The US government is pressuring states to halt funding for puberty blockers for children and follow the UK’s Cass Review. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which provides health coverage to more than 160 million Americans, urged directors to adopt the findings of the report, which concluded children who think they are transgender should not be rushed into treatment they may regret. (Stringer, The Telegraph)
Read MoreToday, public opinion on whether abortion should be legal or illegal varies considerably from state to state, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. That survey, the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, was large enough to break out results in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, although the margins of error for the state-level estimates are much larger than for the survey’s national estimates. (Diamant & Alper, Pew Research Center)
Read MoreAbout two-thirds of American Catholics have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of Pope Leo, according to the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, while about 3 in 10 don’t know enough to have an opinion. Very few Catholics — less than 1 in 10 — view him unfavorably. (Henao & Thomson-DeVaux, AP News)
Read MoreJune 17 marks 10 years since a deadly mass shooting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shocked the nation. A white supremacist, intent on starting a race war, opened fire during Wednesday night Bible study, killing nine Black worshippers as they bowed their heads in prayer. (Elliott, Craig & Balaban, NPR)
Read MoreJelly Roll has become the leading figure in this wave of what one could call barstool conversion rock: faith-flavored, hopecore, God-finds-us-at-the-bottom-of-a-bottle pop rock recorded by popular male artists. The genre (if we can call it that) is noticeably present on the Billboard Hot 100 and platforms like TikTok, where Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” has been used in nearly half a million videos. (McGinnis, Christianity Today)
Read MoreIn her 25 years in the Christian music industry, Holly Zabka, president of Provident — a Sony subsidiary dedicated to Christian music — has never encountered a moment of such prominence for the genre. "This is the most exciting time to be in Christian music," she says. "I don't think we've ever been in this season of opportunity." (Madden, NPR)
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