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.

5 Facts about the history of the SBC and the pro-life cause

This weekend (Jan. 19), many Southern Baptist churches in America will observe Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. This event recognizes the commitment to the sanctity of life and protection of the unborn that is shared by members and churches of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). But many Baptists are unaware that the SBC has not always been on the right side of this pro-life divide.

Here are five facts you should know about the history of the SBC and the pro-life cause:

This Week at the ERLC

Chelsea Patterson Sobolik writes in Providence Magazine about the results of the Taiwan elections.

What You Need to Know

It should be no surprise that technology plays such a large role in society and our daily lives. While major news events may seem bleak as the nations continue to rage, Chrisitans have hope knowing that nothing in this world is outside of God’s control and guiding hand. As we engage some of the most pressing issues of our day, especially in regards to the enormous power technology has on each of us, we must remember that we already know the end of the story. We need not fear the unknown because we know the Author and Creator of all (Isa. 43:1).

Anti-Semitism is tragically alive and spreading in the United States. As the Washington Post recently reported, violence against Jewish communities has been particularly apparent in recent news. From the shootings at the kosher deli in New Jersey by Black Hebrew Israelites early in December 2019 to the stabbing in the Rabbi’s home on the seventh night of Hanukkah, Jewish communities are facing more threats to their freedom to assembly and worship.

Since the first mission movements of the Early Church, Assyrian (Syriac) churches have never failed to maintain a confessional Christian presence in or near their original lands. If the current crisis facing northeastern Syria worsens, ancient Christian communities dating back to the Book of Acts might soon be deserted. The last remnants of this people group could be driven out of their homeland and their churches destroyed.

News From Capitol Hill

This week in Tennessee, the legislature passed a bill focused on adoption and the child welfare system, a top-priority issue for the ERLC. The bill, as Russell Moore noted in his op-ed at the Tennessean, guarantees that faith-based adoption and foster care organizations “will not be forced to decide between their deepest religious convictions and their calling to care for vulnerable children.” The bill is common sense as it focuses the state’s child welfare system on the welfare of children, not a proxy for other culture war issues.

“In Tennessee, faith-based agencies are a vital part of a comprehensive system designed to maximize the number of families available to help children in need of foster or adoptive homes. This law adds an additional layer of protection to ensure that remains the case. This legislation was a high priority for Southern Baptists. The ERLC engaged on this bill because it was based on the principle of freedom: the freedom for anyone to help children; the freedom for faith-based organizations, like the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes, to keep doing their good work consistent with their principles.” – Brent Leatherwood, the ERLC’s director of strategic partnerships

In Washington on Thursday, the White House announced new executive actions and agency regulations to ensure federal policy upholds religious freedom and the foundational right for the free exercise of religion.
The actions across the administration involved nine federal agencies proposing rules to deal with a range of important issues such as a student’s right to pray in school and the equal treatment of religious organizations in the federal grant making process. The date of this announcement was significant as Jan. 16 is National Religious Freedom Day, the annual commemoration of the adoption of Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786.
Here are five new protections for religious liberty among yesterday’s announcements.

Also, we continue our podcast series On Human Dignity on Capitol Conversations exploring the implications of this theological truth on life, ministry, and the public square. For this week’s episode, Chelsea Patterson Sobolik welcomes Janet Durig, executive director of the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, to the Leland House to share stories of Christ’s transformative power for people in need. The Center is a faith-based nonprofit organization offering help and support to women, men, and their families who are in a crisis pregnancy.

Featured Podcasts

The ERLC Podcast launches a new format today, featuring Josh Wester, Brent Leatherwood, and Lindsay Nicolet as hosts. Each week, they’ll discuss cultural issues, highlight ERLC content, and talk to a special guest. The first guest is Amy Whitfield, the SBC Executive Committee’s associate vice president for communications. Listen to the first episode here.

From The Public Square

Why There Are Way More Pro-Life Protesters Than You Think
Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, TGC

The number of protesters reported by abortion clinics exceeded 99,000 in 2018—the most, by far, ever seen in the United States. Why so many, and why now?

California rejects unique intersex surgery ban for some kids
Adam Beam, Associated Press

California lawmakers have rejected a ban on medically unnecessary treatment for babies born with ambiguous or conflicting genitalia.

The Pediatric Endocrine Society’s Statement on Puberty Blockers Isn’t Just Deceptive. It’s Dangerous.
Michael K. Laidlaw, Public Discourse

The Pediatric Endocrine Society recently issued a statement claiming that the effects of puberty-blocking medications on normal puberty are reversible. Has the FDA determined that there is scientific evidence to validate this claim? Have there been any rigorous long-term studies addressing this question? Is social transition truly harmless? Is it ethical to continue this experiment on children? The answer to all of those questions is no.

Space Force Bible Blessing At National Cathedral Sparks Outrage
David Welna, NPR

The blessing of what's being called "the official Bible for the new U.S. Space Force" at the Washington National Cathedral on Sunday is drawing an outpouring of criticism on social media and condemnation from a prominent religious freedom advocacy group.