It’s Thursday, December 8th, A.D. 2022. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Russian troops tortured and killed Ukrainian pastor and son
Release International reports that a Ukrainian Evangelical church leader and his 19-year-old son were discovered dead in a forest recently.
The two were tortured and killed four days after being abducted by Russian soldiers last month.
Anatoliy Prokopchuk was a deacon and preacher at a Pentecostal church near Kherson.
When Russian soldiers arrested him and his son, they said, “Your church has no right to exist, as it has connections with America and other western countries.”
Ukraine wants to Russian-affiliated churches
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities are preparing a law to ban churches in the country that are affiliated with Russia.
Last Friday, the Security Service of Ukraine raided five parishes with former links to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Most Ukrainians identify with some form of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Four percent of the population belongs to the Moscow-affiliated Orthodox church in Ukraine. The church has condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine but Ukrainians fear it is a source of Russian influence.
U.S. gas prices below $3.50
Last week, average U.S. gas prices fell below $3.50 per gallon for the first time since February when Russia invaded Ukraine.
That’s down from a record high of $5 per gallon back in June.
Across the pond, the United Kingdom is planning to double their imports of natural gas from the U.S. The move comes as Russia has cut much of its gas supply to Europe.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency expects renewable energy to become the world’s biggest source of electricity in the next three years. The prediction comes as the U.S. and Europe move away from Russian coal and oil.
U.K. Supreme Court upheld buffer zone around Irish abortion mills
Yesterday, the U.K.’s Supreme Court upheld a bill that puts a buffer zone around abortion mills in Northern Ireland.
Pro-lifers who try to turn women away from abortion, within 100 meters of a mill, would be criminalized.
Northern Ireland’s Attorney General had challenged the bill, but with the U.K. high court’s ruling, the bill will advance to become law.
Isaiah 10:1 says, “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression.”
Court sides with Air Force COVID-shot rejectors
Last Tuesday, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled against the Air Force’s treatment of religious objections to COVID-shot mandates.
The court said the military branch wrongfully denied over 10,000 religious exemption requests. The ruling stated, “The Air Force has a ‘uniform’ practice of denying religious exemptions to anyone who wants to remain in the service.”
Under the ruling, the Air Force cannot punish or terminate service members who express religious objections to the shot.
Fewer Master of Divinity students
The Association of Theological Schools reports enrollment in masters in divinity programs is down in the U.S. and Canada.
About 28,000 Master of Divinity students enrolled this fall, down 9% compared to 2018. The Master of Divinity is the traditional pastoral degree at seminaries and divinity schools.
Meanwhile, enrollment at theological schools in Master of Arts programs is up 5% over the same time period. This puts MA enrollment on par with MDiv enrollment for the first time.
Speaking of pastoral instruction, Paul wrote this admonition to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2. He said, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
Voters don’t want Trump or Biden in 2024
Recent polls found most voters do not want Donald Trump or Joe Biden in office in 2024.
A Marquette Law School poll found 63% of voters favored Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis as the GOP pick for president over Trump who only received 36% support.
Among Republican-leaning voters, 55% supported DeSantis and 45% supported Trump.
And a Quinnipiac University poll found most Americans think Biden should not seek re-election.
British soccer player seeks God
And finally, one of the world’s greatest young soccer players talked about his Christian faith at the World Cup recently.
Bukayo Saka plays for England and scored three goals in his first World Cup so far.
In September, fans voted Saka as England’s Player of the Year. He is also among the top 10 players in the world under the age of 21.
Saka was raised in a Christian family. He told reporters he continues to read his Bible while at the World Cup.
SAKA: “I’ve been continuing to do that out here. Read my Bible every night. For me, it’s really important to obviously have the presence of God in me all the time. It gives me more confidence, you know, that God’s plan is perfect. So, I can go on the pitch and know that God has my back. I can stop worrying about different things and different outcomes, but instead I just choose to put my faith in God.”
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, December 8th, in the year of our Lord 2022. 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.