IBSA News

Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

Lawmakers to debate mandatory K-12 sex ed

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Illinois legislators will soon consider a proposal to mandate sex education for public school students in kindergarten through 12th grade. But many Christians worry the legislation further mainstreams LGBTQ lifestyles and introduces support for abortion in the minds of children as early as third grade. The Illinois Responsible Education for Adolescent and Children’s Health (REACH) […]

Religious liberty concerns expressed as Equality Act moves forward

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Christian leaders continued to express concern over the Equality Act as the Senate Judiciary Committee met to hear testimony from the bill’s supporters and opponents. The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention submitted written testimony expressing concern the bill would contradict the “fundamental liberties” guaranteed in the Bill of Rights […]

Equality Act threatens religious freedoms

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Christian leaders are concerned about the loss of religious freedom, expansion of federal abortion funding, diminished protection for women, and the impact on hiring practices by Christian organizations under HR5, the Equality Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Feb. 25. The vote was 224-206, almost totally along party lines. The bill goes to […]

Controversial new teaching standards approved

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The General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) voted Feb. 17 to approve the controversial new teaching standards some say would require teachers to abandon their religious beliefs. Meeting the standards will now be required to receive teaching certification in Illinois. The Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards (CRTLS) touch on issues such as […]

Baptists and a new, ‘blue’ White House

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Ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration, evangelicals are preparing for a chillier relationship with the Biden administration due to the President-elect’s positions on abortion, LGBTQ matters, and other issues on which evangelicals and the President-elect hold vastly different views. Additionally, violence at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 increased tensions across the nation, including among Christians who continue […]