RELIGION HEADLINES MON 7-7

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( SRN NEWS )  A Missouri judge has blocked many of the state’s pro-life laws, reimposing a preliminary injunction against them just a little over a month after the state’s highest court had lifted a previous hold.  The order by Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zang says the abortion restrictions likely violate a state constitutional abortion amendment that was approved by voters last year.  Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey says his office “will expeditiously appeal this ruling.”  Planned Parenthood says the order clears the way for it to again perform abortions in Missouri.

(  )  The Supreme Court will not hear a case involving a push to revive a law that minors must have their parents’ permission for an abortion in Montana.  This after voters enshrined abortion in the state’s constitution at the ballot box.  The parental consent law passed in 2013 but was blocked in court and never took effect before it was invalidated last year.  Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas wrote separately to say the high court’s denial to take up the case was about its technical legalities rather than rejection of the state’s argument.

(  )  The two cases that the Supreme Court will consider this fall to decide the issue of males participating in female sports come from Idaho and West Virginia.  More than two dozen states have enacted laws barring boys from playing against girls in school sports.  Some of those measures have been blocked in court.  At the federal level, the Trump administration has filed lawsuits and launched investigations over state and school policies that have allowed transgender athletes to compete in any way they choose.  The Supreme Court decision is expected next year.

(  )  China is targeting a popular church as part of its on-going crackdown on Christianity.  International Christian Concern reports that the Communist government has carried out multiple raids on the Zion Church this summer.  Pastors have been arrested, parishioners questioned and Christian literature confiscated by police.  The Zion Church is a house church and it counts 1,500 members meeting at multiple private locations.  In China is it illegal for anyone to worship God outside of the state controlled official churches.