The following articles have been selected because they are informative, instructive, entertaining, or simply interesting. Articles appearing in Your Friday Five do not represent an endorsement.
Christianity continues its large influence in America.
8 facts about religion and government in the United States, Pew Research
Roughly half of U.S. adults say the Bible should influence U.S. laws either a great deal (23%) or some (26%), and more than a quarter (28%) say the Bible should prevail over the will of the people if the two are at odds, according to the February survey. Half of Americans, meanwhile, say the Bible shouldn’t influence U.S. laws much (19%) or at all (31%).
China’s persecution of religious minorities comes to the fore.
China bans Senators Cruz, Rubio, others in dispute over religious persecution, CBS News
China on Monday said it will ban entry to U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Representative Chris Smith and Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback over their criticism of the ruling Communist Party’s policies toward minority groups and people of faith.
Religious schools face challenging times.
Illinois Wesleyan to eliminate three majors, Bloomington Pantagraph
Majors and minors in anthropology, religious studies and French and the minor in Italian will be discontinued at Illinois Wesleyan University following action Thursday by the board of trustees.
The School of Music, School of Art and programs in philosophy and sociology will be retained but undergo “transformation.”
Ongoing challenges for military worshippers.
Lawmakers set up meeting with top defense official over religious liberty, Military Times
The Congress members, led by Reps. Doug Collins, R-Ga., and Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., have written several letters to Defense Secretary Mark Esper in which they objected to the military’s limitations on service members’ attendance at worship services during the coronavirus pandemic. They are also upset with the Pentagon and services’ responses to complaints by Mikey Weinstein, president and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, regarding three recent actions by military chaplains. Weinstein argued that those actions violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.”
Good advice here.
3 Questions to Ask Before Critiquing Your Pastor, John Beeson
When I was 20, my childhood church changed leadership. Soon, its vision statement changed too. I was across the country in the middle of undergraduate studies in Bible and theology. Out of what I saw as the infinite resources of my leadership experience, I generously offered my wisdom and wrote a letter to the new lead pastor.
I’m still embarrassed by that letter.