Survey: Proportion of Christians in the U.S. has stopped shrinking
A new survey on American religion finds that the percentage of Christians has stabilized, after falling for two decades.
The survey, called the 2020 Census of American Religion, finds that 7 in 10 Americans (70%) identify as Christian, including more than 4 in 10 who identify as white Christian and more than one-quarter who identify as Christians of color.
This Week in Washington, D.C.
- The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang region or by entities using Uyghur labor forcibly transferred from Xinjiang from entering the U.S. market. The ERLC supported this important piece of legislation.
- Next week, Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom and Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights will co-host the first International Religious Freedom Summit. The IRF Summit will bring together several different organizations and figures across various religious backgrounds to foster public and political support for greater religious freedom throughout the globe, where almost 80 percent of all people reside in countries with high degrees of institutionalized restrictions on religion. The ERLC is a convening partner of the event and we will always advocate on behalf of persecuted people abroad.
From The Public Square
Why American Courts Care about Church Membership—And Why You Should, Too
9Marks
Pastors and church members should also know that American law provides reasons for churches to give careful attention to both their membership policies and the theological basis for those policies. Doing so respects the individuals who come to the church, and it can also protect the church from legal liability.
‘Wasting my breath’: Southern faith leaders wary of promoting vaccines
Politico
Exhausted by backlash over pandemic restrictions, some faith leaders see little upside in urging skeptical congregants to get vaccinated.
Gay couple wins case against florist after Supreme Court rejects appeal
ABC News
Over the objections of three conservative justices, the US Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from a Washington State flower shop that violated state anti-discrimination law by refusing to serve a same-sex couple on religious grounds.
Polish church report lists sex abuse of over 300 children
Associated Press
In its latest report on the sexual abuse of minors, Poland's Catholic Church lists 292 clergymen who allegedly abused over 300 boys and girls from 1958 though 2020.
What You Need to Read
Candice Watters with Do you need a digital reset? A better approach to screen time after the pandemic
As things start moving back to a post-pandemic “normal,” many parents are looking forward to their children returning to in-person learning. In addition to improving their concentration, reconnecting with in-person friends, and reestablishing rigorous standards, one of the key benefits will be less time on screens. None of this will be without effort and intentionality, but what may prove most difficult is dialing back kids’ dependence on screens.
Daniel Patterson with Why and how reading shapes your soul
Not all stories are nourishing; not all food is healthy. And reading, in and of itself, makes not a more virtuous person. But make no mistake: stories are powerful. As we identify with what we take in, we feed our ethical imaginations and broaden our moral vocabulary — creating categories, carving pathways, and cultivating instincts that show up in hundreds of ways every single day.
Hannah Anderson with At what age should we baptize our children? A case for baptizing those who make a credible profession of faith
The reality is that children face hurdles to baptism that have nothing to do with the validity of their faith or their desire to obey Jesus. But just as we’d never ask a child to sign themselves up for school when they are ready to learn, parents should feel the freedom to direct children to baptismal waters when they see signs of faith and repentance.
This Week at the ERLC
- Chelsea Patterson Sobolik praised the United States’ bipartisan dedication to combating human trafficking around the globe.
- Daniel Patterson discussed the Supreme Court's disappointing decision not to take up an important religious liberty case involving Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman. Patterson also praised the repeal of of a rule enabling predatory loans.
