The Weekly is a rundown of news by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission highlighting the week’s top news stories from the public square and providing commentary on the big issues of our day.

Churches Are Now Eligible for Federal Disaster Relief Funds

Earlier this month the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) changed a rule that disqualified churches and other houses of worship from receiving disaster relief aid that was available to other nonprofits.

Privately run nonprofit organizations often receive federal grants to rebuild and restore their facilities after natural disasters, such as after the devastation from last year's Hurricane Harvey. The purpose of the grants, according to FEMA, is to provide funds so that “communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President.”

Until this month, though, there has been a category of nonprofits that were ineligible: nonprofits whose damaged facilities were established or used primarily for religious services, religious education, or religious activities, such as “worship, proselytizing, religious instruction, or fundraising activities that benefit a religious institution and not the community at large.” 

After Hurricane Harvey, three churches in Texas and two Jewish synagogues in Florida had filed lawsuits challenging the exclusion. The lawsuit against FEMA by the three Texas churches said they were asking the agency to treat them on equal terms with other nonprofit organizations in accepting, evaluating, and acting on their disaster relief applications. “The churches are not seeking special treatment; they are seeking a fair shake,” the lawsuit said.

But FEMA made the court cases moot by deciding to change the rule. The federal agency cited the Supreme Court’s decision in an important religious liberty case from last year, Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, as the justification for the decision.

Last week FEMA issued a revision to their Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide, which reads:

In light of the Trinity Lutheran decision, FEMA has considered its guidance on private nonprofit facility eligibility and determined that it will revise its interpretation of the aforementioned statutory and regulatory authorities so as not to exclude houses of worship from eligibility for FEMA aid on the basis of the religious character or primarily religious use of the facility.

The revision will be made retroactive to cover damage incurred as early as August 23, 2017, providing relief to the churches and synagogue affected by Hurricane Harvey.

This week on ERLC podcasts: Daniel Darling talks to Sara Hagerty about cultivating a quiet heart in a noisy world. On the Capitol Conversations podcast, Matt Hawkins talks to Vanessa Gutierrez (Michigan) and Elisa Gonzalez (South Carolina) about what it’s like to be “Dreamers” and DACA recipients. And on the new ERLC podcast series, “How to Handle,” Trillia Newbell talks to Dan Darling about human dignity.

Other Issues

American Culture

Judge blocks Trump wind-down of Dreamers program
Josh Gerstein, Politico

Injunction says feds must keep renewing permits for DACA recipients.

Bioethics

Baltimore pregnancy center wins against city mandate
Tom Strode, Baptist Press

A Baltimore, Md., pro-life pregnancy help center has gained another court victory over the city's attempt to require it to communicate government-approved speech.

Oregon’s Permissive Assisted Suicide Regime
Wesley J. Smith, The Corner

The media have always gone along with the nonsense that assisted suicide and euthanasia laws are governed by strict guidelines to prevent abuse. In actuality, the guidelines–such as they are–are merely to give an appearance of control.

Christianity and Culture

Low-Income Communities Are Struggling to Support Churches
Patton Dodd, The Atlantic

The institutions need money to serve people. But in many cases, they get that money from those they serve.

Richard Stearns Is Leaving World Vision
Morgan Lee, Christianity Today

Longest-serving leader will retire this year with Christian relief organization poised to help millions more than before.

International Issues

World's worst religious freedom violators evaluated
Tom Strode, Baptist Press

The Trump administration's first designation of the world's worst violators of religious freedom received the same evaluation as the last list under President Obama -- good but not good enough.

State Department Names "Countries of Particular Concern"
Howard Friedman, Religion Clause

The State Department announced yesterday that it has redesignated ten countries as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Ethiopia will no longer allow foreigners to adopt its children
Yomi Kazeem, Quartz

Foreigners hoping to adopt children from Africa will have to strike Ethiopia off their list.

Marriage Issues

Who Cheats More? The Demographics of Infidelity in America
Wendy Wang, Institute for Family Studies

Men, adults who didn’t grow up in intact families, and those who rarely or never attend religious services are more likely than others to have cheated on their spouse.

Religious Liberty

The International Religious Freedom Act: A Primer
Harry Graver, Lawfare

The IRFA requires both the president and Congress to consider issues of religious freedom and persecution in American foreign policy.

High court permits conscience law to stand in Miss.
Tom Strode, Baptist Press

The U.S. Supreme Court has left in effect a Mississippi law that protects the religious freedom of those who object to participating in a gay marriage or sex-reassignment surgery.

More Nations Are Banning Ritual Slaughter. Should Religious Tradition Be Honored Over Animal Rights?
Derek Beres, Big Think

While the validity of animal rights will likely be debated for decades or longer, Jews and Muslims in the Netherlands are not as concerned with the welfare of their food as they are with themselves.

Sexuality Issues

CDC Report Shows Reductions in Teen Sexual Activity
Michael J. New, The Corner

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report showing a significant decline in teen sexual activity between 2005 and 2015.