Christian Adoption Agency Changes Policy
Based in Michigan, Bethany Christian Services is the largest Christian adoption agency in the United States with operations in 32 states. They recently expanded their services to include “Christians with diverse beliefs,” now placing children with LGBT couples for foster care and adoption.
Many evangelical and Christian leaders are disappointed in what is perceived as Bethany’s capitulation to the government rather than traditional Christian beliefs.
Jim Daly, head of Focus on the Family, tweeted that “Bethany Christian Services should not have to choose between holding to their deeply held religious convictions and serving children and families. No government should tell any ministry how to run their ministry, let alone violate deeply held biblical principles.”
Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote “Children need a dad and a mom in a healthy, biblical home. God’s Word is clear.”
Xavier Becerra Confirmed by Senate as Health Secretary
In a 50-49 vote, last week the U.S. Senate voted to confirm California’s attorney general Xavier Becerra, head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). One Republican, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, joined Democrats in support of his confirmation (Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii did not vote).
Becerra is radically pro-abortion. He sued Little Sisters of the Poor -- Catholic nuns – to force their health care plan to pay for contraception which goes against their deeply held religious beliefs. Along with Vice President Kamala Harris, Becerra prosecuted David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt for their investigation of Planned Parenthood and the sale of aborted babies’ body parts. He attacked pro-life pregnancy centers attempting to force them to promote government-mandated messaging on abortion inside their facilities and in their advertising. Becerra also “successfully” led the fight through appeals to reinstate California’s law legalizing assisted suicide.
Last year, along with 15 other attorneys general, Becerra called on the Trump administration and the HHS to end its research ban on fetal tissue to aid the US’s medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not a stretch to believe that now he is head of the HHS, this will be reinstated as well. He is hardly the moderate nominee put forward by President Joe Biden.
Abortion and the Equality Act
While it is noted that the Equality Act will expand LGBTQ+ protections at the expense of religious freedom, there are provisions in the act to boost the abortion industry. Refusing to participate in an abortion could qualify as sex discrimination because of the way the Equality Act has drafted a new definition to include abortion as a medical condition.
The Equality Act would also eliminate protections for pro-life individuals and entities from participating in practices that violate their sincere moral, ethical, or religious convictions. This act considers disagreements about fundamental moral and religious beliefs to be discrimination. Health care providers, hospitals and health insurance plans could be discriminating on the basis of sex if they refused to perform, allow or cover abortions.
Catholic Clergy May Not Bless Same-Sex Unions
Earlier this month, the Vatican responded to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless same-sex unions by releasing a formal document stating God “does not and cannot bless sin.”
Approved by Pope Francis, a written answer clarifies that any sexual activity outside of marriage – an indissoluble union of a man and a woman – goes against God’s design. Since gay unions are not intended to be a part of that plan, they cannot be blessed by the church.
The article reinforced that the church would welcome and bless gay people, treating them with respect, compassion, sensitivity and without discrimination.
Israeli Elections
At the time of this writing, Benjamin [Bibi] Netanyahu does not have enough support to form a right-wing majority government. The Israeli election consisted of 13 different parties passing a threshold to hold seats in the Knesset. Each party will join with others in forming coalitions.
The pro-Netanyahu coalition needs 61 seats to form a government, but it looks like they will only have 52 solid seats. The anti-Netanyahu coalition has only 50 seats.
Joel Rosenburg writes in the All Israel News that “all eyes are on an obscure Arab-Israeli political leader named Mansour Abbas and his Ra’am party.” Ra’am, an Islamist political party, is Israel’s equivalent of the Muslim Brotherhood. “Now Netanyahu has a huge decision to make – will he try to persuade Abbas to join his team? If he does, and is successful, that could, in theory, give Bibi 64 seats,” said Rosenburg.
Continue to pray for the uncertain leadership and continued political gridlock in Israel.