(Pew Research Center) One-third of U.S. adults have watched religious services online or on television in the past month, and a little over half of them – or 18% of all adults – say they began doing this for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic. Of course, if you’re worshiping remotely, you can’t hug the other members of your congregation or shake hands with your … [Read more...] about Will the Coronavirus Permanently Convert In-Person Worshipers to Online Streamers?
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Online Prayers, Social Distancing in the Pews: Christian Leaders Debate How to Do Church Amid Pandemic
(USA Today) On a recent Sunday, Rod Loy, senior pastor at the First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Arkansas, delivered the message of the Gospel through his computer screen. "It's easy to live out your faith when everything is going good," he preached to his congregation. "But the real test is difficult. How does your faith hold up when the doctor gives you … [Read more...] about Online Prayers, Social Distancing in the Pews: Christian Leaders Debate How to Do Church Amid Pandemic
Judge Temporarily Rules Grace Community Church Can Have Indoor Services; Hours Later Appeals Court Sets Aside Ruling
On Friday a California superior court recognized Grace Community Church's Constitutional right to worship indoors. This came after a suit was filed earlier in the week against California Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and public health officials, to stop the enforcement of California’s orders that forbid churches from … [Read more...] about Judge Temporarily Rules Grace Community Church Can Have Indoor Services; Hours Later Appeals Court Sets Aside Ruling
A Christian Historian on Why Its Time for the Southern Baptist Convention to Change Its Name
(Relevant) Should the Southern Baptist Convention change its name? There have been many conversations about doing just that over the years, but those cries have recently grown a lot louder. The SBC was created in 1845 as a pro-slavery reaction to the Northern Baptists, who favored abolition. It’s an incredibly ugly origin story for the largest Protestant denomination in the … [Read more...] about A Christian Historian on Why Its Time for the Southern Baptist Convention to Change Its Name
Slew of Church Abuse Lawsuits Hinges on State Court Decision
(AP) Pennsylvania’s Roman Catholic dioceses have been hit with about 150 lawsuits from people who say they were sexually abused as children by priests and hope a state court decision last year has shown a way around time limits for legal claims. Lawyers involved in the litigation say they were still getting notified about new cases on Thursday and expect dozens more. The … [Read more...] about Slew of Church Abuse Lawsuits Hinges on State Court Decision