It’s Thursday, May 23rd, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)

By Jonathan Clark

Eritrea’s religious freedom violations

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released an article last week, highlighting religious freedom violations in Eritrea, Africa.

This month and next month mark 20 years since Eritrean officials arrested and imprisoned three pastors. The prisons remain in atrocious conditions.

As of last year, officials are also holding about 500 Christians as prisoners.

Frederick Davie with the commission said, “Religious freedom conditions in Eritrea remain extremely poor. The Commission was hopeful last year when Eritrean authorities started releasing some of those detained because of their faith or belief. Unfortunately, this effort included only a small number of prisoners.”

Hebrews 13:3 says, “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”

According to Open Doors, Eritrea, Africa is the fourth most difficult country worldwide in which to be a Christian.

Majority of Scots have no religion

Scotland began releasing its 2022 Census data on Tuesday.

For the first time on record, a majority of Scots said they have no religion.

Fifty-one percent of the Scottish population did not identify with a religion, up from 36.7% in 2011. Also, 20.4% identified with the Church of Scotland in 2022, down from 32.4% in 2011.

Roman Catholic identification at 13.3% and “other Christian” identification at 5.1% has remained somewhat stable over the last decade. Muslim identification is 2.2%, up from 1.5%. 

35% of Americans are not religious

Professor Ryan Burge with Faith Facts released a report this week on religious identification in the U.S.

Based on the Cooperative Election Study, he noted that 21% of Americans identified with no religion in 2008. That percentage grew to 35% in 2019. Since then, the percentage of non-religious Americans has plateaued. Oddly enough, the youngest generation appears to be growing more religious. Forty-two percent of Gen Z was religiously unaffiliated last year, down from 48% in 2022.

Burge noted, “The share of non-religious Americans has stopped rising in any meaningful way.”

CVS fired Christian nurse for refusing to dispense Abortion Kill Pill

First Liberty Institute reached a settlement on behalf of a Christian nurse with CVS Health Corporation this week.

CVS fired Robyn Strader for refusing to dispense abortion drugs. She had been operating under a religious accommodation to not prescribe the drugs for years.

Stephanie Taub, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute, said, “We are thrilled that Robyn was able to reach a resolution with CVS. We are hopeful that companies across the country will recognize the religious liberty of their employees and work to protect those rights.”

South Carolina protects kids from transgender drugs and surgeries

On Tuesday, South Carolina’s Republican Governor Henry McMaster announced he signed the Help Not Harm bill into law.

The law protects children from transgender drugs and surgeries and bans public funding of them.

South Carolina is the 25th state to ban such procedures. 

Trump leading Biden in 7 swing states

A new Bloomberg poll found former President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in seven swing states.

The states are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump led Biden 48% to 44% in a head-to-head matchup. 

Trump also led Biden when the survey added in third-party and independent candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein.

Home sales are down

The sale of existing homes unexpectedly fell by 1.9% last month on an annual basis.

Meanwhile, the housing inventory was still tight at the end of April. It was up 16% on an annual basis, but that only amounted to a 3.5-month supply. A six-month supply is considered normal.

Tight supply affects prices. The median sale price of a home last month was $407,600, up 5.7% from last year. 

Why the Nicene Creed was conceived

And finally, this week marks the anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea nearly 1,700 years ago. 

In May A.D. 325, about 300 Christian leaders convened in the city of Nicaea, located in modern-day Turkey. 

The council dealt with the doctrine of the Trinity. In particular, the church at the time had to refute the heresy of Arianism, which denied that Christ was fully and eternally divine. 

The council went on to affirm the Trinity and Christ as fully God in the Nicene Creed. It is recited by churches worldwide to this day. 

Speaking of Christ, the creed affirms “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by Whom all things were made.”

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Close

And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, May 23rd, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldView.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.