Graham likeness to be added to Capitol’s Statuary Hall
Evangelist Billy Graham will represent North Carolina in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall, which includes statues of two prominent figures from every U.S. state. The statue of Graham, who died in 2018, will be installed in 2021. It will replace a statue of Charles Aycock, a white supremacist and former North Carolina governor. Replacing the statue has the support of both the state of North Carolina and the U.S. House, Christianity Today reports.
Falwell on indefinite leave of absence from Liberty
Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. was asked to take an indefinite leave of absence after posting a now-deleted vacation photo of himself with his pants unzipped and his arm around a Liberty employee. According to a statement from board chairman Jerry Prevo, “This was a decision that was not made lightly, and which factored the interests and concerns of everyone in the LU community, including students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, leaders of the Church, as well as the Falwell family.” Prevo was announced Aug. 10 as the university’s interim president.
Christian leader in Lebanon: ‘Everything is shattered’
Massive explosions Aug. 4 rocked the port city of Beirut, killing more than 200 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. A leader for the Christian ministry World Vision said the city is reliving the trauma of Lebanon’s civil war in the aftermath of the blasts, believed to be caused by tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse.
>Related: 3 ways to pray for Lebanon
Family, friends organize search for missing pastor’s wife
Southern Baptist pastor’s wife Marilane Carter was reportedly on her way to Birmingham, Ala., to seek treatment for her mental health when went missing in early August. Carter, whose husband, Adam, is pastor of Leawood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Kan., was last seen Aug. 2 in Missouri. Her family is sharing updates on the search on a Find Marilane page on Facebook.
Maryland governor exempts private schools from COVID-related shutdowns
In a move reflective of the national tension around reopening schools, Maryland’s Gov. Larry Hogan said Aug. 3 that one county’s school order was “overly broad.” Montgomery County had said public and private schools couldn’t hold in-person classes until at least Oct. 1. But, Hogan said in issuing an emergency order, “Private and parochial schools deserve the same opportunity and flexibility to make reopening decisions based on public health guidelines.”
Sources: Christianity Today, Baptist Press, Religion News Service, Christian Post, ERLC