The Rundown: A new dawn of legal battles
Good afternoon, and welcome to this edition of The Rundown. This biweekly email serves as the most important political and cultural news for Christians in Ohio. Don't forget to forward this newsletter to those who would be interested—and thanks for reading The Rundown!
What's Happening
Life or death on the ballot: A coalition of abortionists and activists have announced their intent to file a ballot initiative to put legalized abortion in the Ohio Constitution. The so-called Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom also announced they have retained the consulting firm Mission Control, which successfully defeated pro-life amendments in Kansas and Kentucky. Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) is working with pro-life allies across the state to prepare for the coming ballot fight.
Let them have choice: Ohio’s K-12 students received tremendous news when Sen. Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) introduced Senate Bill 11 (SB11), also known as the Parent Educational Freedom Act. Operating similarly to the Backpack Bill introduced in the last General Assembly session, SB11 would provide an opportunity for every student in the state to receive either a scholarship to attend a private school or a tax credit to help pay for homeschooling expenses.
Sabbath rest: On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review a Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision that the USPS was not required to provide a religious accommodation to allow a Christian employee to observe the Sunday Sabbath. USPS postal carrier Gerald Groff transferred branches and even worked additional shifts—under an initially approved religious accommodation request—to preserve his sabbath rest. The Postal Service later reversed the accommodation and multiple disciplinary actions were taken, culminating in Groff's resignation and the filing of Groff v. DeJoy.
It's not all fun and games: Sports betting was legalized in Ohio on January 1, and reports are already coming out about the negative consequences. Advertising violations have racked up more than $1 million in fines while University of Dayton Flyers players are being targeted by disappointed gamblers. Reporter Darrel Rowland tweeted, "Ohio Casino Control Commission executive director Matt Schuler condemns threats from sports gamblers to University of Dayton players after they lost bets on points spreads."
Listen Up
To kick off a new year, former NBC Sportscaster Michele Tafoya joins The Narrative podcast! She discusses her decision to walk away from sideline reporting in order to speak freely on the issues that matter to her and create a "coalition of courage" in the midst of our cultural insanity. This is an interview you don't want to miss.
Don't Miss
Prayer at the Statehouse on Thursday, January 19, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Register today to join us tomorrow!
Christ In All: The People of God as Dual Citizens on Thursday, January 26, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Join our featured guest Dr. Del Tackett at this special half-day conference for pastors and ministry leaders. Tickets are only $25 each and include lunch.
Save the date for the 2023 Ohio March for Life on Friday, October 6! More information will be released soon.
Prayer
Scripture calls us to pray for those in authority and to have confidence that God hears our prayers. Join the CCV team this week in praying for:
Rep. Cindy Abrams, Sen. Niraj Antani, and Sen. Nickie Antonio.
Unity and clear vision for our elected Ohio House Representatives and Ohio Senators to pass legislation that protects religious freedom, families, and children—especially the unborn.
The complete failure of the legalized abortion ballot initiative. Pray that the Lord would confuse the plans of the Enemy, and bring to light the evils of abortion. If you're able to, we also encourage you to add prayerful fasting to your intercession on this critical issue.
That’s all we have for this week. Be sure to keep an eye out for our next edition, and don't forget to share CCV's Rundown with others.