IBSA News

Illinois Baptist State Newspaper

Religious Liberty

Pritzker, Lightfoot object to president’s call to reopen churches

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Illinois | Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot responded negatively to President Donald Trump’s call for state governors to reopen houses of worship this Memorial Day weekend, May 23-24. President Trump identified houses of worship — churches, synagogues, and mosques — as essential at an early afternoon White House press conference Friday, […]

Chicago mayor fines churches for reopening early

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Chicago | Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot threatened to fine the three churches that reopened May 17 violating Governor JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home executive order. She followed through with it by issuing citations and fining the churches $500 each on Wednesday, May 20. The churches, none of which are Southern Baptist, are Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church, Metro […]

Gov. pulls new emergency rule, legislature will take up effort

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Springfield, IL | Governor JB Pritzker pulled the May 15 emergency rule he issued via executive order from review by the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR) prior to the committee’s going into session May 20. The emergency rule would have made it a level 1 misdemeanor for a business to reopen early and violate […]

Attorney advises church volunteers to take mandated reporter training

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Illinois | Changes passed in 2019 to the Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and made law this year have left church leaders confused over who is required to complete mandated reported training. Prior to the changes, within churches, only pastors were mandated reporters required to complete online training provided by the Illinois Department […]

Drive-in shutdowns spark religious liberty debate

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A Mississippi city has clarified its policy on drive-in worship services, after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of church members  ticketed for attending a service in April. Churches in Greenville, Miss., can hold drive-in worship services as long as people keep their windows rolled up, according to action taken by the city council April […]