes our physical, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional aspects. To not prioritize our health in any of these areas is a direct way of not caring for ourselves. Let’s become great stewards of what God has given us in our mental health—for our good and his glory!

Brad Hambrick and his team of experts have been working tirelessly on a curriculum that will help churches care for survivors of abuse. This free resource is essential to helping make our churches safe havens. Check out the curriculum here.

Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused (churchcares.com) is a training experience designed to equip the church on how to respond well to the initial report of abuse. This free resource brings together top experts in the areas of social work, law enforcement, trauma counseling, abuse counseling, legal advisement, and pastoral care. Its purpose is to help pastors and ministry leaders equip their churches to be able to provide excellent care in the initial stages of receiving a disclosure from someone who has experienced abuse.

News From Capitol Hill

“Thirty years after the Tiananmen Massacre, Chinese authorities have not acknowledged the atrocity, and there will be no public memorials or events marking the day in mainland China. The Tiananmen Square Massacre remains one of the most censored topics on the Chinese internet.

In addition to continuing to use technology to monitor their citizens, human rights violations and religious persecution has continued to worsen.

As the world pauses to remember what took place in Tiananmen Square 30 years ago, we must remember to pray for those currently enduring persecution in China.”

Christians in China face ever increasing persecution, and the ERLC is committed to advocating for religious freedom for our Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ. We will not turn a blind eye to their plight. We will raise our voice in both prayer to our Heavenly Father and petition to the international community. We will work toward action for religious liberty as we ourselves are encouraged by the boldness of Christians in China. For ways you can pray for China and the church there, read Chelsea’s piece: Remembering the Tiananmen Square Massacre 30 years later.

Featured Podcasts

This has been an important week for the SBC as its Sexual Abuse Advisory Group has unveiled important initiatives to help churches care well for the abused. In light of that, the ERLC Podcast features a panel discussion on abuse that is moderated by Lindsay Nicolet and features Trillia Newbell, Jen Wilkin, and attorneys Gregory Love, and Kimberlee Norris. Listen here.

From The Public Square

Why Should Christians Support International Religious Freedom?
Thomas Farr, Providence

I believe the most profound and powerful reasons for religious freedom are Christian reasons, and they extend not only to Christians but to all people. In my view this means that there is also a deep theological warrant for international religious freedom.

2 Chinese Babies With Edited Genes May Face Higher Risk Of Premature Death
Rob Stein, NPR

There are new concerns about the world's first genetically modified babies.

2020 Candidates Are Going All In on Abortion Rights
Emma Green, The Atlantic

Democratic candidates are pushing their party further left than ever. Will this strategy cost them voters?

Colorado's Jared Polis, nation's 1st gay governor, signs bill banning conversion therapy for minors
Mark Osborne, ABC News

Colorado banned gay conversion therapy on Friday as the governor signed a bill one day before the start of LGBT Pride Month.