| | Study: Drop in church attendance drove deaths of despair | | Curated for you byCP Editors | | Good afternoon! It's Thursday, Jan. 19, and today's headlines include research on "deaths of despair" in the late 20th century, a Tenn. church that is asking for prayers following a plane crash that killed four congregants and seriously injured their senior pastor, former President Donald Trump's remarks about Evangelical leaders, and the opening of "The Horse and His Boy" at the Museum of the Bible's World Stage Theater. | | A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research shows that deaths by drugs, alcohol and suicide—known as "deaths of despair"—dramatically increased among middle-aged white Americans in the late 20th century due to lower participation in organized religion that was preceded by a repeal of blue laws that prohibited commercial activities on Sunday. "We know of no other cultural phenomenon involving such large, widespread changes in participation prior to the initial rise in U.S. mortality, nor do we know of any other phenomenon that matches the seemingly idiosyncratic patterns observed for mortality: seen for both men and women, but not in other countries, and in both rural and urban settings, but driven primarily by middle-aged, less educated white individuals," the researchers explained. | | The findings contribute to previous research on deaths of despair, which similarly examined patterns and contributing factors to such deaths. In a 2017 follow-up study to their 2015 research, Princeton University's Anne Case and her Nobel Prize winner husband, Angus Deaton, suggested that poor mortality among middle-aged working-class whites might have been triggered by the "progressively worsening labor market opportunities at the time of entry for whites with low levels of education." Middle-aged white Americans with a high school diploma or less have experienced increasing midlife mortality since the late-1990s due to "deaths of despair," the study said, which also noted a slowdown in progress against death from heart disease and cancer as a contributing factor. Continue reading. | | P.S.Looking for a way to close out your week? Stay in the know with In Case You Missed It, a Friday-only newsletter that features a roundup of the top stories of the week and a selection of faith-based highlights. Subscribe here. |
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| Trump: Evangelical leaders disloyal for not endorsing 2024 run | | Former President Donald Trump condemned what he characterized as "disloyalty" from Evangelical activists who have not endorsed his 2024 presidential bid during a Monday interview on "The Water Cooler with David Brody." The former president addressed the Supreme Court's decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, asserting, "Nobody has ever done more for right-to-life than Donald Trump. I put three Supreme Court justices who all voted, and they got something that they’ve been fighting for … many, many years." Trump also expressed disappointment in Evangelicals and pro-life activists for not doing enough for pro-life candidates in 2022's midterm elections. He previously stated on Truth Social that Republicans' lackluster performance boiled down to the "'abortion issue,' poorly handled by many Republicans, especially those that firmly insisted on No Exceptions, even in the case of Rape, Incest, or Life of the Mother, that lost large numbers of Voters." Read more. | | Tenn. church requests prayers after 4 members killed, pastor injured in plane crash | | Harvest Church, a congregation located in the Memphis, Tenn., suburb of Germantown, is requesting prayers after four members died in a small plane crash. The church's senior pastor was also seriously injured. The single-engine Piper PA-46 plane crashed south of the Yoakum Municipal Airport in Texas, per the Federal Aviation Administration, which reported the plane was "destroyed" in the crash. The church identified the four people killed as Bill Garner, the church’s executive vice president; Steve Tucker, a church elder; and Tyler Patterson and Tyler Springer. "All were beloved members of Harvest Church and their loss currently leaves us without the proper words to articulate our grief," the church said in a statement. Senior Pastor Kennon Vaughan, the only survivor of the crash, "is in stable condition in a Texas hospital." Read more. | | Allie Beth Stuckey blocked by menstrual app over trans tweet | | Podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey said she was blocked on social media by Flo Health, a menstrual-tracking application, after criticizing the platform for allowing men who identify as women to have access to a product where women share "intimate details about their bodies." The application's account tweeted in response to another user on Monday that it "support[s] everyone with periods—regardless of gender." In response to a Wednesday inquiry from CP, Flo Health directed the outlet to its diversity and inclusion statement, which reads, "We know that not all people who menstruate are women, and not all women menstruate. At Flo, we're proud to help everyone navigate through this part of life more easily and with confidence." Read more. |
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| ‘Amazing Grace’ and the abolition of slavery | | Jerry Newcombe discusses the slave trade, the 250th anniversary of "Amazing Grace," and William Wilberforce, the longtime Member of Parliament who was instrumental in ensuring the end of the slave trade in the British Empire. "Wilberforce is a great example of what Jesus can do through those fully committed to Him in whatever position in which He has placed them—when God’s 'amazing grace' gets ahold of a life wholly committed to Him," Newbombe writes. Read more. | | The shortcomings of extroverted pastors and how to overcome them | | Extroverts and introverts both have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to leadership, writes Sam Rainer. In this op-ed, Rainer discusses leadership shortcomings he has observed as an extrovert, including the tendency to talk too much, overshare opinions, and assume every group needs to be large. Rainer also offers tips for overcoming these shortcomings, including learning to stop talking and ask more questions instead of giving opinions. Read more. |
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| Christian NHL player refuses to join team’s LGBT pride celebration | | Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to take part in his team's LGBT pride night commemoration on Tuesday, citing his Christian faith. The player, who willingly sat out as his team members engaged in pregame warmups and a pride celebration as part of the team's effort to show solidarity with the LGBT community, joined his team members on the ice after the warmups and played against the Anaheim Ducks. The Flyers won 5-2. "I respect everybody, and I respect everybody’s choices," the Russian Orthodox Christian told reporters after the game. "My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion." Read more. |
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| Amy Grant on same-sex wedding controversy: 'I love those brides' | | Contemporary Christian singer Amy Grant issued a statement published by People Magazine this week defending her decision to host her niece’s same-sex wedding at her farm after some Christian leaders criticized the move as an endorsement of sin. "I love my family, I love those brides. They’re wonderful, our family is better, and you should be able to be who you are with your family, and be loved by them," the "Breath of Heaven" singer stated, adding that her family saw her niece’s sexual orientation as "a gift to our whole family to just widen the experience of our whole family." She explained that she viewed her support for the LGBT community as consistent with the fact that Jesus "narrowed it down to two things: love God and love each other." In an op-ed published by The Christian Post last month, author and ministry leader Larry Tomczak expressed his belief that Grant was hosting the same-sex marriage at her farm "sincerely as a goodwill gesture" while raising questions about "what it communicates." The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Franklin Graham also took issue with Grant’s decision, writing in a Dec. 18 Facebook post, "Yes, we are to love God and love each other. But if we love God, we will seek to obey His Word. Jesus told us, ‘If you love Me, keep my commandments’ (John 14:15)." Read more. | | 'The Horse and His Boy' opens at Museum of the Bible | | The stage production of "The Horse and His Boy," based on C.S. Lewis' bestselling book of the same name, opens at the Museum of the Bible's World Stage Theater on Friday. The production, from the Logos Theatre, in association with the C.S. Lewis Company Limited, features life-size puppets, intricate costumes and a script true to the story penned by one of the most beloved authors in history. It is set to run from Jan. 20 through March 3, with four American Sign Language shows taking place on Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 15-16. In an interview with CP, director Nicole Stratton explained that she consulted with Lewis' stepson, Douglas Gresham, who put his stamp of approval on the production, saying it was the best Narnia adaptation he'd ever seen on the stage. Though considered a children’s book, The Horse and His Boy tackles some difficult topics, including suicide ideation and depression, and deep themes like redemption and hope. Tickets to C.S. Lewis’ "The Horse and His Boy" are available now by clicking here or by visiting Museum of the Bible. For a limited time, audiences can use the code OPENING to save 15% off their ticket purchase. Read more. | | | | | | | | Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow! -- CP Editors |
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