Tag: Illinois

Commentary by the Josh Benner BlogJun 20, 20198:56 pm

EFCA removes premillennialism from Statement of Faith

The Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) had an historical event yesterday at their bi-annual EFCA One Conference. The churches voted to alter the Statement of Faith. The change comes to article nine, which previously stated:

We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.

-EFCA Statement of Faith, Article 9

The change is just one word. Instead of saying “we believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ” the Statement of Faith will now say “we believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Commentary by the Josh Benner BlogJun 7, 201910:18 pm

Illinois Bishop forbids pro-abortion lawmakers from taking communion

Bishop Thomas Paprocki, of the Springfield, Illinois diocese has forbidden priests within his dioceses from serving communion to Illinois lawmakers who voted in favor of loosening abortion laws within the state. The bill is still awaiting the governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature.

Culture by the Josh Benner BlogMay 29, 20193:34 pm

On abortion, red states are getting redder while blue states get bluer

Separated by the Mississippi River, Illinois and Missouri are in two different worlds when it comes to abortion. It’s a microcosm of much of the nation. As several states have passed new, strict laws on abortion, including Missouri, other states have passed legislation to further diminish the rights of the unborn.

Last week, Missouri passed one of the strictest abortion laws in the nation, outlawing abortion after eight weeks. Perhaps of greater significance is that the final abortion clinic standing in Missouri is expected to lose its license at the end of this week. In a statement from Planned Parenthood, they say that the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services is refusing to renew the license of the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis. If that clinic shuts down, it will be the first time since 1974 that a state was without an abortion clinic.

Planned Parenthood has taken the matter to court.

Commentary by the Josh Benner BlogApr 29, 20191:39 pm

Methodist court affirms LGBT legislation

In February, the United Methodist Church (UMC) voted to keep its traditional marriage stance. Last week, the UMC judicial council affirmed several of the measures which had been approved. The judicial council is the high court of the UMC. From their website, it says that they determine “the constitutionality of acts or proposed acts of the General, Jurisdictional, Central, and Annual Conferences.”

The result of the February vote was that the UMC would not ordain openly LGBT clergy, nor would they perform same-sex wedding ceremonies. This is something which some regions within the UMC were allowing as the American Methodist churches became more progressive.

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