It’s Thursday, January 4th, 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
Nicaraguan authorities arrested 14 priests
Authorities in Nicaragua have arrested at least 14 priests, two seminarians, and a bishop in recent days.
Some priests face arrest simply for publicly praying for imprisoned bishop Rolando Alvarez. He is a leading critic of the country’s president, Daniel Ortega.
Ortega’s regime has been cracking down on descent, especially from priests who voice religious liberty concerns.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted that the uptick in persecution in recent years comes “despite the high level of persecution against Catholic leaders since protests in 2018. Now, 2022 was the first year in which the government imprisoned members of the clergy.”
Kenyan bishop opposes Pope on blessing homosexual couples
Meanwhile in Africa, a Kenyan bishop has prohibited blessings for people living in vile passions.
Paul Kariuki Njiru is the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Wote. He called out the Pope for a recent declaration that authorizes some kind of blessing for same-sex couples.
Njiru wrote, “The Declaration … should be rejected in totality, and we faithfully uphold the Gospel teachings … on marriage and sexuality. … We bishops, like Saints Peter and John, will say, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight for us to obey you rather than God’ (Acts 4:19–20). … For pastoral reasons, I therefore exhort my priests to invite those couples to a life of conversion by the words of the Gospel: ‘Repent and believe in the Gospel’ (Mark 1:14–15).”
World grew by 75 million people in 2023
The world’s population grew by 75 million people last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
This brings the total number of people to over eight billion. The worldwide population growth rate was 1%. Every second, there are an estimated 4.3 births and two deaths globally.
The U.S. grew by only half a percent, adding 1.7 million people for a total population of 335.8 million. The U.S. is on track for one of its slowest decades on record for population growth.
Texas vs. Biden on abortion
Yesterday, a U.S. federal appeals court sided with Texas against the Biden administration in an abortion case.
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Biden administration issued a directive to force hospitals and emergency rooms to offer abortions.
The state of Texas challenged the abortion mandate along with the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations.
Ryan Bangert with Alliance Defending Freedom told Life News, “Hospitals—especially emergency rooms—are centers for preserving life. The government has no business transforming them into abortion clinics.”
510 bills oppose homosexuality
State legislators introduced a record 510 bills last year that oppose sexually perverted lifestyles. This according to the pro-homosexual American Civil Liberties Union.
The number of such measures is up from 180 in 2022. Of the 500 plus bills, 84 are now law across 23 states. Tennessee and North Dakota tied for passing the most bills.
The bills included bans on public shows of sexually perverted lifestyles as well as the accommodation of people pretending to be the opposite sex through sports or bathrooms.
100 million more devices downloaded YouVersion Bible app
YouVersion.com reports people downloaded and used its Bible apps at the highest rate ever last year.
Downloads increased by 100 million devices, and daily usage increased by 20%.
Most of the downloads take place outside the U.S. like in India, Africa, and Latin America.
Once again, the verse that people engaged with the most last year was Isaiah 41:10. It says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Bobby Gruenewald, the founder of YouVersion.com, said, “More than ever before, we are seeing the global Church unify around God’s Word.”
Anniversary of church leader’s birth
And finally, today marks the birth of church leader and scholar James Ussher on January 4, 1581.
He was the Church of Ireland’s Archbishop of Armagh and supported the Protestant Reformation in his country during the early 1600s.
Ussher is particularly known for his massive work, The Annals of the Old Testament. His chronology of the Bible dated creation to October 23, 4004 B.C.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, January 4th 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.