Weekly briefing: Supreme Court to hear faith-based adoption case, Lent, court lets YouTube censor

We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know:

Supreme Court to hear case on faith-based adoption agencies and same-sex couples

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that could have huge implications on the rights of Christian and other faith-based adoption and foster care agencies to turn away LGBT couples on grounds of religious beliefs. 

Catholic foster care parents sued the city of Philadelphia for no longer referring foster children to Catholic Social Services because the agency does not place children with same-sex couples.

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“Over the last few years, agencies have been closing their doors across the country, and all the while children are pouring into the system. We are confident that the Court will realize that the best solution is the one that has worked in Philadelphia for a century — all hands on deck for foster kids.” — Lori Windham, a senior counsel at Becket

Christians mark the start of Lent

Christians kicked off Lent with Ash Wednesday as ashes and prayers were offered to drivers and believers on the go.

With Lent marking the 40-day period before Easter, some Christians have chosen to devote to daily Scripture reading or fasting.

“The 40-day season of Lent is a time to reflect, repent, and pray as a way of preparing our hearts for Easter. Lent is an opportunity to get out of routine, re-center ourselves on God, and pursue the ways of Jesus.” — National Community Church

YouTube can censor conservative content, court rules

YouTube can censor conservative content, as it is not compelled by the First Amendment to allow all viewpoints, a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has unanimously ruled.

The court ruled against PragerU, noting that YouTube is a private forum. PragerU had filed a lawsuit against the video sharing platform, accusing it of ideologically-driven discrimination after some of its content — including videos on the 10 Commandments — was blocked or restricted for mature audiences.

Coronavirus will spread in US, CDC official warns

A CDC official warned that the coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of over 2,400 people worldwide, will inevitably spread in the U.S. and urged the country to prepare.

“The disruption to everyday life might be severe. We are asking the American public to work with us to prepare, in the expectation that this could be bad.” — Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

So far in the U.S., there are 15 confirmed cases. Worldwide, the number of cases has risen past 80,000.

The Conservative Political Action Conference kicked off this week. Here’s CP’s coverage so far:

Conservative women share personal experiences in countries with socialist policies

Mike Pence welcomes pro-life Democrats to GOP

Pray for:

Christians and others being persecuted in Nigeria, where terrorists aim to “ethnically cleanse northern Nigeria of its Christians”

Sex trafficking victims and those exploited on Pornhub

New releases

Film:

Burden (Feb. 28 limited release)

Albums:

Behold Him by Paul Baloche (Feb. 28)

Lost in Wonder by Elle Limebear (Feb. 28)

Books:

With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ by A. Craig Troxel (Feb. 4)

Live: remain alive, be alive at a specified time, have an exciting or fulfilling life by Sadie Robertson (Feb. 25)