The Briefing: Why Brexit matters to evangelicals; Christian persecution is down, terrorism is up

3 reasons evangelicals should care about Brexit
Although American evangelicals might think Brexit has little or no significance for them, the opposite is true. It shows we must find a way to mitigate the negative effects of globalization and trade on those who do not benefit. If we do not, we will be pouring gasoline on the fire of populist anger and passing up an evangelical opportunity to love our (populist) neighbor by helping find solutions to his very real problems.

Pew: Christians face more terrorism but less government hostility
From some angles, it looks like the beginning of a hopeful trend among the steady stream of persecution headlines. Both government and societal harassment of religion dropped worldwide in 2014, according to a recently released Pew Research Center study. This is the second year in a row that researchers found such a drop.

Court strikes down abortion provider regulations
In a 5-3 opinion, the Supreme Court ruled portions of a Texas law that regulate abortion doctors and clinics constitute an “undue burden” on a woman’s right to abort her child and are therefore unconstitutional. The high court’s reversal of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans invalidated a requirement an abortion clinic must meet the health and safety standards of other walk-in surgical centers.

Obama designates first national monument to gay rights
President Obama on Friday designated the first national monument to the gay rights movement, commemorating the Stonewall uprising in New York City. The site memorializes the six-day uprising that started after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a Mafia-owned bar frequented by gay men.

California’s religious liberty moment—coming to a state near you
Many faith-based universities hold to the traditional Christian view that sex and gender are distinct and united. If SB 1146 is passed without amendment, the state of California would drastically limit the religious freedom of such institutions to believe and live according to these traditional beliefs. In other words, the “free exercise of religion” becomes meaningless or restricted to only those schools that train pastors for ministry.

Sources: BruceAshford.net, Christianity Today, Baptist Press,  Washington Post, Christianity Today