1. "The Supreme Court’s surprising decision on churches and the pandemic, explained: Nevada churches brought an unusually strong challenge to the state’s public health rules, but they lost anyway."
Calvary Chapel involved a Nevada public health order governing which businesses and institutions are able to remain open during the pandemic, and under what terms these institutions may do so. According to that order, churches may not admit more than 50 people at the same time. Yet other institutions, such as casinos, breweries, bowling allies, and gyms, may operate at 50 percent capacity.
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As Justice Samuel Alito writes in an unusually persuasive dissenting opinion, “for Las Vegas casinos, 50% capacity often means thousands of patrons, and the activities that occur in casinos frequently involve far less physical distancing and other safety measures than the worship services that Calvary Chapel proposes to conduct.” Significantly, it also appears that casinos are allowed to host auditorium-style events with a greater capacity than the 50-person limit imposed on churches. According to Alito, some casinos currently feature “not only gambling but live circus acts and shows.”
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The five justices in the majority, moreover, did not explain their votes in Calvary Chapel. Rather, the majority disposed of this case in a one-sentence order: “The application for injunctive relief presented to Justice Kagan and by her referred to the Court is denied.”
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Unlike his fellow Republican justices, in other words, Roberts appears to believe that courts have a particularly strong duty to defer to democratically accountable officials during an historic public health crisis.
Related: "John MacArthur Defies State Restrictions on Worship; Says Compliance is 'Disobedience'"
2. "Christian abortion critics urge Dems to change platform"
A group of more than 100 Christian pastors, religion professors and other advocates is urging the Democratic National Committee to adopt a party platform that’s friendlier to abortion opponents.
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Among the signatories of the letter are the Rev. Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition and a member of former President Barack Obama’s faith-based advisory council; and John DeBerry, a longtime Tennessee state representative and pastor who was recently removed from the Democratic primary ballot due in part to votes against the party’s position.
3. "Ted Yoho resigns from board of Christian organization after clash with AOC"
In a statement, Bread for the World said it sought Yoho's resignation "as an action that reaffirms our commitment to coming alongside women and people of color, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world." The organization thanked him for his commitment "to expanding opportunity for men, women, and children around the world," according to the Associated Press.
4. "These Evangelical Women Are Abandoning Trump and Their Churches: The #MeToo movement, pandemic, and protests for racial justice have divided the evangelical community from their strongman"
On November 2, 2016, Loveland was among the minority of evangelical voters who did not vote for Donald Trump. That election result was cataclysmic for her. It “ground me into dust spiritually,” she says. Loveland saw clearly an underlying assumption among her congregation that men should be in charge, that they would protect the women. She realized evangelicalism was no longer the place for her.
Loveland and her family left their evangelical church and spent months looking for another congregation in Helena — one with female leadership. In the interim, when she posted on Facebook about immigration or the Trump administration’s immorality, she noticed her old youth pastor from her Baptist church in Wyoming would comment on her posts, castigating her. “He has no interest in my spirituality. His whole role in my life is to be my Facebook troll,” she said.
5. "The Washington Post settles lawsuit with Nick Sandmann after viral March for Life controversy"