News
Despite COVID-19 Crisis, Border Pastors Minister to Refugees
Pastors who comprise Fellowship Southwest’s ministry to asylum-seekers along the U.S.-Mexico border spent almost two hours discussing their work with refugees while living in the shadow of COVID-19.
Good Faith Weekly Podcast Launches Ahead of Schedule
Originally scheduled to begin in June with the launch of Good Faith Media (GFM), a new podcast – Good Faith Weekly – launched earlier than planned, providing coverage and commentary regarding the global pandemic.
Fellowship Southwest Pastor Stays in Mexico to Help Refugees
Lorenzo Ortiz, a Texas pastor who operates three immigrant shelters in Mexico, stayed in Mexico when the US and Mexican governments closed the border to all ‘nonessential’ travel at midnight on March 21 to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Progress on Gender Inequality Remains Uneven, UN Says
Twenty-five years after one of the most progressive blueprints for women’s rights was passed, progress remains uneven and, in some cases, has even reversed. It’s time to push back against the pushback, a UN official said.
Conflict, State Fragility Are Key Drivers of Extreme Poverty
Even as extreme poverty has been on the decline globally, nearly two-thirds of the world’s poor will be concentrated in economies experiencing conflict, state fragility or both by 2030, a report said.
Religious Beliefs Cited to Discriminate Against Women, LGBTQ
Religious beliefs are being used to justify discrimination around the world, a UN report found. Women, girls and LGBTQIA+ persons are most often the focus of religiously justified discrimination.
White Evangelicals Outpace General Public in Trump Support
Diverging from the national average, the number of white evangelical Protestants in the US with positive views of President Trump as honest and morally upstanding remains significantly higher than the public, a report said.
Nearly 2M in US Live Within 3 Miles of High Toxic Emissions
Around 1.6 million people live within three miles of the US’s top 100 toxic emission facilities, which produce 39% of all toxic emissions in the nation, a report said. Nearly 170,000 live within a mile of these facilities.
Tickets Now Available for ‘Good Faith After Hours’ in June
Good Faith Media, a new media company being formed by Nurturing Faith and EthicsDaily, is hosting an after-hours event this summer during the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s General Assembly 2020.
Public Opinion Varies Widely on Religious Freedom’s Value
With over two-thirds of respondents in 34 nations calling it ‘very important,’ freedom of religion is among the most highly valued rights globally, but public appreciation varies widely between nations, a report said.
‘Brother Molly’ Podcast Preview Now Available
Born into a legacy of Baptist frontier preachers, Molly T. Marshall blazed her own trail across the 20th and 21st centuries. A preview of a six-episode podcast about her life and work is available now from EthicsDaily.com.
Reaction and Response | Incremental Education Hikes Not Enough
Although nationwide revenues and expenses for public education in the US are on a four-year upward trend, several teachers and education experts said more must be done to invest in our nation’s children.
CDC: With Obesity Rising, Nearly Half of US Adults Now Obese
Nearly half of US adults are obese, the CDC says. Obesity has been rising over the past decade, with 40- to 59-year-olds as the age group with the highest obesity level, and men slightly more likely than women to be obese.
Reaction and Response: Report Details L’Arche Founder’s Wrongs
The late founder of L’Arche International, Jean Vanier, ‘engaged in manipulative sexual relationships with at least six adult … woman,’ an inquiry found. Faith leaders called Vanier’s actions manipulative and horrifying.
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%.