Rome
Pope Francis named 21 new cardinals, two of which have American ties. One is the papal representative to the United States, and the other is American-born and American-educated but serving in Rome. Other new cardinals include Roman Catholic leaders in Hong Kong, Jerusalem, Argentina, South Africa, Tanzania, and South Sudan. Francis has now appointed the vast majority of the College of Cardinals (now numbering 137 under the age of 180 and thus eligible to vote for the next pope). Eleven cardinals are currently serving in the United States.
Minneapolis
A state court of appeals voted to grant the Swartzentruber Amish community of Minnesota an exemption from a state law mandating the use of septic tanks for what is call gray water (non-toilet wastewater). The ruling came after the US Supreme Court recognized the religious freedom of the Amish to avoid a kind of technology prohibited by their religious values. This continues a string of Supreme Court decisions that favor religious convictions over public regulations.
Spokane and Pittsburgh
Two church affiliated institutions took opposite directions in responding to LGBTQ issues on campus. Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington changed its institutional policy, after a lengthy study, and dropped all prohibitions related to gay students, faculty, and staff. Meanwhile Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh) fired a soccer coach who posted two gay-friendly statements on Instagram. Kelsey Morrison had completed her second year as an employee, living as a celibate lesbian who supported the school’s anti-gay policies.
Los Angeles
Rev. Gregory Perkins, pastor of The View Church in Menifee, California, and president of the National African American Fellowship (of the Southern Baptist Convention) wrote a letter to SBC officials expressing concern about the prohibition against female pastors. The SBC, earlier this year, disfellowshipped five congregations for having women ministers with the word “pastor” in their title. He predicted that this blanket prohibition would impact minority churches more than majority white congregations.
Virginia Beach
The Regent University Board of Trustees has named Gordon Robertson the Chancellor of Regent University, succeeding his father Pat Robertson, who passed away on June 8, 2023. In addition to his new role as Chancellor of Regent University, Gordon Robertson will continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. and as President of Operation Blessing. The late Pat Robertson founded all of these organizations and institutions.
