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The Weekly is a highlight of the work the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is doing to strengthen you and our churches for God’s glory.

Explainer: New York removes barriers to abortion

What just happened?

On Tuesday, the 46th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade decision, the New York legislature passed the Reproductive Health Act, a law that significantly expands abortion rights and removes protections for women and children.

The Assembly passed the legislation 92-47 while the Senate passed the measure 38-24. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on Tuesday evening.

What changes are made in the new law?

The Reproductive Health Act makes the following changes to New York state law:

Removes abortion from the criminal code: A 1970 law made third-trimester abortions a matter of criminal law. Under Section 125.00 of the penal law “homicide” was defined as “conduct which causes the death of a person or an unborn child with which a female has been pregnant for more than twenty-four weeks.” The Reproductive Health Act removes the language as it applies to unborn children.

This Week at the ERLC

Russell Moore was featured in National Review this week, writing about international religious liberty. Read his article, “As Pope Francis Heads to U.A.E., Christian Family Faces Nightmare in Dubai Sharia Court.”

What You Need to Know

There’s hope among many that because we have another conservative judge on the Supreme Court, significant pro-life steps might be taken in the future. Palmer Williams addresses this and writes about the case(s) that could determine the next SCOTUS abortion ruling. Read her updates here.

The Supreme Court convened last week at the same time as the March for Life and ERLC’s Evangelicals for Life 2019. There continued to be significant buzz about whether Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey could be overturned in the near future by the next abortion-related case to reach the Supreme Court. If Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, then it would be up to state governments to determine the legality and regulations on abortion throughout our country.

A significant controversy broke out in the shadow of the March for Life last week. Jason Thacker writes about the social media and new disaster that followed and the need for Christians to lead the way in pursuing civility. Read about it on our site.

James 1:19 reminds us that, even in our technologically-rich world, Christians have the responsibility and mandate from the Lord to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” The wisdom found in this text reminds us that we, as creatures, do not know everything and that our desire to speak quickly to public issues can lead us in ways that dishonor the Lord and betray the humanity of our neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39).

Casey B. Hough and Dan Darling comment on the latest shaming tactics aimed at Christian orthodoxy and the public square, this time involving Karen Pence, Second Lady of the United States. Read their take here.

The First Amendment of the United States grants all religious people the right to live out their faith. They have not simply been granted the right of conscience. They have been granted the right of free exercise. Furthermore, this right, while enshrined in the First Amendment, does not originate from mankind. Religious liberty is not fundamentally an artifact of the Enlightenment. Religious liberty is deeply rooted in humanity’s relationship with God. God has made man and woman in his image, and they are supremely accountable to him as his creatures.

News From Capitol Hill

Each January, the ERLC publishes a legislative agenda to outline the issues and policies we will focus on in our work on Capitol Hill to serve Southern Baptists and advance the common good.
The 116th Congress commenced in the middle of a partial government shutdown, perhaps serving as an indication of the kind of gridlock and political posturing that will characterize the next two years. Last year’s midterm elections resulted in a divided Congress with a Democratic-led House and a Republican-led Senate. While Washington remains deeply divided along partisan lines, there were glimmers of bipartisanship on a number of issues in 2018 such as reforming our criminal justice system and curbing online sex trafficking.

Featured Podcasts

The ERLC hosted its Evangelicals for Life conference last week ahead of the annual March for Life. On the Capitol Conversations podcast, Jeff Pickering, Steven Harris, Chelsea Sobolik, and Lauren Konkol reflect on the keynotes heard, panel discussions enjoyed, and the constituent advocacy meetings the team hosted on Capitol Hill. Listen here.

Every day, another millennial becomes an adult. For many, the transition can be a bumpy one. The clear expectations they had at home or in school are gone, and they may feel unprepared to face adult life. Jonathan "JP" Pokluda joins Dan Darling on The Way Home podcast to share insights from the Bible on adulting, as well as many other topics. Join the discussion here.

From The Public Square

Christian school appeals zoning fight to Supreme Court
Steve West, WORLD

Lawyers say the city should treat religious and nonreligious groups the same.

The Many Harms of Gender Identity Laws: A Mother of a Trans-Identifying Teen Speaks Out
Katherine Cave, Public Discourse

All people should be protected from harassment and harm, no matter how they identify. But we as a society must be allowed to reasonably act on the basis of sex when medical treatment, privacy, and safety are at stake. If “gender identity” becomes a protected class, women and children are the ones who will suffer most.

Abortion defunding bill fails in Senate
Tom Strode, Baptist Press

The effort to remove the federal government from the abortion business failed Thursday (Jan. 17) in the U.S. Senate.

Doctors Induce Twenty-Five Percent of Dutch Deaths
Wesley J. Smith, National Review

Once the population widely accepted the premise that killing is an acceptable answer to suffering, the country took that belief precisely where it leads.