Three Christian college students have sued the University of Idaho for alleged wrongful punishment for expressing traditional views on marriage and sexual ethics on campus. According to the lawsuit, the three students went to an LGBT event on campus seeking to represent a biblical perspective on marriage and sexuality. When a student asked them about their views, they offered their perspectives and gave the student a note expressing an interest in continuing the dialogue. Soon after, however, the Christian students were given "no-contact orders" from the school's Office of Civil Rights & Investigations, which prohibited them from communicating with the student. The suit alleges "they did not receive notice that anyone had complained about them and were not given an opportunity to review the allegations against them or defend themselves," noting, "Instead of allowing the students to disagree civilly and respectfully with one another and to discuss these important issues, the University chose instead to censor Plaintiffs." The students are being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom. Continue reading.

The grandparents of the National Guardsman who drowned trying to save two migrants from the Rio Grande said they're not surprised the boy they raised died trying to save someone's life. Officials confirmed Monday that they had recovered the body of 22-year-old Specialist Bishop Evans, who went missing Friday in Eagle Pass, Texas, after attempting to rescue the two migrants who were illegally crossing into the U.S. and were smuggling drugs. "He would help you in need. He would die for you, he did die. He's going to be missed and always be loved and carried in our hearts," Grandfather Dannie Johnson said. "We want to be positive about Bishop, because he was a positive person, and I would like to leave it at that." Continue reading.

The Episcopal Church of North Texas (ECNTX) and The Episcopal Diocese of Texas released a joint statement last week announcing their plans to consider a reunion of the two local church bodies. In February of last year, the Anglican Church in North America secured control of The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth following several years of litigation against the ECNTX. Katie Sherrod, the spokesperson for the ECNTX, told The Christian Post that, as a result of the breakaway Anglican group winning the $100 million legal battle, "[W]e lost all but three of our historic buildings and much of our funds ... We need resources and courageous partners who share our values and who understand the gifts we bring to the table. The Episcopal Diocese of Texas is that partner." ECNTX originally belonged to the Episcopal Diocese of Texas in the 19th century. Continue reading.

In part two of this two-part series, Julie Harren Hamilton discusses the Church’s silence on issues pertaining to sexuality. Hamilton provides several suggestions for Christian leaders to begin breaking the silence, including asking God to reveal whether or not fear is an underlying factor, maintaining realistic expectations, and training staff to understand these issues and respond appropriately. Continue reading.

Mainline Protestantism is in decline, but that is no reason for Evangelicals to judge or celebrate these denominations’ losses, writes Mark Tooley. Instead, today’s Evangelicals and other churches experiencing growth should learn from Mainline successes and mistakes to ensure a stronger future. Continue reading.

This is exactly what happens when the Golden State worships the Golden Calf. And as California goes, so goes the nation. READ MORE

Italian scientist Liberato De Caro of Italy’s Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council and his colleagues published findings in the international journal Heritage in April that suggest the Shroud of Turin could be around 2,000 years old. This contradicts a 1998 carbon-dating study that suggested the fabric was only about 700 years old. De Caro believes that carbon dating, a method of age determination that analyzes radiocarbon decay, is not always reliable with fabric. During an email interview with The National Catholic Reporter, he explained that improper cleaning procedures could render carbon dating unreliable, noting, "This may have been the case in 1988, as confirmed by experimental evidence showing that when moving from the periphery towards the center of the sheet, along the longest side, there is a significant increase in carbon-14 (radiocarbon dating)." Continue reading.

The self-help industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that is expected to grow from $10 billion to $14 billion by 2025. However, a study from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business shows that consumers who have a strong relationship with God are less likely to spend money on self-help products. The researchers drew from a number of studies and archival data to determine how much people feel loved as they are—a feature known as "God salience." The researchers noted, "Ultimately, what we found is that when people are thinking about God, they have a sense that they are loved for exactly who they are. So it’s not as important to them to go buy all these products in the marketplace that marketers say will make them better." Their findings also suggest that "God salience" is less likely to decrease interest in self-improvement products when consumers do not believe in God and when God is considered a punishing (vs. loving) entity. "What really matters is how people think about God," Duke marketing professor and study co-author Dr. Keisha Cutright explained. Continue reading.