News
Report: Many ‘Recyclables’ Mislabeled, End Up in Landfill
While an increasing number of products bear a recycling symbol, once consumers use the item and place it into a recycling bin, it often ends up in a landfill or is incinerated, a report said.
Baptists Cooperate to Spread Gospel Message in Turkey
As they learn skills in management and leadership, Turkish Baptists are working together to make Christ known among needy people in Turkey and are dedicated to social work among Iranian and Syrian refugees.
South Sudanese Baptists Meet Needs of Fellow Refugees
With peace elusive and a return home uncertain, South Sudanese Baptist refugees have been meeting the needs of their fellow refugees in neighboring countries, providing food, shelter and education for children and youth.
Gathering Builds Bridge Between Middle East Christians, Muslims
The Middle East Consultation, organized by the Institute of Middle East Studies, helps equip participants to respond in prophetic and Christ-like ways to the many challenges facing Christians and Muslims in and beyond the Middle East.
Millions Die, Billions Lost in Productivity from Fossil Fuel Pollution
About 4.5 million people die prematurely each year due to health issues connected to the burning of fossil fuels, a report said, including 200,000 who die in the US alone and 40,000 children globally who die before age 5.
Reaction and Response: Global CO2 Emissions Stable in 2019
Global carbon dioxide emissions remained stable in 2019 after two years of increases. While several faith leaders were cautiously optimistic, they acknowledged much work is still ahead to reign in carbon emissions.
More Mainline Protestant Pastors Affirm Same-Sex Marriage
Nearly half of mainline Protestant pastors agree ‘nothing [is] wrong with two people of the same gender getting married,’ a Lifeway report found. Meanwhile, evangelical pastors’ support remains unchanged at 8%.
No Religious Tests Allowed, but Religion Influences US Voters
The Constitution prohibits religious tests for public office, but a candidate’s religion is still a significant factor in US voting patterns, a report said. About one-third said they would not vote for Muslims or atheists.
Obesity Responsible for 4 Million Global Deaths Annually
Obesity’s prevalence has increased threefold since 1975, rising in all nations and with the most notable increases taking place in rural areas. Nearly half the world is now considered obese or overweight, a report said.
Reaction and Response: Logsdon Seminary Closing
The abrupt shuttering of Logsdon Seminary at Hardin-Simmons University in Texas on Feb. 7 left alumni, students and faculty with feelings ranging from shock to disappointment, from confusion to grief.
Less than 5% of Refugee Resettlement Needs Met in 2019
As the Trump administration cuts the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the US, less than 64,000 of the 1.4 million refugees considered top priorities in 2019 were actually relocated globally, a UN agency reported.
Good Faith Media Formed by EthicsDaily, Nurturing Faith
A new, expansive faith-based media company will emerge in June 2020, combining the resources of two independent, national nonprofit organizations into a new entity called Good Faith Media.
Women’s Rights, Opportunities in Global Workforce Lag Behind Men
While women’s employment rights and prospects have improved overall, significant hindrances remain in many countries, as women are only granted around 75% of the rights men have in the global workforce, a report said.
White Evangelical Support for Trump Remains Strong in 2020
White evangelicals, who overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump for president in 2016, continue to do so, a report found, with 76% saying they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ vote for him again in this year’s election.
Educational Opportunity Correlates to Longer Life Expectancy
The level of education a student attains is one of the most ‘powerful predictors’ of life expectancy, a report found. Educational opportunity contributed to 6% of the difference in life expectancy between neighborhoods.
Highest High School Dropout Rates in Southern, Western US
The states with the highest high school dropout rates, with one exception, are located in the southern and western U.S., a report revealed. Louisiana had the highest dropout rate at 9.6%.
Most US Protestant Churches Have Active Shooter Plans
Nearly two-thirds of Protestant churches in the U.S. now have active shooter plans, a LifeWay report found, and nearly half of pastors said their churches have armed members.
2 Key Challenges Face Worldwide Labor Force
Two key challenges facing laborers around the world are underutilization and inequality, a report says, with 13% of the world’s labor force, or 470 million people, underutilized, twice the global unemployment rate.
Vast Majority of US Churchgoers Satisfied with Sermons
Nearly nine out of 10 churchgoers said they were very or somewhat satisfied with sermons they hear in their places of worship, a Pew report said. Protestants were more likely than Catholics to express satisfaction.
Republicans, Protestants, 55-Plus Want Stricter Abortion Laws
Republicans, Protestants and adults 55 and older are the most likely groups to want stricter US abortion laws, a Gallup report found. Republicans had the greatest disparity: 42% want stricter laws and only 6% less strict.
More Than Half-Million Homeless in 2019 Real-Time Count
More than a half-million people experienced homelessness during an annual point-in-time count conducted in January 2019, a government report said, representing roughly 17 out of every 10,000 people in the US.
Christians Declined Slightly as Percent of Global Population
The number of Christians as a percentage of the global population declined ever so slightly over the past 20 years, continuing a century-long trend that’s expected to reverse course in the decades to come, a study says.
High Levels of Christian Persecution Increased 6% in 2019
Christians experiencing high levels of persecution rose 6% in 2019 to 260 million persons, a report said. The nations where Christians face the highest persecution are North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya and Pakistan.
Pope: Center Public Policy on Humanity, Not Power and Profits
Public policy should place humans, not power and profits, at the center of its considerations. That was Pope Francis’ message to participants at this year’s World Economic Forum.
41% of Pastors: Evangelism Will Hasten Christ’s Return
Protestant pastors in the U.S. are more likely to connect evangelistic efforts, rather than involvement in geo-politics, with hastening the return of Christ, a LifeWay report found.
Few Christians Feel Responsible for Helping Discriminated People
Given six possible choices, more than one out of five practicing Christians in the US feel a personal responsibility to help others facing discrimination, a Barna report said.
Garment, Footwear Supply Chains Becoming More Transparent
A growing number of garment and footwear manufacturers are disclosing details about their supply chains. Since 2016, the number of companies publishing info online about their top-tier factories has tripled, a report says.
World Facing ‘Double Burden’ Regarding Malnutrition
Malnutrition presents a ‘double burden’ as nations struggle to address both undernourishment and obesity at the same time, a report said. Up to one-third of lower- and middle-income nations struggle with this dual burden.
Capital Punishment Sentences, Executions Decline in 2019
The number of executions and new capital punishment sentences approached all-time lows in 2019, a report said. The 22 people executed in 2019 are 76 less than the all-time high of 98 in 1999.
Nurses Top Gallup Honesty List Again; Clergy Stay Near Middle
Nurses in the U.S. continue to receive high marks for honesty and ethics, a Gallup poll found, marking the 18th year in a row that the nursing profession has topped Gallup’s list.