California churches can worship indoors, singing ban remains for now
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to overturn California’s ban on indoor worship services, the last remaining such ban amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The High Court ruled California churches can hold indoors services at 25% capacity. “The State’s present determination—that the maximum number of adherents who can safely worship in the most cavernous cathedral is zero—appears to reflect not expertise or discretion, but instead insufficient appreciation or consideration of the interests at stake,” wrote Chief Justice John Roberts.
Justices were split on the state’s current ban on singing and chanting. The churches in the case will go back to lower courts to present more evidence in support of overturning the singing ban.
>Related: California to issue new guidelines for worship following Supreme Court decision
Americans most likely to say COVID-19 strengthened their faith
The Pew Forum found Americans are more likely than people in other economically developed countries to say their faith has become stronger as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. The research, gathered in the summer of 2020, found 28% of Americans say they faith is stronger, compared to 16% of people in Spain, the next nation on the list. Additionally, 41% of Americans say their relationship with immediate family members has become stronger.
SBC celebrates first George Liele Sunday
The first Baptist missionary to serve abroad was celebrated in Southern Baptist churches Feb. 7 on the inaugural George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism, and Missions Sunday. Liele, a former slave, became the first ordained African American Baptist preached in the U.S. in 1775. He planted a church in Savannah, Ga., before sailing to Kingston, Jamaica, to plant a church there.
Recently discovered purple cloth dates back to time of King David
Researchers say three scraps of purple fabric found in the Timna Valley are from the time King David and King Solomon ruled Israel. The find is the first piece of textile discovered from the time of David and Solomon that has been dyed the prestigious color associated with high value and nobility.
Sources: ERLC, Christian Post, Pew Forum, Baptist Press, Religion News Service