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Obama Administration's Transgender Bathroom Policy Raises Questions About Federal Funding
The Obama administration's notice to U.S. public schools on Friday that transgender students must be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice raised questions about federal funding and legal authority that could play out for months.
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New Alabama Law Could Shutter Two Abortion Clinics Near Schools
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed new abortion restrictions into law on Thursday, limiting the proximity of clinics to public schools and banning a procedure used to terminate pregnancies in the second trimester, local media reported.
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Pope Francis To Consider Allowing Women To Be Ordained As Deacons, US Catholics Praise Move
Some prominent U.S. Roman Catholic groups welcomed the news on Thursday that Pope Francis has agreed to consider allowing women to be ordained as deacons, though some cautioned the move would be only a limited first step toward equality.
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Massachusetts Lawmakers Begin Debate Over Transgender Rights Bill
The Massachusetts' Senate began debating a bill protecting the rights of transgender people on Thursday, a move some see as a rebuke to a North Carolina law (HB2) requiring people to use bathrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates.
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Donald Trump, Paul Ryan To Meet in Effort to Heal Fissures in Republican Party
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will hold an usual tete-a-tete on Thursday with Paul Ryan, the country's top elected Republican, to see if they can begin healing fissures in the party created by Trump's insurgent candidacy.
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Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values
In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
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Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
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Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
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2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
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Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.
