Iran is preparing for the dayslong funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Banners across Tehran urge the public to rise up in support of the Islamic Republic after the devastating war that killed the 86-year-old cleric. The country’s theocracy hopes to see millions flood the streets of the capital beginning Saturday in scenes reminiscent to the burial of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. That could provide a boost for its government, particularly as it tries to leverage its hold on the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the United States over a permanent end to the war.
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A new report by a Trump administration commission suggests replacing the idea of separating church and state with the idea of building bridges between them. The draft report from the Religious Liberty Commission, created by Trump, supports a stronger role for religion in government and public life. It recommends eliminating the Johnson Amendment, which restricts political activities of tax-exempt religious groups, and compensating military members discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines. Critics argue the commission lacks ideological diversity and fails to address issues like anti-Muslim efforts and rising antisemitism. The draft is open for public comment for 15 days.
AP Wire
Thousands of Southern Baptists have voted overwhelmingly to advance a formal ban on churches with women pastors in the nation’s largest conservative evangelical denomination. The vote at their annual meeting sent a clear message that men alone should preach to congregations. They easily exceeded the two-thirds majority required to amend the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution. The ban will require a similar vote at next year’s annual meeting to gain final approval. The amendment would tighten existing restrictions in the Southern Baptist Convention, which already has a faith statement opposing women pastors.
Southern Baptists will gather for their annual meeting on Tuesday. And for the fourth year in a row, they'll debate whether to formally ban churches with a woman in any role resembling that of pastor. One thing they're unlikely to debate is any noticeable change in the politics of many Southern Baptists. They form the vanguard of the broader white conservative evangelical support for President Donald Trump. More than 11,000 church representatives have preregistered for the two-day meeting in Orlando, Florida. The Southern Baptist Convention's membership has declined to its lowest since 1973, but it remains influential as the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.
Wire
But conservatives argued Buttigieg's understanding of the Bible was off the mark.