| | Florida tells pharmacies not to dispense abortion pill | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Tuesday, Jan. 17, and today's headlines include a Florida agency warning pharmacies not to dispense the abortion pill despite FDA changes, President Joe Biden's comments in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and a teacher in the U.K. that could be permanently banned for "misgendering" a student. | The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration has issued a statement cautioning that pharmacies may not dispense the abortion pill. The statement comes following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's announcement that it has made changes that will allow mifepristone to be dispensed by some pharmacies. The Florida agency cited two state statutes that it says prohibit the abortion pill at pharmacies, with one declaring that "[n]o termination of pregnancy shall be performed at any time except by a [licensed] physician," while the other states that "[i]t is unlawful for any person to perform or assist in performing an abortion on a person, except in an emergency care situation, other than in a validly licensed hospital or abortion clinic or in a physician’s office." The agency further warned that "willfully violating these provisions could result in criminal penalties" and vowed to refer "any evidence of criminal activity" to local law enforcement. Continue reading.Also of Interest ...California flood watch: Death toll rises to 19Pastor, wife sentenced in labor trafficking schemePastor Mike Glenn leaving megachurch to focus on church planting | | P.S.Get rewarded for sharing our newsletters! Sign-up for the CP referral program—the more you share, the more you earn. Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to get started today! |
|
| Listen to the CP Daily Podcast |
|
|
| Biden: The country must decide whether to choose 'love over hate' | | During the annual breakfast commemorating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, President Joe Biden stated that America faces another "inflection point" in history that he believes will determine how the country looks in the future. The event also honored former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and "other national leaders who have kept Dr. King's mission alive." During his speech, Biden stated that it was a "time for choosing" and Americans must decide whether to choose "democracy over autocracy," "community over chaos," and "love over hate." The president also used his time at the podium to tout what he says his administration has done for the African-American community and stated he was ready to work with House Republicans, while also criticizing Republicans for passing a bill he claims benefits the wealthy. Read more. | | More deaths from faith-healing recorded in Idaho as advocates fight to end practice | | Idaho is one of six states in the U.S. where religious exemptions are allowed for negligent homicide, manslaughter or capital murder, but activists in the state are pushing to amend or repeal laws that protect parents from prosecution when they allow their children to die from preventable illnesses by denying them medical care and relying exclusively on prayer and spiritual healing. The nonprofit The Campaign To Protect Idaho Kids indicated during a panel discussion last week that more than 200 children in Idaho have died of preventable illnesses and diseases since a 1972 state law began allowing parents with religious objections to medical treatment to have the legal right to let their children die from medically preventable illnesses. A report from the Idaho Statesman uncovered eight child deaths, including stillbirths, "associated with faith healing since the start of 2020 in Canyon County, where the Followers of Christ’s largest church group is located." The church group shuns western medical practices and believes only in the use of prayer for healing. Causes of death range from food poisoning and diabetes to pneumonia and heart defects, with another report from the Idaho Statesman in 2020 finding 11 faith-healing deaths in the same county during the previous five years. Read more. | | Theologian advises pastors on how to tackle divisive topics | | Theologian and author Andy Naselli took to an online discussion to share tips for pastors on how to address divisive topics with their congregations. Naselli, an associate professor of systematic theology and New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minn., stated that pastors often want to avoid specific topics to protect people who are sensitive to the truth of the Word of God. Noting that "[e]ven in a small group of people, you can't assume that their consciences are all functioning the same way," Naselli advised, "The safest way to do that is to just herald whatever the text of Scripture says and let Scripture help form those consciences and develop them and fix them and correct them and grow them." He also stressed the importance of being a "wise preacher," using tact while also addressing key biblical issues such as the nature of sexuality directly. Read more. |
|
|
| A sanctity of human life month like no other | | Timothy Plan founder Art Ally discusses how this year's Sanctity of Human Life Month is particularly joyous as it comes following the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which resulted in the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Ally stresses the importance of being a voice for the voiceless despite opposition—ensuring that the legal system is no longer abused to justify abortion—and stresses the importance of persuading Americans that abortion is not the answer to an unwanted pregnancy. "We must tell the truth, promote adoption, provide more help to mothers who keep their babies, and shore up marriage, the surest family structure in which a child can thrive," Ally says, adding that it is also crucial that women who have had abortions "know that Jesus offers forgiveness, peace, and new life." Read more. | | The dangers of theological liberalism | | William Wolfe describes the dangers of theological liberalism, noting that "it trades the external, objective, God-given standard of the Bible in matters of faith for an individual’s personal, subjective opinion and experience." Drawing from Gary Dorrien's book on the topic, Wolfe outlines pastor and theologian Kevin DeYoung's list of six characteristics of theological liberalism and discusses how such liberalism denies key doctrines, the truthfulness and reliability of Scripture, and reduces many of the events of the Bible to mere fiction."Theological liberalism represents the 'broad gate' that ultimately leads to destruction. Why? Because it follows in the footsteps of the serpent, who, in the garden planted the deathly seed of doubt in the form of 'Did God really say?'" he cautions. Read more. |
|
|
| UK: Teacher could be banned for 'misgendering' student | | Evangelical Christian teacher Joshua Sutcliffe could be permanently banned from teaching after he was suspended for referring to a biologically female student as a "girl." Sutcliffe was removed from his position at the Cherwell School in Oxfordshire, England, in November 2017 after he allegedly discriminated against a student by stating "well done, girls" when addressing the student's small group during class. Christian Legal Centre reports that Sutcliffe was the focus of a number of allegations by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA)'s conduct panel last week. The group is also reportedly considering comments made by Sutcliffe on his YouTube channel describing the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a "false prophet," and he has also been accused by officials at Cherwell of sharing his opposition to same-sex marriage after he was asked by a student about his views. The hearing could ultimately result in Sutcliffe no longer being allowed to teach in the U.K. Read more. |
|
|
| Ex-CIA agent tells Joe Rogan he wishes he'd raised his kids in church | | Former CIA covert operations officer Mike Baker shared during a recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" that he regrets not raising his three sons in the Church. Reflecting on the benefits of religion, including self-discipline and instilling a "sense of something bigger," Baker expressed hope that maybe later in life his sons will become interested in religion. Rogan's show is the No. 1 most-listened-to-podcast in the United States, averaging 11 million listeners per episode. He's known for discussing hot-button issues and pushing against cancel culture. He praised Matt Walsh's "What is a Woman?" film during an October episode with Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, saying, "You know, you’re marching for women’s rights. But what does that mean? So, if I decide I’m a woman, and I go out, you’re marching for me? I’m a woman now? You can just say it? We can’t have that, that doesn’t make sense." Read more. | | | | | | | | Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! -- CP Editors |
|
|
|
