(RNS) — The Rev. C.T. Vivian, a minister and advocate for civil rights who worked with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., died Friday (July 17) in Atlanta.

Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian was 95. His daughter, Denise Morse, confirmed his death, describing him to Atlanta TV station 11Alive as “one of the most wonderful men who ever walked the earth.”

He died of natural causes, business partner and friend Don Rivers told the Associated Press.

Vivian’s social justice work preceded King’s, as the Missouri native nonviolently and successfully protested segregated lunch counters in Peoria, Illinois, in 1947. He later became part of King’s executive staff at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta. 

Late in life, Vivian continued to contribute to the civil rights cause, serving in his late 80s as the president of the SCLC. 

In between his times at that civil rights organization, Vivian was active on issues of equality for decades, on the ground in marches and in lecture halls teaching about democracy and racial justice.

Vivian was honored in 2013 at age 89 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, alongside media mogul Oprah Winfrey and former President Bill Clinton.

“The Rev. C.T. Vivian was a stalwart activist on the march toward racial equality,’’ says the White House citation read before President Barack Obama bestowed the medal on Vivian. “Whether at a lunch counter, on a…

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Faith leaders are speaking out against the federal government’s decision to begin executing federal prisoners, decrying the Trump administration’s decision to end a nearly two-decade-long moratorium on the federal death penalty.

The outcry comes as the U.S. Department of Justice carried out its second execution on Thursday morning (July 16), killing 68-year-old Wesley Purkey by lethal injection after he was convicted in 2003 of raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl as well as killing an 80-year-old woman.

Purkey’s death followed the Tuesday execution of Daniel Lewis Lee, who was convicted for his involvement in the killing of a family of three. A third execution was scheduled for Friday. These constitute the first uses of capital punishment by the federal government since 2003.

Faith leaders say the federal government’s use of the death penalty, which resumed after a 2019 push by the Justice Department, is out of step with their faith.

“So much for the ‘pro-life’ administration,” the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, wrote in a Facebook post. “The taking (of) a life is always immoral. So is the taking (of) a life to punish the taking of another life. This is why the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that the death penalty is ‘inadmissible.’ It is an assault on the dignity of the human person and on human life.”

More than…

Liberty University is suing the New York Times for the newspaper’s handling of the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Christian Headlines previously reported, the New York Times published an article in March decrying the school’s decision not to fully shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the article, the Times claimed that nearly a dozen LU students were sick with coronavirus like symptoms. 

LU responded to those claims noting that it was untrue and requested a retraction be printed or legal action would be taken.

According to Fox News, during a broadcast of Hannity on Wednesday, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. confirmed that the school had indeed filed a lawsuit against the newspaper.

“Not only are they a bigoted bunch of liars, and also [a] BuzzFeed type clickbait publication now,” Falwell told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “But they’re also stupid because they came on campus. We had 25, at least, ‘No Trespassing’ signs everywhere, and they were dumb enough to take pictures of the signs and publish them.

“So, we got warrants out for their arrest and they had to cut a deal with a local prosecutor to keep from going to jail,” Falwell added. “That’s how dumb they are.”

The Times piece, entitled “Liberty University Brings Back Its Students, and Coronavirus Fears, Too,” reported that the man in charge of LU’s student health service, Dr. Thomas…

Christian children’s book author Matthew Paul Turner announced on Friday that he and his wife, Jessica Turner, are getting a divorce on account that he is gay.

Simultaneously coming out and announcing his divorce in an Instagram post Friday afternoon, the When God Made the World author noted that after turning to prayer and seeking counseling, the couple has made the decision to go their separate ways. 

He wrote, “While we’re best friends and thoroughly love doing life, parenting, and pursuing our dreams together, ending our marriage is necessary because I am gay.

He continued, “Being gay isn’t a new discovery for me. However, as someone who spent 30+ years in fundamentalist/evangelical churches, exploring God through conservative theologies, I lived many days overwhelmed by fear, shame, and self-hatred.”

Turner went on to note that despite becoming LGBTQ+ affirming in his faith long ago, the process of accepting himself took much longer.

“For the first time in my life, despite the sadness and grief I’m feeling right now, I can say with confidence that I’m ready to embrace freedom, hope, and God as a gay man,” he asserted.

Turner then thanked his soon-to-be-ex-wife for her love and support through this process and noted that he would not have been able to accept himself “without Jessica’s undying grace and support.”

“I fell in love with her 17 years ago and still…

After endorsing the Obama/Biden Democratic ticket in 2008 and 2012, the National Association of Police Organizations endorsed President Trump this week for president and thanked him for his support in recent months.

The lobbying organization, often called “NAPO,” represents more than 1,000 police units and associations and 241,000 law enforcement officers. It was founded in 1978.

“Our endorsement recognizes your steadfast and very public support for our men and women on the front lines, especially during this time of unfair and inaccurate opprobrium being directed at our members by so many,” wrote Michael McHale, NAPO president, in a July 15 letter to Trump. 

The letter listed several items of agreement between the organization and Trump, including:

• “your directing the Attorney General to aggressively prosecute those who attack our officers;
• “your signing into law the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act;
• “your advocacy and signing into law the legislation which permanently authorized funds to support 9/11 first responders and their families; 
• “your revitalization of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program to help reduce violent crime; and
• “your unflagging recognition that America’s law enforcement officers, just like any other citizens, have Constitutional rights, too.”

“NAPO is pleased to support your re-election campaign for President, and we are…

A white man whose ancestors were slave owners and an African American man whose ancestors were the slaves owned by that family are inviting people to discuss racial healing at a seven-part retreat from CMAX.tv called “Seven Days to Change.”

According to CBN News, Will Ford and Matt Lockett initially met at a prayer meeting at the Lincoln Memorial. The two, not knowing of their connected family histories, became fast-friends.

“I love this man like my own brother,” Lockett told CBN News.

Upon learning that Lockett’s ancestors were slave owners who had owned ancestors of Ford, the two joined together to write a book, The Dream King.

Ford said he remembered thinking, “My friend: his family is the family that owned our family.

“I had to go to a deeper level of forgiveness because now I had a face connected to these stories of slaves being beaten. And why we had to have secret prayer meetings,” Ford said.

Lockett said he struggled with the news too.

“And it was hard because all of the pain of history and the pain of a community where that pain is endured, it had a face, and it had a name. And it was a face that I love,” he said.

But Ford said the friends “hashed it out” and now they’re hoping America will too.

“Racism is everybody’s problem,” Ford said, but added, “We can definitely rise above racism in America.”

Much of the country has…

Jamil Smith, a senior writer for Rolling Stone, recently asserted that the term ‘pro-life’ should be “canceled,” calling the term racist.

According to The Blaze, Smith made the comment after political activist Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II took a shot at pro-life voters on Twitter.

“Ironically, the governors most willing to watch their citizens die are the ones who have used ‘pro-life’ rhetoric to compel people of faith to support the narrow interests of corporate greed & white political power. COVID has revealed how the ‘pro-life’ movement is killing us,” Barber wrote Wednesday.

Smith concurred with Barber’s sentiments claiming that the term ‘pro-life’ should be retired because it is often used to perpetuate misogyny and racism.

“This point cannot be emphasized enough, or too often,” tweeted Smith.

“The moniker ‘pro-life,’ so often used in the service of not just misogyny but also racism, should be retired right along with Aunt Jemima and the Redskins’ team name,” he added.

On Monday, the Washington Redskins publicly announced they will change the football team’s name and logo after it was deemed racist to Native Americans.

“Dan Snyder and Coach Rivera are working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition-rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years,”…