Weekly briefing: Chick-fil-A donations, impeachment hearings, Hong Kong protests |
| (Photo: The Christian Post)A Chick-fil-A restaurant is seen here in Southern California, Aug. 1, 2012. |
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| We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: |
| Chick-fil-A accused of caving to LGBT activists after it stops giving to Salvation Army, FCA |
| Popular fast food chain Chick-fil-A announced this week that it is changing its giving priorities for 2020 to focus on education, homelessness and hunger. Part of that change includes halting donations to The Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Paul Anderson Youth Home. |
| Some evangelical leaders have accused the company of capitulating to LGBT activists who have been critical of giving to Christian groups that uphold marriage as being between a man and a woman. The Salvation Army also expressed dismay, noting that it is the “largest social services provider in the world.” |
| Though some evangelicals have come to Chick-fil-A’s defense, others see it as a tactical move to appease LGBT activists and call it a “betrayal” of the Christian community. |
| Trump impeachment hearings enter second week |
| In the second week of the impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland said that the phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did indeed include a “quid pro quo.” |
| Vice President Mike Pence disputed the testimony of Sondland that “everyone” was aware of the phone call. |
| Meanwhile, some evangelicals, including evangelist Franklin Graham, continue to denounce the hearings and say they’re damaging the nation. |
| Hong Kong protests, violence escalate |
| As protests continue in Hong Kong, the level of violence has increased on the part of both anti-government protesters and police. So far, two have died. |
| The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill this week in support of the protesters, who are demanding “full democracy.” President Trump said Friday that he will be looking at it to decide whether to sign it into law. |
| Iraqi Christian groups respond to critics of USAID grants |
| Iraqi Christian groups are responding after grants they were awarded last month from the U.S. Agency for International Development to help restore the Nineveh Plains and strengthen communities victimized by the Islamic State were criticized by media. |
| ProPublica published a story about possible violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution for “favoring” Iraqi Christian groups for grants in a predominantly Muslim country. |
| “It is irrational, immoral and inconsistent with international human rights theory and policy to argue that the United States should not be helping Christians or a religious group targeted with religious genocide by ISIS.” — Nina Shea, international human rights lawyer |
| CP’s coverage of the fifth Democratic presidential debate |
| Candidates address homelessness crisis |
| Pete Buttigieg claims faith, gay rights struggle will help him connect with black voters |
| Pray for |
| Family of Dimitri Bradley, pastor of City Church in Richmond, who was killed in a car crash |
| Families of Pastor David Mokoni and a hearing-impaired child who were killed by Boko Haram in Cameroon |
| New releases |
| 130 Agency‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’ movie art work, release date Nov 22, 2019. |
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| Film: |
| A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Nov. 22) |
| Albums: |
| Dwell: Christmas by David and Nicole Binion (Nov. 22) |
| Spirit by Jeremy Casella (Nov. 22) |
| Books: |
| I Choose Peace: Raw Stories of Real People Finding Contentment and Happiness by Doug Bender (Nov. 12) |
| But What About God's Wrath?: The Compelling Love Story of Divine Anger by Kevin Kinghorn with Stephen Travis (Nov. 19) |
| The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians by N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird (Nov. 19) |
