Faith leaders and their communities have a crucial role to play in ending the discrimination and persecution of LGBTQ people around the world, a panel of international activists and clergy said ahead of President Joe Biden’s Dec. 9 Summit for…
Biden administration rolls back Trump-era discrimination waivers in foster care
Civil rights and separation of church and state groups are thrilled, but conservative evangelicals are dismayed that the Biden administration announced Nov. 18 the reversal of a Trump-era policy that allowed discrimination against foster parents because of their sexual orientation….
American support for Equality Act ideals still growing, new polling shows
As the Equality Act languishes in the U.S. Senate due to Republican opposition, the percentage of Americans who favor laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in jobs, public accommodations and housing continues to increase. Public Religion Research Institute released…
What do you say when a mom wishes her child were dead instead of gay?
I squirmed in my seat, avoiding eye contact with the women in my small group. They offered encouragement to a woman sitting next to me. She spoke in halting sentences, wiping away tears with a tissue they offered. “It’s just…
Southern Baptists, power and the continuum of sexual violence
Note to readers: This article includes content related to sexual abuse and violence against women. The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention has found yet another way to retraumatize survivors of clergy abuse and accentuate the convention’s long history…
Biden Education Department hopes to reverse last-minute Trump allowance of campus discrimination based on religious beliefs
The U.S. Department of Education announced Aug. 19 that it anticipates rescinding parts of a rule enacted by the Trump administration that forces universities to financially support religious student groups that discriminate. This November 2020 reinterpretation of the Free Inquiry Rule…
If you think racial equity exists in America today, you’re in the minority
Americans who contend there’s a level playing field for Blacks and whites today are in the minority of public opinion, according to new research by Gallup. The polling firm finds a growing number of Americans believe non-white people are subject…
When it comes to shaming women, the SBC isn’t the only perpetrator among Christians
The Southern Baptist Convention has made headlines not only in Baptist circles but in secular publications in the days after this year’s annual meeting. In addition to Critical Race Theory, the media has been reporting on the SBC’s commitment to…
In narrow ruling, unanimous Supreme Court supports Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia foster care case
The United States Supreme Court unanimously sided with Catholic Social Services in its claim against the City of Philadelphia, saying the city cannot exclude the faith-based agency from a foster care contract merely because it does not serve LGBTQ clients….