| Weekly briefing: Trump and Graham slam CT, Hallmark OKs gay kiss ad, EFCA defends dropping 'premillennial' |
 Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty ImagesFranklin Graham (R) talks with President Donald Trump during a ceremony as the late evangelist Billy Graham lies in repose at the U.S. Capitol, on February 28, 2018 in Washington, DC. Rev. Graham is being honored by Congress by lying in repose inside of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for 24 hours. Graham was the nation's best known Christian evangelist, preaching to millions worldwide, as well as being an advisor to US presidents over his six decade career. |
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We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: |
Trump, Franklin Graham, 8 other evangelicals react to Christianity Today's call to remove president |
President Donald Trump and Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, have slammed evangelical magazine Christianity Today after Mark Galli, the publication’s editor-in-chief, called for the president’s removal from office. |
On Thursday, Galli wrote in the magazine founded by Franklin Graham’s father, evangelical icon Billy Graham, that Trump has to be removed from office because he violated the Constitution and is “profoundly immoral.” |
“Yes, my father Billy Graham founded Christianity Today; but no, he would not agree with their opinion piece. In fact, he would be very disappointed. I have not previously shared who my father voted for in the past election, but because of this article, I feel it is necessary to share it now. My father knew Donald Trump, he believed in Donald Trump, and he voted for Donald Trump.” — Franklin Graham |
One Million Moms urge boycott after Hallmark reinstates kissing brides ad |
One Million Moms urged its supporters to boycott the Hallmark Channel after it apologized Sunday for removing an ad from Zola.com that features two brides kissing and reinstated it following backlash from gay rights activists. |
Despite receiving a petition signed by over 34,500 people who said they watch the Hallmark Channel and requested that its content remain family-friendly, Crown Media Family Networks said it was the “wrong decision” to pull the ad featuring a lesbian kiss. |
“After removing a controversial ad featuring two lesbians kissing at the end of their wedding ceremony, Hallmark has again reversed course –– and apologized for offending the homosexual community. One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association, is now calling for a boycott of the channel,” the group said. |
EFCA defends removing 'premillennial' from statement of faith |
The Evangelical Free Church of America recently defended the denomination’s decision to remove the word “premillennial” from their statement of faith, arguing that it was not an “essential” teaching. In June, delegates at the EFCA Conference voted overwhelmingly to amend their Statement of Faith to remove the word “premillennial.” |
Premillennialism is the belief that the Second Coming will bring forth a millennium-long reign by Jesus Christ on earth, as described in the Book of Revelation. |
USCIRF commissioner charged with concealing contributions to Clinton campaign |
A commissioner on the bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has been indicted along with seven others in an alleged conspiracy to conceal millions of dollars in excessive campaign donations to benefit Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. |
The Department of Justice announced earlier this month that a federal grand jury indicted Lebanese-American businessman Ahmad “Andy” Khawaja, the 48-year-old CEO of the online payment processing company, Allied Wallet. |
Khawaja is accused of conspiring with George Nader, a businessman and lobbyist who has served for years as a liaison between politicians in Washington and the United Arab Emirates, to conceal the source of $3.5 million in contributions directed to political committees associated with Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. |
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The family of pastor Kayode Shogbesan in Nigeria who was kidnapped and is being held for ransom |
17 Christians arrested in Nepal and charged under the country’s anti-conversion law |
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 InterVarsity Press "What's So Funny About God? A Theological Look at Humor," by Steve Wilkens, Dec. 31, 2019. |
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