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The State of Ukraine and 303 Creative Religious Liberty Case Goes Before the Supreme Court

BreakPoint This Week

02/26/22

John Stonestreet Maria Baer

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John Stonestreet

Maria Baer

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John and Maria consider the images and harsh reality of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There’s a call for Christians to pray, but is prayer really doing something?

Moving to the new religious liberty case before the Supreme Court, Maria asks John to clarify this case out of Colorado. The case has a lot to say about free speech, but John pulls back and explains how religious liberty is really a primary liberty for all of humanity.

Topics

Religious Freedom
Russia
Supreme Court
ukraine
War

Resources:

— Show Notes —

Segment 1

Wars and Rumors of Wars

The top headline of the past few weeks has been the saber rattling out of Moscow. This week, Russian leader Vladimir Putin stepped even closer to war. On Monday, Russian troops entered Ukraine, and Moscow formally recognized the pro-Russian breakaway parts of Ukraine as independent states (independent of Ukraine, that is).

BreakPoint>>

Pray for Ukraine

Often recently, I’ve been reminded of something about prayer, especially when we are tempted to wonder, “Other than pray, what can I do?” Praying is doing something. In fact, it’s the most important thing.

The Anglican Church in Dublin, Ireland, has crafted a prayer quite fitting for this moment:

O Lord our Governor, whose glory is in all the world:

We commend to your merciful care the people and government of Ukraine that, being guided by your providence, they may dwell secure in your peace.

Grant to their leaders and all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness,

and make them ever mindful of their calling to serve their people;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And, another prayer worth praying in this moment:

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit

may so move every human heart in the nations of the world,

that working and witnessing together,

we may live in justice and peace

and change the hearts of those who would make for conflict and war;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

BreakPoint>>

Just War Theory

Dr. J. Daryl Charles, is an expert on the Christian just war tradition. He discusses what conditions must be met before going to war; and what conditions must be met in conducting a war. Is pacifism a defensible Christian position?

BreakPoint>>

Segment 2

Supreme Court Picks Up 303 Creative Case

Nearly four years after the Supreme Court declined to decide whether compelling a Colorado baker to bake a cake for same-sex couples would violate his right to freedom of speech, the justices agreed to take up a similar question in another case from Colorado, this time involving a website designer. The justices’ decision to grant review in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis sets up yet another major ruling on the intersection between LGBTQ rights and religious beliefs.

Scotus Blog>>