PODCASTS

Tag: #FaithUnderFire

Gender, Sports, the First Amendment – Faith Under Fire – 3/21/24

Gender, Sports, the First Amendment – Faith Under Fire – 3/21/24

Gender, Sports, Parental Rights, and the First Amendment – “Faith Under Fire”

A small Christian school has sued its state sports association, after the Vermont Principals Association evicted the school’s teams  from the group. The Mid Vermont Christian School’s girls basketball team forfeited a state tournament game, rather than play an opposing team which included a 6-foot tall player who was born male.

Attorney Jake Reed says the forfeit which ended a successful sports season was a sharp punishment in and of itself, but the statewide group retaliated by forbidding that school from all participation in any other sport (and academic competitions) sponsored by the association. Mid Vermont is also out of a state tuition program, taking away advantages for students and families.

This brought a First-Amendment lawsuit, and the next hearing in the case happens in April. Greg Gillispie asked Reed about matters or parental rights and recent trends on how courts have been ruling in transgender cases and allegations of bias against people of faith.

Jacob Reed is an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal organization which takes on cases related to religious freedom, marriage and family, free speech and the sanctity of life. His emphasis with ADF often centers on schools, students and educational matters.

Details of this specific case can be found here and here.

These are the links to the school and to the state association.

Diversity of viewpoints on a SUNY campus (an update) – 3/14/24

Diversity of viewpoints on a SUNY campus (an update) – 3/14/24

Faith Under Fire” from Family Life

A reversal by campus leadership will now allow a group of conservative students to receive official recognition for their local chapter of Turning Point USA at SUNY/Cortland. The student senate there had initially vetoed approval of Turning Point as a campus organization. However, a First Amendment lawsuit was filed, claiming that the senate had discriminated against the students’ Constitutionally-protected viewpoints and that opponents had launched a planned assault on the students bringing a petition for consideration. According to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the petitioners endured 100 minutes of questioning and demeaning responses from student senators and a philosophy professor. Students Gabriella Delorenzo and Megan Rothmund next took there concerns to the college president. Erik Bitterbaum warned that they would likely be denied again, telling them, “We silence voices all the time in this country. That’s the tragedy and also the greatness of democracy.”

A review committee at the State University of New York school reversed the rejection, giving the Turning Point chapter the same rights and privileges of other officially-sanctioned campus organizations.

In this exclusive Family Life interview, ADF attorney Matthew Hoffman gives background on this specific lawsuit (which as of now continues to be pending, as ADF wishes to assure that SUNY/Cortland’s policies protect a full range of viewpoints in future decisions). Hoffman, who also works with ADF’s Center for Academic Freedom, also offers his perspectives on freedom of speech and thought on campus and in the culture, and the danger that officials who try to shut down or punish prominent groups and speakers also have a “chilling effect” on others who agree with divergent viewpoints.

 

For more information:

The Alliance Defending Freedom:  ADFlegal.org

Specifics on the case and SUNY’s two actions:  adflegal.org/case/turning-point-usa-suny-cortland-v-cortland-college-student-association

Matthew Hoffman:  biography

Turning Point USA:  national website

SUNY/Cortland:  Student Government Association

Family Life News has also reached out to SUNY officials for their comments.

An Update from the PA Prolife Movement – 2/29/24

An Update from the PA Prolife Movement – 2/29/24

An Update from the PA Prolife Movement

A prolife leader in Pennsylvania says abortions happen 34,000 times annually in Pennsylvania, but that the number is decreasing.

Maria Gallagher of PA Prolife Federation says that has abortion providers seeking more funding from government coffers, to make up for lost revenue. Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration has reclassified a longtime budget item which supported agencies which offer alternatives to abortion, but that money now goes to businesses that provide abortions and abortion pills.

Gallagher says the general public can speak up to their leaders in the executive and legislative branches about whether citizens support the use of tax money to end these pregnancies.

In this interview, she also speaks about ways that care centers provide encouragement, perspectives and resources to women — during a pregnancy and after a baby is born.

 

 

 

 

We began and ended the month with interviews with Maria Gallagher. Click the link below for our earlier conversation with her about a state Supreme Court ruling that had just happened. A lower court chose not to hear a Planned Parenthood lawsuit seeking to open more Pennsylvania Medicaid funding for more abortions. The high court narrowly determined the suit had enough merit to be decided by the Commonwealth Court.

Faith Under Fire – PA Prolife – Maria Gallagher – 2/01/24

“Faith Under Fire” is the Thursday Family Life News Feature which explores governmental, judicial and social controversies which impact the lives of New Yorkers, Pennsylvanians and others. Previous editions — on a full range of topics — are always available from FamilyLife.org and on most podcast hosting services … look for “Family Life News”.

 

Campus Ministry – Positive Impact for Today’s Young Adults – 2/22/24

Campus Ministry – Positive Impact for Today’s Young Adults – 2/22/24

Christian outreach and support for today’s young adults has transformed — yet again.

The unique needs and perspectives of this generation of college students has shaped how campus ministries are doing their work. Today on Family Life, we hear from Mike Andrews, Impact Ministry’s campus pastor at Penn State Altoona.

Andrews tells us about how the most significant impact which meets students where their lives are is primarily in small groups and Bible studies. Even for young people who have never had experiences in a church — or who have wandered away from an earlier faith — he says a hallmark of this generation is an openness to talk about deep core values and to explore spiritual issues.

Greg Gillispie also asks Andrews to give guidance to local church leaders on effective ways to shape youth ministries and to encourage the children of the church to plug into campus ministries if they go away to school.

For more information:

  • The ImpacttheU website
  • A promotional video to show high school and college students

 

 

 

Choices toward planning for college – 2/15/24

Choices toward planning for college – 2/15/24

This is the time of year when many college-bound students are finalizing applications for which school they intend to go to in the fall.

Also at issue: how to pay for higher education, whether that is for incoming first-year students or those who are already at a college or university.

For advice on the decision-making processes, we sought the perspective of President Wayne Lewis of Houghton University in Houghton, New York. In this Family Life Interview, you will hear:

  • How the federal delays in this year’s one-application for financial aid computations (the online FAFSA form) has affected students, families and the schools — and best “next steps to take”
  • Timelines for applying to your preferred school(s), when financial aid determinations are made, and when someone can change their mind about which college to attend
  • How current students are great resources for sorting out where a new student can attend a place which fits them — whether they are liberal or conservative or moderate, whether they are Christian or not
  • The difference being colleges which teach their students “to think” versus places which teach students “what to think”

Faith Under Fire – PA Prolife – Maria Gallagher – 2/01/24

Faith Under Fire – PA Prolife – Maria Gallagher – 2/01/24

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court this week, by a narrow 4-3 vote, ruled that a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood is to be heard by a lower court. At issue is a question about whether Pennsylvania can restrict the state’s Medicaid funds only to pay for the abortions which are directly related to situations of rape, incest, or if the pregancy is a risk to the mother’s life. The dominant provider of abortions contends that Pennsylvania’s Medicaid policies over the past 20 years unconstitutionally harm the “rights” of poorer people.

The Commonwealth Court trial has not happened to decide the issue; the Supreme Court majority merely ruled that the case must be tried.

For an interpretation and perspectives on the case and its related issues, Family Life news producer Greg Gillispie spoke Monday with Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the PA Prolife Federation.

 

You can find more about PA Prolife’s work beyond this one court case on their website.

 

 

Faith Under Fire – A local take on pro-life/pro-abortion debates – 1/25/24

Faith Under Fire – A local take on pro-life/pro-abortion debates – 1/25/24

As the abortion industry and many politicians look to put abortion into state constitutions, many in the pro-life movement seek to redefine the debate.

Christina Fadden is president of Syracuse Right to Life. The day after the National March for Life in DC, that group and its partners held a local rally and March for the Onandaga County region. The Syracuse March (held Saturday, January 20) is the longest-running march in New York State.

In this Family Life interview leading up to that event, Fadden talks about the “right” to have an abortion, and how that belief system has become embedded in many people’s thoughts and much of the media coverage. Local groups are working to clarify and correct the terms, so that people go beyond a “right to choose” and more toward “human rights” for everyone, including unborn children.

Additional information:

 

Faith Under Fire – Long-term Lessons for Churches – 1/18/24

Faith Under Fire – Long-term Lessons for Churches – 1/18/24

What lessons learned during the “Covid Era” will help congregations thrive into the new future?

We have a return visit from Allison Norton of the Covid Religion Research Project, which is in the third year of a five-year study of 15,000 American congregations. In this new conversation Norton addresses how congregations are poised to either return to pre-pandemic patterns or use their relatively recent discoveries as springboards into faithful ministries.

There are divergent contexts in particular congregations and faith communities. Some are finding exhaustion and frustration are nudging people back toward wanting former programs and patterns. Norton says, though, and churches’ challenges from pre-2020 continue to happen. Other churches are maintaining some of the innovation and experimentation which Covid lockdowns forced upon them. She gives an example of a congregation which has had success with the elimination of large weekly worship events.

The research has found one key factor which is determining congregational health and vitality for current times and moving forward from here: whether or not there is an attitude of optimism.

Allison Norton is a faculty research associate for Hartford International University, based in Connecticut. She also directs the Pastoral Innovation Network of New England (PINNE).

This Lilly-funded study continues through 2025, taking surveys across various denominational and non-denominational churches, and doing in-depth analysis of church change since 2020. Reports, research results and recommendations are on the project’s social media and website: CovidReligionResearch.org , Facebook , X/Twitter , Newsletter

Congregational leaders and denominational networks can use these resources to foster ongoing evaluation, discussion and planning.

 

In addition to this podcast, you also can listen to our first interview with Allison Norton. That topic centered on how churches have rebounded short-term after however many months or years of shutdown, change and trying new methods.

Faith Under Fire – Christians support for the Jewish State – 01/11/24

Faith Under Fire – Christians support for the Jewish State – 01/11/24

“We have to understand that this is a SPIRITUAL battle, expressed in a MILITARY attack.”

— Susan Michael, on the October 7, 2023, attacks made against the nation of Israel

This week is the 13th week since Hamas militants poured across Israel’s southern border — killing, assaulting and kidnapping citizens of Israel and other nations.

This week, Greg Gillispie interview Susan Michael, the USA director of International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. That ministry is praying for and offering tangible forms of support and relief in the Middle East. Some 300,000 citizens and settlers there have fled their homes in these three months, to escape the violence and threats.

ICEJ is also active to address the growing anti-Jewish rhetoric and threats to Jews everywhere.

Michael says Christians — individually and through their churches — need to boldly and confidently speak out against antisemitic violence, demonstrations and hatred. In this “Faith Under Fire” feature, she offers three practical steps which people of faith can undertake, wherever they live.  

This conversation referred to websites such as these:

  • IsraelAnswers.com: Ways for Christians and non-Christians to respond to propaganda which fails to tell the truth about Jews or the nation of Israel
  • Stop Antisemitism:  Action steps to battle against demostrations, protests and threats against America’s Jewish communities
  • Prayer Initiative: The call for the world to pray in these spiritual, cross-cultural, and military battles
  • icejusa.org: The main website of ICEJ, including the 30-year history of this groups active support of Israel and Israelis
Faith Under Fire – Post-Covid Rebounds – 01/04/24

Faith Under Fire – Post-Covid Rebounds – 01/04/24

A five-year research project on congregational vitality began just before the Covid shutdowns began in 2020. (The timing gives informative snapshots of the effect of the closing of church buildings, and the move of church life to electronic connections. It also gives us a long-view of how congregations have rebounded, and why some churches are seeing grow in the new era.)

That research has data from across the U.S. on how local churches fared during the pandemic, and analysis on how congregations have bounced back. Although local situations obviously vary, the national average is that overall worship attendance has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels. When those who worship online or through social media are included, the average church which offers at least one virtual option is seeing increased participation.

Allison Norton of Hartford International University joins Family Life to talk about the Religion Research Project, how various kinds of congregations are faring now, and what lessons church leaders can take from the Covid era, and what “next steps” seem to be most effective for churches and church networks.

Allison Norton is a faculty associate at Hartford International, and oversees its Covid Religion Research project.

She also directs the Pastoral Innovation Network of New England.

The Covid Religion Research website offers insights from this survey of 15,000 congregations, a research library, and information guides for congregational and denominational leaders. You will find those resources here. The Lilly-funded project also offers a newsletter for past results and future updates.

 

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