01.29.2019. — CBMW

Gender and Sexuality News Roundup (1/29/19)

by CBMW

One mission of CBMW is to help Christians think through secular and ecclesial trends on gender and sexuality. Through this work, we pore over a lot of different news reports and articles as we attempt to wade through the ceaseless flow of information on the web. In our weekly Gender and Sexuality News Roundups, we aim to distill some of the more pertinent information for you.

The articles below are from a wide variety of sectors and publications, organized generally into three categories. They are presented in aggregate, not necessarily endorsed.

If you see an article that you think should be featured in future CBMW News Roundups, you can send it to cbmwoffice@cbmw.org with the subject “News Roundup.”

 

Ecclesial Trends on Gender and Sexuality

Opus Dei settles sexual misconduct claim against prominent U.S. priest, National Catholic Reporter (Dennis Sadowski)

“Opus Dei, a well-known international Catholic organization, paid $977,000 to settle a sexual misconduct claim in 2005 against a one-time high-profile priest in the nation’s capital.”

LGBT agenda’ could threaten our church gatherings, says Francis Chan, Premier (Sam Hailes)

“In an interview with Premier Christianity magazine, Chan said large churches require a huge amount of money to run Sunday services, but the “LGBT agenda” could jeopardize the tax breaks which thousands of churches and Christian organizations currently receive, thereby making expensive services untenable.”

Pope Says He Is Against Making Priestly Celibacy Optional in the Latin Rite, National Catholic Register (Hannah Brockhaus)

“Speaking aboard the papal plane from Panama to Rome, Francis said exception could only be considered for remote locales.”

Women: Don’t miss out on the ‘goodness of work’, Eternity News (Kaley Payne)

“Beaty is worried that Christian women today are missing out on what she calls the “goodness of work” because the emphasis for women inside the church is still motherhood.”

 

Secular Trends on Gender and Sexuality

New York Dems Flex Muscles, Pass Reproductive Health Act, CBS New York

“Provisions in the bill include dropping most restrictions on abortions after 24 weeks, allowing midwives and nurse practitioners to perform abortions and ending criminal charges for harming children in the womb.”

Should women be required to register for the draft? Commission likely to recommend big changes, USA Today (Gregory Korte)

“Congress appointed a panel to assess expanding the Selective Service System, which could include women signing up for the draft or mandatory public service for all.”

Women Don’t Belong in Combat Units, Wall Street Journal (Heather Mac Donald)

“In September 2015 the Marine Corps released a study comparing the performance of gender-integrated and male-only infantry units in simulated combat. The all-male teams greatly outperformed the integrated teams, whether on shooting, surmounting obstacles or evacuating casualties. Female Marines were injured at more than six times the rate of men during preliminary training—unsurprising, since men’s higher testosterone levels produce stronger bones and muscles. Even the fittest women (which the study participants were) must work at maximal physical capacity when carrying a 100-pound pack or repeatedly loading heavy shells into a cannon.”

The Many Harms of Gender Identity Laws: A Mother of a Trans-Identifying Teen Speaks Out, Public Discourse (Katherine Cave)

“All people should be protected from harassment and harm, no matter how they identify. But we as a society must be allowed to reasonably act on the basis of sex when medical treatment, privacy, and safety are at stake.”

Apple Removes Religious App Accused of Promoting Conversion Therapy, Fortune (Veronica Neto)

“Apple has removed an app accused of promoting conversion therapy from its online store after a LGBTQ rights organization called for its removal.”

 

Gender and Sexuality Miscellany

5 Myths about Complementarianism, Crossway (Andreas and Margaret Köstenberger)

“It’s become painfully obvious that complementarianism, as a reflection of true biblical teaching, is profoundly countercultural, if not culturally unacceptable.”

Ministry in the #MeToo Moment, Christianity Today (Morgan Lee)

“As abuse awareness grows, pastors are searching for ways to protect the vulnerable and care for survivors.”

The Strongest Men Are Gentle, Desiring God (David Mathis)

“He gives his people influence and authority to steward without being protective of it or becoming jealous when he gives more power to others. Whatever influence we have is not ours by right but on divine loan, to use for his great purposes in the world — with gentleness.”

Grooming the Next Generation: Did Gillette Miss a Spot?, Desiring God (Greg Morse)

“Satan hates such biblical masculinity. He pressures men like never before to apologize for being what God has made him. He hands him androgyny, effeminacy, passivity, and pornography.”

Loving wife, fulfilled mother: Embracing God’s design for womanhood in marriage, ERLC (Trillia Newbell, et. al.)

“Our society has a lot to say about marriage and womanhood, but how much of it is biblical and helpful?”

Individualistic Romance Leads to Legalism, The Gospel Coalition (Jonathan Leeman)

“The biblical teaching on love also includes a bed. But it places that bed in a garden, where the couple’s union ultimately yields a flourishing world of rose bushes and apple orchards and a mess of children’s shoes by the front door and swing-sets and skyscrapers.”

For Christian Women, Persecution Looks Like Rape, Christianity Today (Morgan Lee)

“Around the globe, female followers of the faith suffer sexual violence, forced marriage, forced abortions, travel bans, and trafficking.”

You Never Marry the Right Person, Relevant Magazine (Timothy J. Keller)

“In generations past, there was far less talk about “compatibility” and finding the ideal soul-mate. Today we are looking for someone who accepts us as we are and fulfills our desires, and this creates an unrealistic set of expectations that frustrates both the searchers and the searched for.”

4 Reasons Survivors of Abuse Stay Silent, The Gospel Coalition (Anonymous)

“If you are the friend of someone who has come forward as an abuse survivor, pray for them, let them know you are sorry and you believe them, then let them determine what they share and how they share it.”

Did Jesus Endorse Polygamy in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Desiring God (John Piper)

“Did Jesus celebrate polygamy? An interesting question from a listener named Amy. ‘Hello, Pastor John! I know you have opposed polygamy on the podcast in episode #860, but I’m curious: If Jesus was so opposed to it, why did he use the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13?'”

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