The Weekly is a rundown of news by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission highlighting the week’s top news stories from the public square and providing commentary on the big issues of our day.

Ten Good News Stories from 2017 You Might Have Missed

While 2017 has been a year of controversies, division, and tragedies, there were also a number of positive development that have occurred. Here are ten that you might not have heard about:

1. The world has made great progress in eradicating extreme poverty

Since then the number of people in absolute poverty has fallen by about 1bn and the number of non-poor people has gone up by roughly 4bn. By 2013, the most recent year for which reliable data exist, just 10.7% of the world’s population was poor (the modern yardstick for destitution is that a person consumes less than $1.90 a day at 2011 purchasing-power parity). 

2. Congress Overturned a Rule that Forced States to Fund Planned Parenthood

Vice President Pence cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to allow that gives individual states more leeway in how they disperse Title X funding. Because of this change, states like Texas and Florida will be able to prevent organizations that provide abortions, like Planned Parenthood, from qualifying for this particular federal grant.

3. NAMB's Annie Armstrong Offering hits all-time high

The 2017 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions hit a record high: $59,648,377. NAMB President Kevin Ezell celebrated with NAMB staff during a meeting in October and thanked Southern Baptists who sacrificially gave so that the mission can go forward in North America.

4. Pro-life tsunami floods state legislatures

Pro-life leaders say a nationwide surge in optimism is driving the wave of pro-life bills already introduced in the first few weeks of this year’s state legislative sessions. The nearly 50 new bills include bans on dismemberment abortions and any procedure after 20 weeks gestation, fetal burial requirements, and bills that would defund Planned Parenthood.

5. Ohio passes Down syndrome abortion ban

Pro-life advocates are applauding the Ohio legislature's passage of a bill to ban abortions of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome.

6. Crime rates continue to fall 

Data from the 30 largest US cities shows that the annual murder rate in 2017 will decline 5.6 percent from 2016, reports the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. Among the cities with the largest decreases: Chicago (down 11.9 percent) and Detroit (down 9.8 percent). “Once again crime rates remain near historic lows. This is welcome news as 2017 comes to an end...,” said Ames Grawert, counsel at the Brennan Center.

7. The oceans could be free of plastic debris by 2050

The Ocean Cleanup's models indicate that a full-scale system roll-out could clean up 50% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 5 years. Research shows the majority of plastic by mass is currently in the larger debris. By removing the plastic while most of it is still large, we prevent it from breaking down into dangerous microplastics. Combining the cleanup with source reduction on land paves the road towards a plastic free ocean by 2050.

8. Scientists may have found a way to stop cancer from metastasizing

Metastasis is the main cause of death in cancer, and current treatments against it are ineffective. But new research may have found a way to slow down, and perhaps even halt, the spread of cancer cells.

9. Supreme Court backs church in an important religious liberty case

The Court ruled that blocking a church daycare from receiving generally available state funding is unconstitutional and that churches cannot be excluded from public benefits simply because they are religious.

10. President Trump Issues Executive Order on Religious Liberty

In May President Trump signed an executive order on Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.” The first section of this executive order announces the Trump administration’s intent when it comes to executive policy to vigorously enforce Federal law’s robust protections for religious freedom.” Federal law protects the freedom of Americans and their organizations to exercise religion and participate fully in civic life without undue interference by the Federal Government,” says the order. The executive branch will honor and enforce those protections.”

This week on ERLC podcasts: Daniel Darling talks to Bob Lepine, host of Family Life Today, about marriage and family. On the Capitol Conversations podcast, Matt Hawkins and Travis Wussow talk to Lauren and Michael McAfee about the Museum of the Bible. And on the new ERLC podcast series, “How to Handle,” Trillia Newbell talks to Kimberly Wagner about thriving through marriage struggles.

Other Issues

American Culture

The Environmental Cost of Internet Porn
Matt Kessler, The Atlantic

So many people watch porn online that the industry’s carbon footprint might be worse now that it was in the days of DVDs and magazines.

New York City is on track to have its lowest number of murders ever
Jeva Lange, The Week

Just 286 people have been murdered in New York City in 2017, putting the Big Apple on track to have its lowest number of homicides since good recordkeeping began, The New York Times reports.

Norma McCorvey: The Woman Who Became ‘Roe’—Then Regretted It
Joshua Prager, Politico

Norma McCorvey had little more to her name than a pseudonym. But it was the most famous pseudonym in American legal history: Jane Roe.

Survey: A third of men admit to behavior in the past year that could qualify as sexual harassment
Jeva Lange, The Week

Approximately a third of men who work full time admitted to behavior in the past year that could be considered objectionable or sexual harassment, a survey by Morning Consult and The New York Times has found.

Bioethics

New Data Confirm Pro-Life Concerns about Obamacare
Michael J. New & Tessa Longbons , The Corner

In 2009 and 2010, Beltway pro-life groups received a great deal of criticism for their strong opposition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Pro-lifers argued that some provisions of the ACA could compromise the conscience rights of employers and might result in greater taxpayer subsidies for abortion, but not everyone agreed.

Big Victory for Abortion Pill Reversal Training in California
Jay Hobbs, The Daily Signal

Facing intense political pressure from abortion activists, a major licensing agency stood its ground earlier this month and delivered a major victory for women facing unexpected pregnancies throughout the nation.

International Issues

India tightens Christmas security after Christians attacked
Associated Press

Christians and others in India celebrated Christmas despite fears of an anti-Christian backlash in some parts of the predominantly Hindu country.

Development aid in Africa is flowing to the rich in urban areas and not the poor
Abdi Latif Dahir, Quartz

The role of aid in Africa has been a controversial issue over the years, with economists like Dambisa Moyo even arguing against it, due to questions surfacing around its effectiveness in economic growth and poverty reduction.

Religious Liberty

Johnson Amendment Repeal Removed from Final GOP Tax Bill
Kate Shellnut, Christianity Today

Trump promise to let churches make political endorsements blocked by Senate rule.

Christian Student Organization Sues University of Iowa Over Anti-Discrimination Rule
Howard Friedman, Religion Clause

A Christian student organization, Business Leaders in Christ, brought suit yesterday against the University of Iowa challenging the University's de-registration of the organization.