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| Here are five facts you should know about Wang Yi, a remarkable leader in China’s persecuted house church movement. No Images? Click here The Weekly is a highlight of the work the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is doing to strengthen you and our churches for God’s glory. 5 Facts about persecuted Chinese pastor Wang YiA prominent Chinese pastor and human rights activist was recently arrested by the communist government on allegations of "inciting subversion of state power." Here are five facts you should know about Wang Yi, a remarkable leader in China’s persecuted house church movement: Wang earned an undergraduate degree in law from Sichuan University and worked as a lecturer in law at Chengdu until 2008, after which he resigned to take up a full-time pastorate in the Early Rain Reformed Church. While a professor, the Chinese government banned him from teaching for 18 months, though he was later reinstated, he said, because the Chinese government “can control you better if you remain in the system." Wang has been fearless in his criticisms of the authoritarian regime. For example, Wang was one of six university scholars in China who wrote an open letter to the communist regime in 2007 demanding human rights compliance before the 2008 Olympics. “A government that cannot safeguard its citizens' basic human rights has no [moral] right to sponsor the Olympics,” said the letter. Read MoreThis Week at the ERLCOn behalf of the entire ERLC team, we’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as you celebrate Christ’s birth and look forward to all he will do in 2019. We’ll be back with The Weekly on January 4, 2019. In his latest article at Religion and Politics, “Let’s Recognize the Human Dignity of All People,” Dan Darling writes, “To see humans the way God sees them disrupts our politics and causes us to hold our tribal affiliations loosely and speak up for those whom society most casually discards.”
What You Need to KnowLindsay Nicolet recounts some of the top moments at the ERLC in 2018 including our 2018 National Conference, five ultrasound placements, and the Adoption Tax Credit. Every year, we have the privilege of working at the ERLC to advance the gospel in the outworkings of our society. Whether we look at ethical, cultural, or moral issues, we know that the Bible has something good to say and a better way than our world often chooses to take. 2018 proved to be full of milestone moments and events that we pray will be used by the Lord to advance his kingdom. Here are a few of the incredible instances we had the privilege of leading or partaking in . . . Prison Fellowship is an amazing ministry that ascribes worth to those who are often viewed as the castoffs of society, prisoners. One of the ways they do this is by giving gifts through the Angel Tree program. Read about how God used gift-giving to transform a family’s life. Angel Tree, a program of Prison Fellowship, provides a pathway to reconciliation between prisoners and their families. Often this starts with a simple gift delivery to prisoners' children at Christmas on behalf of their incarcerated parent. Amy Simpson’s writing is always timely, encouraging, and convicting. In her latest article, she writes about the turmoil in our midst, God’s work in the world, and how it shows us that we are not the center of the universe. God is always doing something much bigger than what people want him to do. His work is not done. And it is about us, but not in the way we like to think. Our vision is more global than ever. But we’re still so Western-centric that we mostly view other people and places only as in need of our help, not as objects of God’s work independent of his relationship with us. News From Capitol HillEarlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan First Step Act with an overwhelming majority of 87-12. Criminal justice reform has been a legislative priority for the ERLC, and we are grateful for the Congressional, Administrative, and coalition support that lead to the bill’s success.What is the First Step Act? FIRST STEP is an acronym for “Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act.” The primary purpose of the Act is to provide for programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison. The Act requires the U.S. attorney general, as head of the Department of Justice, to review existing policies and develop recommendations regarding evidence-based recidivism reduction programs and productive activities and to develop a Post-Sentencing Risk and Needs Assessment System. Russell Moore described the Senate vote as "a tremendous victory, not just for criminal justice reform but for the idea that people really can transcend their silos and work for the common good. "I can't find very many people who would argue that our criminal justice system is working fine as it is over the past several years many of us, across the ideological spectrum, have realized that we share, on this, some common concerns. "Monumental challenges remain on seeing to it that our country deals with ensuring justice for victims while at the same time giving offenders, where possible, the opportunity for a second chance to reform and to contribute to society. Big questions remain about how to end irrational mass incarceration and other issues." "The First Step Act is just that; it's a first step," Moore said. "But the First Step Act is also just that; it's an act, an act in the right direction. May we see forward momentum toward a justice system that is truer to its name." Featured PodcastsOn this episode of Signposts, Russell Moore talks through how he preaches, writes sermons, and makes a lesson applicable to everyone in the audience." What’s it like to engage in robust conversations with skeptics and atheists? On The Way Home podcast, Justin Brierley discusses this with Dan Darling and the impact it has had on his faith. Justin is a radio host on Premier Christian Radio in the UK.From The Public SquareColorado baker back in court over 2nd LGBT bias allegation Attorneys for a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple on religious grounds - a stand partially upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court - argued in federal court Tuesday that the state is punishing him again over his refusal to bake a cake celebrating a gender transition. Anti-abortion groups demand ouster of NIH chief over fetal tissue Two influential anti-abortion groups called Tuesday for the ouster of NIH Director Francis Collins over his support for fetal tissue research for medical science. Should Race and Ethnicity Matter in Adoption Decisions? The Indian Child Welfare Act has relevance beyond its four corners and is a flashpoint for examining the role of culture and race in connection to adoption. Just Because We Can Create Genetically Modified Babies Doesn’t Mean We Should Two remarkable things took place last month in the world of biotechnology: A Chinese doctor claimed to have created two genetically modified human embryos who were successfully nurtured to birth, and the worldwide scientific community roundly rejected this experiment as a violation of ethics. Upcoming ERLC EventsJoin us at Evangelicals for Life! Use code THEWEEKLY for 20% off The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commissionof the Southern Baptist Convention 901 Commerce Street, Suite 550 Nashville, TN 37203 Like Tweet Forward Preferences | Unsubscribe |
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