Josh Duggar Requests New Trial After Being Convicted for Child Pornography

January 21, 2022

The defense team for former reality star Josh Duggar has requested that Duggar be acquitted or receive a new trial after his conviction on two counts related to child pornography. The defense is basing their request on the allegation that important evidence was withheld from the defense team until just before the trial.

In December, Duggar, 33, was found guilty on one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Now his defense is arguing that they were unfairly disallowed from bringing forward a key witness in Duggar’s trial. Duggar’s attorneys filed the motion on Wednesday.

During Duggar’s trial, his defense had argued that Duggar had been set up by a hacker, who accessed the computer to download child pornography on several occasions between May 14 and May 16, 2019. The defense had called a forensic investigator as a witness who characterized the incidents as a “hit and run” hacking scheme. Ultimately, the jury remained unconvinced by the possibility that someone other than Duggar could have downloaded the illegal content onto his computer and delivered a guilty verdict.

The witness that Duggar’s defense is now looking to is a former employee of Duggar’s, who is also a registered sex offender and who the defense contends used Duggar’s work computer regularly.

While federal officials had previously questioned and cleared the employee, the defense says that the former employee sent an “unprompted” email to prosecutors, saying that he had been “completely mistaken” when he told them that he hadn’t been at Duggar’s used car lot in Arkansas in May 2019. The email, which also contained travel receipts, placed the former employee in Arkansas from May 8 to May 11, which was several days before the illicit content was downloaded to Duggar’s computer.

The motion also alleged that this former employee had revealed to prosecutors that he possessed the passwords to several of the Duggar siblings’ social media accounts. The defense says that prosecutors had withheld this possibly exculpatory evidence until three days before the trial began. The defense’s case revolved around establishing that multiple people had access to Duggar’s work computer and passwords and that no sexually explicit content had been found on his personal devices.

“In this case, Duggar was deprived of materially exculpatory evidence until the evening before the Government rested its case,” Duggar’s defense attorneys said to Insider.

Duggar is currently incarcerated in the Washington County Jail as he awaits sentencing. While no sentencing hearing has been set, Duggar could face up to 40 years behind bars should his motion fail.

‘I Met Grief in the Fiercest Way,’ TobyMac Opens up About Truett’s Death

Jesse T. Jackson

January 21, 2022

Grammy Award winning Christian artist TobyMac (Toby McKeehan) recently sat down with 99.1 Joy FM to talk about the grief he has experienced after losing his first born son, Truett, in the fall of 2019. McKeehan and his wife Amanda have five children: Truett, Moses, Marlee, Leo, and Judah.

A vulnerable McKeehan sat on a dark set and shared candidly about how the death of his son has affected his life, saying, “Some days it hits you really hard and other days—I can’t say that it’s ever stayed off of me—but I can say it hasn’t beat me up some days.”

Truett died suddenly on October 23, 2019 from an accidental drug overdose at the age of 21. Hours later, his father released a statement about his son, sharing, ”My wife and I would want the world to know this…We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under the table deal with Him, like we’ll follow you if you bless us. We follow God because we love Him. It’s our honor. He is the God of the hills and the valleys. And He is beautiful above all things.”

“The truth is, I didn’t know grief really,” McKeehan told Joy FM. “I just felt like everything was beautiful and perfect until the last few years. And then when we lost Truett and everything changed, and I met grief in the fiercest way.”

Before Truett’s death, TobyMac was performing in Austin, Texas and was invited by someone he’d never met before to play his golf course. McKeehan, who is an avid golfer, said that the man shared with him that he had recently lost his son in a car accident. McKeehan recalls the man telling him, “When you go through something hard, you have to grab onto something that you can trust.”

The man called McKeehan after Truett’s death and told him that he needed to “grab onto a promise of God,” emphasizing that it must be “something God really promised us. Because when we’re in the darkest valley, we might grab onto something that God never promised us at all, [like] I shouldn’t be facing loss or God’s good and this shouldn’t be happening to me on earth.”

“God didn’t promise we wouldn’t face loss. God promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us,” the man’s wisdom continued.

“God doesn’t promise us He will take away the cold. He promises He will be right there in it with us,” McKeehan said. “That’s what I held on to, and I found Him there, or He found me there.”

A somber McKeehan told Joy FM that although he began to laugh some the first week after Truett’s death, he doesn’t believe he’ll ever laugh the way did before his son’s sudden passing. “I don’t know if I’ll ever smile as big—but I can smile and I can laugh,” McKeehan said. It may not be until McKeehan is face to face with Jesus before those things fully return.

Stampede at Christian Ceremony in Liberia Kills 29 People

Jonathan Paye-Layleh

January 21, 2022

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — At least 29 people in Liberia, including 11 children and a pregnant woman, have died in a stampede of worshippers at a Christian ceremony in a densely populated area of the capital, Monrovia, officials said Thursday.

The stampede erupted when a gang of thugs armed with knives attacked some of the hundreds attending the ceremony at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday night, police spokesman Moses Carter told The Associated Press.

One person has been arrested, he said. The Rev. Abraham Kromah who was holding the ceremony and who runs a church in the New Georgia township of Monrovia was also brought in for questioning about the incident, police said.

The bodies have been taken to the morgue of Redemption Hospital, close to where the incident occurred in a beach area called New Kru Town.

The Red Cross has erected tents near the site for families to come in with photos to identify the bodies of their loved ones.

Street gangs have become an increasing problem in Monrovia and other Liberian cities in recent years, according to residents.

Liberian President George Weah visited the scene Thursday and declared three days of national mourning.

“Moving forward,” he said there should be regulations on how these ceremonies, which Liberians call crusades, are conducted. The measures, he said, should limit the number of people who can attend based on the size of the crusade grounds.

Even though “we all are religious people,” everyone should be willing to comply with these regulations for safety reasons, he added.

This article originally appeared here.

WATCH LIVE: Thousands Flood to Washington, D.C. to March for Life

ChurchLeaders

January 21, 2022

Thousands of people have descended on the nation’s capital today for the 49th annual March for Life — an enormous rally in Washington, D.C. advocating for the lives of the unborn.

Faithwire senior writers Billy Hallowell and Tré Goins-Phillips are at the rally and will be
hosting live coverage for CBN News, which you can watch below, beginning at 12:00 p.m.:

What’s the Schedule?

The March for Life Rally begins at 12:00 p.m. and will feature the following speakers:

Actor Kirk Cameron
Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.)
Relationship Matters founder Toni McFadden
“Duck Dynasty” star Lisa Robertson
“Bible in a Year” podcast host Father Mike Schmitz
Down syndrome advocate Katie Shaw
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.)
Christendom College student George Schuberg
Alliance Defending Freedom Attorney Kristen Waggoner
Registered nurse Rachel Young

Immediately after the one-hour rally, the march to the U.S. Supreme Court building will begin.

CBN’s Faithwire team will bring live coverage of the march, from start to finish, with interviews featured throughout the event.

What Else?

March for Life President Jeanne Mancini told Faithwire she is expecting some 100,000
demonstrators to show up for the March for Life, describing 2022 as “a banner year” for the pro-life cause.

“I haven’t seen the enthusiasm of the movement as it is now ever in my lifetime,” she said.

“Especially with the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, I think that pro-life America is excited and they see a very important and real victory within reach. No one knows the future, but the excitement is palpable. So I think the March for Life this year is a banner year.”

The theme for this year’s March for Life is “Equality Begins in the Womb.”
Mancini said the leadership team chose the theme “because equity and equality is something that’s getting a lot of conversation and it is important, but we wanted to insert into that conversation the unborn child.”

With that in mind, Mancini said she is particularly eager to hear from Katie Shaw, an Indiana woman who has Down syndrome and whose parents chose life over abortion.

“There’s a whole population of unborn children that are disproportionately targeted for abortion, and those are ones who receive a Down syndrome positive test,” Mancini said. “Katie received such a test…but her life has no less dignity or beauty than mine or yours and so we’re very excited to hear Katie share her testimony.”

LIVE coverage of the March for Life will begin at 12:00 p.m.

On Eve of March for Life, Catholic Abortion Rights Advocates Counterprotest Pro-Life Vigil

Jack Jenkins

January 21, 2022

march for life catholics for choice — Messages voicing support for abortion rights are projected onto the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Jan. 20, 2021. The messages were part of a protest staged by the liberal advocacy group Catholics for Choice. RNS photo by Jack Jenkins

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The liberal group Catholics for Choice staged a protest outside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Thursday evening (Jan. 20), projecting messages in support of abortion rights onto the building’s walls as an anti-abortion vigil was in progress inside.

Members of Catholics for Choice assembled near the basilica ahead of the protest, which occurred the evening before the March for Life, a massive annual anti-abortion rally in Washington. Shortly before they began the demonstration — which organizers said was conducted with a permit — the group’s president, Jamie Manson, led them in prayer.

“God of compassion, be present to all who have had abortions, may they feel your love,” she said. “Be with all abortion providers, may they be safe. Sustain them with your comfort, and your courage.”

She also prayed for those who would participate in the March for Life, asking God that “they listen to the voices of those who have had or provide abortions.”

Messages voicing support for abortion rights are projected onto the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Jan. 20, 2021. The messages were part of a protest staged by the liberal advocacy group Catholics for Choice. RNS photo by Jack Jenkins

The group then used a projector to illuminate the facade of the basilica across the street with slogans such as “Pro-choice Catholics you are not alone,” “Stop stigmatizing; Start listening” and “Mi cuerpo, mi decision” — “my body, my decision” in Spanish.

Another image emblazoned the words “Pro-choice Catholics” on a Christian cross, and another declared “1 in 4 abortion patients is Catholic” — a reference to a 2016 Guttmacher Institute report that found 24% of women who procure abortions identify as Catholic.

Reached for comment Friday morning about the protest, representatives for the Basilica provided a statement from Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who oversees the Archdiocese of Washington and chairs the Basilica’s board.

“The true voice of the Church was only to be found within The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception last evening,” the statement read. “There, people prayed and offered the Eucharist asking God to restore a true reverence for all human life. Those whose antics projected words on the outside of the church building demonstrated by those pranks that they really are external to the Church and they did so at night – John 13:30.”

The protest also stoked reaction on social media, with San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone quote-tweeting a picture of the protest with the words: “The attempted desecration is enormous. Diabolical. Mother Mary, pray for them, now and at the hour of death. Amen.”

Cordileone, a known conservative among U.S. bishops, has suggested denying Communion to Catholic politicians who back abortion rights — including President Joe Biden — while invoking the Catholic Church’s longstanding opposition to abortion. The issue became a subject of heated disagreement among bishops as they debated a document on the Eucharist throughout 2021, with some mentioning Biden by name. The final document, approved in November, did not single out politicians.

Despite the controversy, when Biden met with Pope Francis last year, the president said the pontiff told him he is a “good Catholic” who should continue to take Communion.

Catholics for Choice members stood quietly during their protest on Thursday, some holding electric candles and sharing texts from friends praising their activism. Inside the basilica — the largest Catholic house of worship in North America — people participated in the National Prayer Vigil for Life, a few trickling in and out as the protest continued.

Minutes after turning on the projector, a man wearing a red, white and blue scarf approached the group and began yelling, saying, “There’s no such thing as a pro-choice Catholic!” After he noted the Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion, he declared: “Pro-choice Catholics are going to hell.”

When protesters quietly offered to pray with him, he rebuked them, saying, “Why would I pray with you? You’re not Catholic.” A short while later, after he was approached by police and security personnel, he walked away.

In an interview with Religion News Service, Manson noted that a majority of U.S. Catholics — 55% according to Pew Research — believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. In addition, a 2019 Pew survey found that an even greater majority of Catholics (68%) do not want the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

Lifeway Research: Men Play Significant Role in Decisions Surrounding Unplanned Pregnancies

Aaron Earls

January 21, 2022

thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

While much of the discussion surrounding abortion focuses on women, unplanned pregnancies involve both a man and a woman. And the men involved have complicated feelings on the subject.

A new Care Net study conducted by Nashville-based Lifeway Research surveyed 1,000 American men whose partners had an abortion after he made her pregnant and who knew about the pregnancy prior to the abortion.

The study reveals men with pregnant partners play a significant role in the decision to have an abortion but may not be aware of how much influence they have.

“In 2015, when we surveyed women who had an abortion, they indicated men were the most influential factor in their decision,” said Roland Warren, president and CEO of Care Net. “Care Net recognized that despite this influence, the role of men had not yet been explored. This new study directly examines their feelings and experiences when the decision to have an abortion was made.”

Behind the Decision

Initially, the men were conflicted about the pregnancy. When asked about their emotions when they found out their partner was pregnant, around half (53%) say they were nervous, and 42% were scared. Still, 30% were happy about the pregnancy, and 28% were excited. Far fewer say they were indifferent (15%), embarrassed (14%) or angry (14%).

In making their decision, 42% of men whose partners had an abortion say they encouraged the woman to do so, with 12% saying they strongly urged her to do so. Around 3 in 10 (31%) say they didn’t give any advice. More than 1 in 4 (27%) say they advised their partner not to have an abortion, including 8% who strongly urged her to not go through with it.

Among those who encouraged their partner to have an abortion, men say finances played the primary role, but other factors contributed to their wanting their partner to have an abortion. Almost half (46%) say they and their partner couldn’t afford a child at that time, while 29% say there were already enough kids in the picture.

Around a quarter of men who advocated for an abortion point to relationship issues between them and their partner, as 24% say they didn’t expect the relationship to be long-term, and 23% say there was conflict in the relationship.

Other reasons are focused more directly on the concerns of the man. Almost 2 in 5 (39%) say they were not ready to be a father, 17% say they hadn’t completed their education, 17% say they didn’t want others to know she was pregnant and 14% didn’t want to pay child support.

“Many abortions occur because men are urging their partner to terminate the pregnancy,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “However, around 3 in 10 men give their partners no advice even in situations where she discusses the decision with him.”

Pope Vows Justice for Abuse Victims After Ratzinger Faulted

Nicole Winfield

January 21, 2022

FILE - Pope Francis, right, hugs Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI prior to the start of a meeting with elderly faithful in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. A long-awaited report on sexual abuse in Germany’s Munich diocese on Thursday faulted retired Pope Benedict XVI’s handling of four cases when he was archbishop in the 1970s and 1980s. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis vowed Friday to provide justice to victims of clergy sexual abuse and German authorities called for further investigation after an independent audit faulted retired Pope Benedict XVI for having botched four cases of abuse when he was archbishop of Munich, Germany.

The fallout from the report continued to reverberate Friday as church officials digested the findings that a pope credited with having turned the Vatican around on the abuse issue had in fact mishandled cases earlier in his career.

One day after the report’s release, Francis met with the members of the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases in a previously scheduled audience. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger for nearly a quarter-century before he became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.

In his speech, Francis didn’t refer to the findings of the report into how the Munich archdiocese handled abuse cases from 1945 and 2019. Ratzinger was archbishop there from 1977-1982.

But Francis said the church was continuing to discern the way forward in the abuse scandal, which has discredited the Catholic hierarchy at the Vatican and around the world.

“The church, with God’s help, is carrying out the commitment with firm determination to do justice to the victims of abuse by its members, applying with particular attention and rigor to the canonical legislation envisaged,” Francis told the group.

He recalled he had recently updated the Vatican norms to handle abuse cases to make them more effective.

“This alone cannot be enough to stem the phenomenon, but it is a necessary step to restore justice, to repair scandal and reform the offender,” he said.

The German report prepared by an independent law firm found that Ratzinger mishandled four cases of abusive clergy during his tenure as archbishop. Until Thursday, only one known case implicating his Munich tenure had been made public; the report found that the church’s claim that Ratzinger was unaware of the priest’s background lacked credibility.

Prosecutors in Munich said Friday they are examining 42 cases of possible wrongdoing by church officials arising from Thursday’s report. Spokesperson Anne Leiding told German news agency dpa that the cases were referred to them by the law firm that prepared the report last year.

If any suspicion of “possible criminally relevant behavior” emerges from the examination, Leiding said, prosecutors will seek further details from the law firm.

The law firm said on Thursday that the cases involve living officials who are still in office.

Top Presbyterian Executive Calls on US Jews to End ‘Enslavement’ of Palestinians

Yonat Shimron

January 21, 2022

Jews — Logos for the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, left, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Courtesy images

(RNS) — A prominent Jewish organization has expressed “disappointment” over remarks by the chief executive of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that urged American Jews to help end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory and described Israeli policies toward Palestinians as “enslavement.”

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which represents 53 Jewish groups, strongly criticized J. Herbert Nelson II, the stated clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), for the commentary, which the conference of presidents said amounted to antisemitism.

“To use the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to make claims linking the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to enslavement and then call on the American Jewish community to use its ‘influence’ with the American government is not only unfair, but it is also dangerous. It is a long-standing antisemitic trope about Jews,” the statement from the Conference of Presidents said.

In his reflection on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 17), Nelson said “continued occupation in Palestine/Israel is 21st-century slavery and should be abolished immediately.”

He then added: “I would also hope that the Jewish community in the United States would influence the call to join the U.S. government in ending the immoral enslavement.”

It is not the first time that the PCUSA, a historic mainline Protestant denomination with 1.2 million members, has angered U.S. Jews with its views on Israeli policies in the occupied territories.

U.S. Jews hold a range of views on Israeli politics, with some strongly defending and others strongly critical of Israel’s policies in the occupied territories, according to surveys. They mostly agree on Israel’s right to exist.

In 2014, the denomination voted to divest from three companies that it says supply Israel with equipment used in the occupation of Palestinian territory.

That same year, its Israel/Palestine Mission Network published “Zionism Unsettled,” a study guide calling Zionism — the movement undergirding the founding of Israel as a Jewish homeland — a “pathology” and “a doctrine that promotes death rather than life.”

The latest reflection goes beyond Israel criticism. It appears to call on antisemitic tropes and conspiracies that Jews secretly control the moves of politicians and manipulate world events to their advantage.

That perception of “Jewish power” appears to be why a British citizen with a gun took four Jews hostage in a Colleyville, Texas, synagogue Saturday. According to the hostages, including Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, the hostage-taker, Malik Faisal Akram, believed Jewish influence could help free a Pakistani woman serving an 86-year sentence in federal prison in Fort Worth.

Through a spokesperson, Nelson initially agreed to an interview with Religion News Service but then backtracked, saying he was unavailable.

The conference of presidents was also critical of the timing of the reflection, coming two days after the crisis at the Colleyville synagogue.

U.S. Jewish organizations have also taken other Protestant denominations to task, including the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.

Last year, a Jewish advocacy group condemned a resolution adopted at a meeting of the United Church of Christ that calls the continued oppression of the Palestinian people a sin.

This article originally appeared here.

How to Diagnose Subtle Legalism

Stephen Altrogge

January 21, 2022

What is legalism? What comes to your mind when you hear the word?

The Pharisees? Those old folks in your church who hate rock n’ roll and cards? Your weird, Fundamentalist uncle? Westboro Baptist Church?

What Is Legalism, Really?

I tend to think of legalism in pretty black and white terms: Legalism is trying to earn God’s forgiveness and acceptance through my obedience rather than through the finished work of Christ.

Bam. Problem solved, legalism identified, on to the next.

And while that may be the technical, dictionary definition, I’m beginning to learn that legalism is much slimier and more slippery. It shows up in odd places, unexpected and unwelcome. It slides into the nooks and crannies of my heart. It’s an expert con man, pretending to be my friend and convincing me to give up the free grace of God for a much heavier burden.

But legalism always carries with it certain symptoms. It’s like a disease. It may not be easily detectable, but if you know what to look for, you can usually spot it and root it out.

One of those primary symptoms? Becoming irritable and frustrated at God’s grace poured out to others.

WHAT IS LEGALISM? LEGALISM IN THE VINEYARD

Remember the story Jesus told of the workers in the vineyard? Some worked all day, busting their backs in the hot sun after being told they would receive a day’s wages. Others worked half a day, some worked a quarter day and a few only worked an hour.

At the end of the day, they all received the same wages. The men who worked all day were seriously ticked off:

Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house… (Matthew 20:10-11)

The workers thought they deserved more because they worked more. It was simple mathematics and economics to them.

They were angry at the master for being gracious to those who worked for only an hour. Even though they got a completely fair wage, they were furious that those who worked less got more than a fair share.

When they saw grace, it grated against them.

This Is Your Brain on Porn

James Emery White

January 21, 2022

The Partnership for a Drug Free America (now known as Partnership to End Addiction) produced an ad in the 1980s that instantly entered the American psyche and collective cultural memory. It was titled, “This Is Your Brain on Drugs.” Thirty seconds in length, forever etched in the minds of all who saw it. It was named by TV Guide as one of the 100 best commercials ever made, and the 8th best overall of all time by Entertainment Weekly. You can watch it here.

I wish there was something like that we could show to adolescents about porn. It really is frying their sexual brains.

A survey from the U.K.’s The Times finds that pornography is leading to sex where women getting hurt is the new normal, specifically the causing of pain and humiliation. BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism) “is now ordinary.” Slapping, choking, anal intercourse… internet pornography has made those who view it expect it. For Generation Z, “rough sex” (hair-pulling, biting, slapping, choking and other aggressive behavior) is now the second-most popular porn category searched, and nearly half say online porn is the source of their sex education.

Young girls face a crisis of online sexual violence, with unsolicited sexual images becoming “dangerously normalized.” A stunning study involving those age 12 to 18 found that most girls (reread most) had received an image of male genitalia, often from adult men who were strangers. The report by academics from University College London, Kent University, the School of Sexuality Education in London and the Association of School and College Leaders said that children received sexual images within moments of setting up accounts with Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok.

Porn is also changing our experience with sex, creating distance between our sexual partners—both emotionally and physically. Those who watch porn often find themselves unable to be sexually aroused by their actual (flesh and blood) partner.

Again, if only there was a “This Is Your Brain on Porn” ad we could show, something that would cut through to young people in a way nothing else has yet been able to accomplish.

But then again, maybe there was.

Billie Eilish, one of the biggest Gen Z musical stars and the youngest person in history to win all four of the top Grammy awards in the same year in 2020, has just spoken freely about her addiction to pornography, starting from age 11, and how it not only gave her nightmares but affected her later dating life.

Speaking on the Howard Stern Show on Sirius XM radio, Eilish relayed, “I think it really destroyed my brain and I feel incredibly devastated that I was exposed to so much porn.” Twenty years old at the time of the interview, she added: “The first few times I, you know, had sex, I was not saying no to things that were not good. It was because I thought that’s what I was supposed to be attracted to.”

“I think porn is a disgrace,” she added.

Maybe there’s our break-out ad.

Sources

“This Is Your Brain on Drugs,” Wikipedia, read online .

Keiran Southern, “Watching Pornography Destroyed My Brain, Says Pop Star Billie Eilish,” The Times UK, December 15, 2021, read online.

Nicola Woolcock, “Young Girls Are ‘Bombarded’ With Sexual Images Online,” The Times UK, December 6, 2021, read online.

India Knight, “Porn Survey 2019: How Internet Pornography Is Changing the Way We Have Sex,” The Times, August 11, 2019, read online.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.

How to Tune a 12-String Guitar

Duke Taber

January 21, 2022

If you’ve only recently started playing a 12-string guitar, it can feel a little overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Keep in mind that with 12-string guitars, there aren’t 12 evenly divided strings but six pairs of strings instead. If you remember this as you’re tuning it, it can make things a lot easier for you. There are gaps between the pairs of strings, of course, but still six separate sets of strings.

Also, each pair of strings is going to be played as if it were a single string on a regular 6-string guitar. After you’ve mastered tuning a 12-string guitar, you can use any alternate tuning that’s available for 6-string guitars.

How to Tune a 12-String Guitar

When tuning a 12-string guitar, you’ll tune the first set of strings as you would a normal 6-string guitar; i.e., E A D G B E. The lower four pairs of strings are tuned an octave higher (E A D G), and the higher two pairs of strings are tuned the same as you normally would (B and E). There are also different ways to tune a 12-string guitar, but the most common is simply known as standard tuning.

With standard tuning, your 12-string guitar will play just like your 6-string guitar does. You just have to keep in mind that you’re tuning six pairs of guitar strings and not 12 separate strings.

The Basics of Tuning a 12-String

Here is a basic diagram showing how a 12-string guitar should be tuned (showing the six sets of strings):

E string: an octave higher than the thicker paired string
E string: normal 6-string tuning method
A string: an octave higher than the thicker paired string
A string: normal 6-string tuning method
D string: an octave higher than the thicker paired string
D string: normal 6-string tuning method
G string: an octave higher than the thicker paired string
G string: normal 6-string tuning method
B string: normal 6-string tuning method
B string: normal 6-string tuning method
E string: normal 6-string tuning method
E string: normal 6-string tuning method

You’ll notice that with the lower pairs of strings, you’ll be tuning the thicker strings just like you would a normal 6-string guitar. The lower four pairs of strings, which are grouped with E A D G, are always tuned an octave higher. In other words, when the lowest string (E) is tuned, it’s tuned an octave higher than the thicker E strings. And while these two notes are an octave apart, when the strings are played together, you get terrific harmony every time.

To write it out another way, here is what the strings will look like: eE aA dD gG BB EE. (The uppercase letters are tuned like a normal 6-string guitar, whereas the lowercase letters represent notes tuned an octave higher than normal.)

Other Ways to Tune Your 12-String

There are also a few other ways to tune your 12-string guitar, and they include the following:

Tuning a half-step down. When you tune a half-step down, it takes a lot of the strain off of the guitar. Just tune each string down a half-step (semitone). For example, E becomes Eb, A becomes Ab, etc.
Tuning to drop D. With this method, all strings remain the same as mentioned above except that you’ll lower the low E pair of strings down a whole step; in other words, to D. This means that only the lowest pair of strings changes. The set is still an octave apart but is tuned to D instead of E.
Open tuning. With this method, you’ll still tune the string in pairs and the lower four pairs an octave apart, but you can change the notes up a little. Some possibilities include Open E tuning (E B E G# B E), Open D tuning (D A D F# A D), Open C tuning (E C G C G C), and Open G tuning (D B G D G D).

You can have a lot of fun with your 12-string guitar when you choose different ways to tune it using the open tuning method.

What About Using a Tuner?

There are a lot of different guitar tuners on the market, but the best way to tune a 12-string guitar is by using a chromatic tuner. The good thing about a chromatic tuner is that it works with any and all notes, which is especially important with a 12-string. To use this tuner, just pick each string individually and let the tuner tell you what the current note is. After you tune the normal 6-string tuned notes, tune the paired strings next.

Other tuners include automatic tuners and a variety of tuning apps that make all guitar-tuning a piece of cake. Some of these apps charge a bit extra for features that help you tune a 12-string guitar, but they are definitely worth it if playing a 12-string guitar is something you enjoy doing. What you want to do is make sure the tuning device you’re using is made to help you tune a 12-string guitar, which should be easy because some tuners are even made specifically for 12-strings.

If you’re a beginner, you should know that learning to play and tune a 6-string guitar first is preferable to starting out with a 12-string. For many reasons, it’s just better to learn how to play and tune a 6-string guitar first and then move “up” to a 12-string. It makes sense for many reasons.

Conclusion

Tuning a 12-string guitar isn’t complex but it naturally requires a few steps that are different from those for tuning a regular 6-string guitar. Tuning it with a chromatic tuner is the easiest way to tune a 12-string guitar, and if you remember that the guitar consists of six pairs of strings and not 12 separate strings, it’s a lot easier to learn to tune it properly.

Twelve-string guitars have a beautiful sound because of the way they are tuned, and once you learn how to play yours, it will be something that you’ll want to continue to play for many years to come.

This article on tuning a 12-string guitar originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Why Pastors Are Becoming a Part of the Big Switch

James Emery White

January 21, 2022

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, more Americans left their job in April 2021 than in any other month on record. That record was then broken in July 2021, which was then broken in August. And then it was broken again in September. This is what is being called the Great Resignation. Derek Thompson, writing for The Atlantic, notes that most of those who are quitting are low-wage workers getting better jobs in industries that are raising wages to get desperately needed new employees. So that part, as Thompson writes, is more accurately a Big Switch than a Big Quit.

But for many, it’s also about burnout. People in jobs that were particularly affected by all things COVID – think educators, healthcare workers and … pastors.

Pastors are a Part of the Big Switch

As the Washington Post reported last month,

“an exodus of clergy… have left ministry in the past couple years because of a powerful combination of pandemic demands and political stress. Amid fights about masks and vaccine mandates, to how far religious leaders can go in expressing political views that might alienate some of their followers, to whether Zoom creates or stifles spiritual community, pastoral burnout has been high.”

It’s true. A survey conducted by Barna Research conducted in November of last year found that 38% of all Protestant pastors said that they had consider quitting full-time vocational ministry in the past year. That was up 9 full points from when Barna asked the same question at the beginning of 2021. When you bracket out age groups, an alarming 46% of pastors under the age of 45 are thinking of quitting ministry altogether. When surveying pastoral health, only 36% fall into the healthy category in relation to such categories as spiritual, emotional, vocational, physical and financial.

As quoted in an article written by Bob Smietana of the Religion News Service,

“Chuck DeGroat, professor of counseling and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, said pastors have long had to mediate disputes over theology or church practice, like the role of women in the church or the so-called ‘worship wars’ of recent decades. They now face added stresses from the pandemic and polarization, with people willing to leave their churches over mask policies or discussions of race.”

What has stressed pastors the most has been the deep polarizations that have made their role as spiritual leaders agonizing. No matter what the issue, no matter what the decision, you were going to alienate and anger one group or another. And these were unavoidable issues and decisions:

conspiracy theory(ies) sweeping the congregation
getting vaccinated
open or closed
masked or unmasked
the 2020 election
the response to the death of George Floyd

Added to that was the shift toward all things digital, which was not a skillset taught in seminary, and the social isolation that many pastors felt in relation to the practice of ministry.

I write all of this with deep empathy as a pastor myself. It’s been a challenging two years. I’ve had to face similar decisions and similar issues as every other pastor. And the same fallout.

But if you attend Meck, don’t worry. I’m not part of the 38% (and if I was younger, I wouldn’t be part of the 46%). It’s not that I’m better than those men and women (I most certainly am not), it’s just that the stress of the last two years has been muted for me. The vast, vast majority of the members and attenders of Meck have supported and even celebrated our response to issues and decisions made. For that I am both grateful and humbled.

But we still had families who left, people angered, disagreement voiced and conflict raged.

So to all of you pastors who are teetering on the edge of the Big Switch, please, for the sake of Jesus and your church, try to hang in there. The fact that the last two years has left you so drained shows that your heart is in the right place and in the right game. We need you. Your church needs you. The world needs you. Don’t make a decision in light of a season of life that you might regret for the rest of your life.

And to all of you in relation to a local church, could you say a prayer for your pastor? Could you grant them sympathetic grace on whatever response to an issue or decision they had to make that you might have disagreed with? You know it couldn’t have been easy, and that they went with conscience. And ask yourself – is masking, an election, a vaccine, on the level of doctrine, mission or Christian community? Leadership is a tough role. Can’t we agree to disagree… agreeably?

The Big Switch shows no signs of slowing. Sadly, even when it comes to pastors. But they aren’t leaving for better pay. They are leaving because people aren’t making it easy for them to stay.

This article about the Big Switch originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

The FIRST STEP in Church Revitalization May Shock You

Ron Edmondson

January 21, 2022

Do you know the number one change needed for an effective church revitalization? It’s not programs, systems or structure. Everyone always things about those first. Those are easy to change. Okay, well, maybe not easy. Try changing the library into a welcome area or removing the choir robes.

But there is one change even bigger than those if you want effective church revitalization.

The number one change is an ideology. It’s a mindset.

It’s deciding what’s important. Asking questions such as, why we are a church? What would God have us to do as one? Church revitalization means changing the focus from “us” to “them”. We have to think about those who might never attend the church – but might if we begin to think about them more.

It’s valuing empowerment of others over the control of a few. We need new ideas and that means getting more people at the table.

Revitalization means realizing our external energy – “going outside the walls” – must be equal or greater than our internal energy. (And we might even need to measure those activities and see how our budget aligns with it.)

If the church truly wants revitalization it will have to make the hard choices. That almost always begins with an ideology – a mindset – of who we are and how we function as a church. In fact, many times it is simply getting back to the Biblical basis of church.

Change the mindset – Change the church.

We will be recording some new podcast episodes soon. Catch up on the previous episodes HERE. Is there any specific leadership topic you would like us to cover? And don’t miss the other LIfeway Leadership podcasts.

This article on church revitalization originally appeared here, and is used by permission.

Youth Group Conversation Starters: 35 Topics to Get Teens Talking

Youth Ministrycom

January 20, 2022

The ability to facilitate deeper relationships is a core skill for youth ministers and small-group leaders. Deeper relationships don’t accidentally happen, though. They typically begin with conversations, and most conversations don’t begin deep. So leaders must learn to initiate conversation, which can be tricky. That’s why we love lists of youth group conversation starters.

Below we’ve compiled a list of topical youth group conversation starters. They’re designed to activate and aid conversations and personal connections. We hope they’re as helpful to you as they are to us!

3 Quick Tips for Teen-Focused Discussions

Before we get to the list, here are some pro tips for facilitating discussions with teens.

1. You need to practice before you’ll be comfortable.

The more you’re around teenagers, the more comfortable you’ll become. Plus, the more natural your conversations will be. There’s no replacement for repetition!

2. Discourage one-word answers.

If you ask a question that kids can easily answer with a single word (yes/no, “green”), follow it up with another question that requires more response.

3. Don’t fire all these questions like they’re being shot from a machine gun.

Instead, ask one and pause. Then allow the conversation to flow naturally among teens.

35 Youth Group Conversation Starters

How are you involved at your school? (clubs, cheer, band, etc.)

2. What was a highlight of your week?

3. This summer, what’s something you did that was fun?

4. What is your absolute favorite thing to do, and why?

5. If you could have free tickets to any concert, where and who would it be?

6. What is your favorite subject at school, and why?

7. Who is your favorite teacher, and what do you like about him or her?

8. Are you the type of person who gets things done early or waits until the last minute? How does this impact you?

9. What do you normally do when you have free time?

10. Where’s your favorite place to eat?

11. What’s the best Christmas or birthday gift you’ve ever received?

12. What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you, and why?

13. In elementary school, what’s the silliest thing you ever did?

14. Are you a morning person or a night person?

15. What kind of car do you drive (or when do you get your license)?

16. What’s the last movie you saw, and what did you think of it?

17. What do you look for or want in a friend?

Influential Christian Rapper and Westminster Theological Seminary Grad Denounces Christianity

Jesse T. Jackson

January 20, 2022

brady_goodwin — Screengrab via Facebook @Brady Phanatik Goodwin

For the last thirty years, influential Christian rap group The Cross Movement’s Brady “Phanatik” Goodwin has traveled the world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. This week, Goodwin announced he no longer believes what he wholeheartedly used to preach.

Goodwin has authored five books, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical and Christian Service from Lancaster Bible College, a Master’s degree from the Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and has taught apologetics, Biblical studies, and cultural engagement at the Center for Urban Theological Studies, located in Philadelphia.

The Cross Movement is a two time Grammy Award nominee and has been recognized by many artists for setting the blueprint for mixing deep theological lyrics with hip-hop beats. Some have even called them the pioneers and trailblazers for today’s artists. They have collaborated with Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, Flame and others.

On January 17, 2022, Goodwin released a 24-minute video on his Facebook page addressing rumors that he had left Christianity. “Please, brace yourself as I share from my heart about my journey,” Goodwin wrote. “I love and care about you, and how this will impact many of you, but do try to hear me in the midst of it all.”

“I recently sent a letter to the church [I’ve attended for the last four or five years] withdrawing my membership from the church,” Goodwin said.

He explained that the letter was “heavy,” because not only did he say he was withdrawing his membership, but made clear that he was removing his membership from the universal church, in other words denouncing Christianity all together.

“I really can’t ‘Amen’ what I used to ‘Amen,” Goodwin emotionally said. The rapper admitted that it wasn’t easy to get the words out to explain how he was feeling, but reassured those watching that he was alright.

“My struggle is there’s a world of people who are going to be crushed [and] who are going to be let down and disappointed and hurt and saddened by hearing this,” he said.

Goodwin paused to gather himself before telling his fans that he is “denouncing the Christian faith I have believed, professed, proclaimed, and defended for the last thirty years of my life.”

Goodwin shared that doubts started to surface for him in 2014, saying, “It just so happens to be that I was in seminary at the time. I had done Bible college [earlier] and had came through unscathed for the most part.” After Bible college, Goodwin still believed the Bible to be trustworthy.

But Goodwin doesn’t blame going to seminary for him walking away from the faith, saying, “No one in the class that I graduated with came out thinking the way that I came out thinking,” He reiterated that he wanted to make sure people didn’t use his story to say going to seminary is a bad thing.

“Seminary gave many of my classmates all the more reason to believe,” Goodwin clarified. “Seminary taught me to ask better, more penetrating questions. The aim was to teach me to do apologetics. I had been doing apologetics for twenty-five years on the streets dealing with Hebrew Israelites and Five Percenters and Right Knowledge Malachi York.”

“As I began to teach more in secular academia,” Goodwin continued, “I knew that my faith was going to run into more academic questions and so to prepare for those more academic questions I went to a place that existed to train people to do that (Westminster Theological Seminary). I knew that would be a great training for where I was headed in the secular academia.”

Thabiti Anyabwile Has Strong Words for Pastors Who Create ‘Made up Controversies’

Dale Chamberlain

January 20, 2022

On Thursday, pastor and author Thabiti Anyabwile fired back at fellow evangelical leaders who stirred controversy about him on Twitter.

Anyabwile pastors Anacostia River Church in Washington, DC, has authored several books, and was formerly a Council member of The Gospel Coalition. He is an influential voice for pastors and church leaders of color and serves as the board president of The Crete Collective, a church planting network committed to growing churches in communities of color.

He’s also known by many on Twitter for his provocative reviews of Marvel and Star Wars films and television shows, which often challenge the popular opinion of the day.

The dispute started when Tom Buck, who serves as lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Lindale, Texas, tweeted a video of Anyabwile speaking at a Jude 3 Project event. Jude 3 Project exists “to help the Christian community know what they believe and why they believe it. Distinctive in its strong emphasis in equipping those of African descent in the United States and abroad.”

In the video, Anyabwile spoke to those who might be considering leaving their churches due to the presence of white supremacy in the leadership.

“Some of you are in churches you need to leave, and it’s okay to leave. Maybe you need someone to tell you that it’s okay to leave,” Anyabwile said. “Because if that rascal’s in the pulpit is espousing, explicitly or in a veiled way, white supremacy, you don’t need to sit under that…Sometimes leaving is healthy.”

“But some of you are in churches with good pastors, who are swimming in the eddies and the undertows and the flood of this present moment, doing the best they can, fumbling sometimes, sometimes getting stuff a little bit right [but] they didn’t go as far as you wanted them to, and so you’re mad,” Anyabwile went on to say. “You probably need to stay and support that pastor. Because that pastor right now, if he needs anything, or she needs anything, it’s courage and encouragement.”

Buck shared the video to critique Anyabwile’s use of the feminine pronoun when referring to a pastor.

“Here ⁦@ThabitiAnyabwil⁩ says some people should leave their church because the pastor (“that rascal”) is a white supremacist either explicitly or implicitly,” Buck said in his tweet. “But he says you should stay in your church to support your ‘good’ pastor, which includes women pastors.”

Owen Strachan, provost and research professor of theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary, retweeted the video with his own commentary.

Tony Evans Shares His View on Vaccine Mandates, Says COVID Is About ‘Something Bigger’

Jessica Lea

January 20, 2022

Dr. Tony Evans told his congregation earlier this month that while the COVID-19 vaccine is helpful, no one should be mandated to get it. More important, however, is for people to recognize that God is sovereign over every chaotic event that happens in the world.

“These variants aren’t just variants,” said Evans during a worship service on the morning of Jan. 9. “This is God showing medical science, politicians, people: ‘I don’t care what you come up with. I’m talking now.’” The pastor referenced 2 Chronicles 16:12, which recounts how King Asa became diseased in his feet and sought help from physicians, but not from God.

Evans’ implication was that God is allowing various difficulties in our lives, including the COVID-19 pandemic, to prompt us to turn to him for help. But the pastor was clear he is not telling people to discount science.

“Vaccines help,” he said, “vaccines stop things from being as bad as they could be. And you should have a choice, whether it’s natural immunity or whether it’s therapeutics. You shouldn’t be mandated to put chemicals in your body. But you should be free to if you choose to. So our issue is against mandates, not against vaccinations.”

Dr. Tony Evans: ‘Something Bigger’ Is Going On

Dr. Tony Evans is the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas. During the Jan. 9 service, he explained that there are “biblical reasons” for his belief that people should be free to choose whether or not to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

To support this, he mentioned Romans 14, where Paul addresses whether or not believers should eat meat sacrificed to idols. Verse 23 says, “But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Evans said, “So whatever decision you make, be able to trust God with it. That’s the issue.”

Evans made his comments on the pandemic and the vaccine in the context of highlighting the fact that the past two years have been difficult for many people for various reasons. “In every direction you look in today, we are experiencing a hot mess,” he said. Examples include addiction, suicide, abuse, divorce, and the challenges many churches are facing.

Matt Walsh Debates Gender Identity on ‘Dr. Phil’; Other Guests Report Feeling Attacked

Dale Chamberlain

January 20, 2022

Political commentator Matt Walsh has been making waves on social media for a recent appearance on the Dr. Phil show, wherein he debated gender identity with a couple who both identify as non-binary.

Since his appearance, Walsh has shared a number of tweets about his experience on the show and his interactions with the couple, named Addison and Ethan. Addison shared via Instagram that the couple felt attacked.

Walsh, who describes himself as a “theocratic fascist, bestselling children’s author,” is host of “The Matt Walsh Show” podcast on The Daily Wire and has authored three books, including “Johnny the Walrus,” a parable for children about gender identity wherein a child is pressured to go to extraordinary lengths to live out his fantasy of being a walrus.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Phil asked if Walsh thought there was a “construct” for those who identify with a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth based on their genitalia.

“Well, that’s got nothing to do with the realities. You can feel however you want. I mean, I could sit here and say that I feel like a tomato plant, but that doesn’t actually mean that I am those things,” Walsh said as he sat opposite two people who identify as transgender and non-binary. “You can have whatever self-perceptions you want. But you can’t expect me to take part in that self-perception or to take part in this kind of charade, this theatrical production.”

“You don’t get your own pronouns, just like you don’t get your own prepositions or your own adjectives,” Walsh continued. “You know, it’s like if I were to tell you, ‘My adjectives are handsome and brilliant, and whenever you’re talking about me, you have to describe me as handsome and brilliant, because that’s how I identify.’ It makes no sense. You don’t get your own pronouns. That’s grammar; that’s language.”

Dr. Phil then asked if Walsh thought identifying as transgender was delusional, to which Walsh replied, “Yeah, I think it’s delusion. It could be mental illness. It’s a lot of different things.”

“Wow,” Addison interjected.

“When it’s with children, there’s also just a basic confusion that kids have,” Walsh went on to say. “That’s why when you hear someone, a parent, say, ‘Well, my four year-old son came to me and said that “I’m a girl now” and so I’m going to raise him as a girl.’ You’re a four year-old!”

Walsh went on to argue that when a young boy says that he identifies as a girl, what he really means is that he wants to do certain things that girls do, such as play with doll houses.

“That’s fine. Play with the doll house,” Walsh said. “But you’re still a boy.”

Then turning toward Addison and Ethan, Walsh said, “And that’s a question I’d like to throw out to other members of the panel actually, because, just like the four year-old can’t answer the question ‘what is a girl,’ well, this is one of the problems with this left wing gender ideology…no one who espouses it can even tell you what these words mean. It’s like, what is a woman? Can you tell me what a woman is?”

How Fighting the Marshall Fire Shaped the Way One Volunteer Chaplain Pastors

ChurchLeaders

January 20, 2022

scott ross — Photo courtesy of Scott Ross

On Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021, the Marshall and Middle Fork wildfires devastated Boulder County in the state of Colorado. The fires spanned over 6,000 acres and destroyed nearly 1,000 homes. Scott Ross, who is a volunteer fire chaplain in Aurora, Colo., fought alongside the firefighters to put out the Marshall Fire and has been ministering to first responders in the aftermath.

Ross is also the Director of Church Partnerships for Trauma Healing at American Bible Society (ABS), and prior to joining ABS, he was a church planter and pastor for 25 years. He shared with ChurchLeaders what fighting the wildfire was like and how the experience has impacted the community and him personally.

Scott Ross: I Pastor People Who Don’t Know They Need a Pastor

ChurchLeaders: What do your duties as a volunteer fire chaplain typically entail?

Scott Ross: My official role is to provide prayers during formal events and to support the fire crew in times of grief—like after a line-of-duty death or injury. My chief is very open to my participation in all aspects of the department from firefighter support to sitting in on training classes. He calls on me from time to time when situations warrant—like when one shift experienced an unusual number of incidents in one night or another time when a crew encountered a difficult traumatic injury call. Other than being on call, I stay present by sending resources for counseling and other support, and when I hear of family issues that come up (like death, illness, or divorce) I reach out to the various firefighters to let them know I’m available.

ChurchLeaders: Why did you decide to volunteer as a fire chaplain?

Scott Ross: I believe it’s important to serve my community. I pastored for 25 years, and have always believed an important component of pastoring is serving the community at large, not just one local church. So, we served our neighbors by running a food pantry, cleaning up the neighborhood, being on the mayor’s clergy advisory board, etc. When I met the chief on a visit to the fire department with some of my grandkids and he asked if I’d consider being their chaplain, my wife and I prayed about it and after some time discerning, we felt it was a great way to serve those who serve. And, besides, riding in fire trucks is really cool.

ChurchLeaders: You were actually on the ground helping fight the Marshall fire, and that was your first time fighting a live fire, correct? Tell us about that experience.

Scott Ross: I have had some basic fire training in a controlled environment to help me understand fire and how important my equipment is for protection. But that was it. So, yes, this was my first time in a real fire event. As we left the department I was told by a lieutenant that I might not get out of the truck.

However, once we pulled into the first neighborhood it became clear we would need everyone to fight the fires. So I jumped out of the truck, put on my bunker gear and began responding to orders. Unfortunately, in a very short amount of time, because of the strength of the winds and burning embers flying around us we realized we’d have to leave. It was too dangerous.

Report on Sexual Abuse in German Diocese Faults Retired Pope

AP News

January 20, 2022

BERLIN (AP) — A long-awaited report on sexual abuse in Germany’s Munich diocese on Thursday faulted retired Pope Benedict XVI’s handling of four cases when he was archbishop in the 1970s and 1980s. The law firm that drew up the report said Benedict strongly denies any wrongdoing.

The findings, though, were sure to reignite criticism of Benedict’s record more than a decade after the first, and until Thursday only, known case involving him was made public.

The archdiocese commissioned the report from law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl nearly two years ago, with a mandate to look into abuse between 1945 and 2019 and whether church officials handled allegations correctly. The law firm examined church files and spoke to witnesses.

The archdiocese and the law firm said top church officials weren’t informed of the results ahead of its publication. The current archbishop — Cardinal Reinhard Marx, a prominent reformist ally of Pope Francis — was faulted in two cases. Marx scheduled a statement later Thursday.

Marx’s predecessors include the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who served in Munich from 1977 to 1982 before becoming the head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and later being elected as pope. Benedict gave extensive written testimony for the report.

“In a total of four cases, we came to the conclusion that the then-archbishop, Cardinal Ratzinger, can be accused of misconduct,” said one of the reports’ authors, Martin Pusch.

Two of those cases, he said, involved perpetrators who offended while he was in office and were punished by the judicial system but were kept in pastoral work without express limits on what they were allowed to do. No action was ordered under canon law.

In a third case, a cleric who had been convicted by a court outside Germany was put into service in the Munich archdiocese and the circumstances speak for Ratzinger having known of the priest’s previous history, Pusch said.

When the church abuse scandal first flared in Germany in 2010, attention swirled around another case: that of a pedophile priest whose transfer to Munich to undergo therapy was approved under Ratzinger in 1980.

The priest was allowed to resume pastoral work, a decision that the church has said was made by a lower-ranking official without consulting the archbishop. In 1986, the priest received a suspended sentence for molesting a boy.

Another of the report’s authors, Ulrich Wastl, said Benedict’s claim not to have attended a meeting in 1980 in which the priest’s transfer to Munich was discussed lacks credibility.

“In all cases, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI strictly denies any wrongdoing on his part,” Pusch said, and the retired pontiff cites largely “lack of knowledge of the facts and a lack of relevance under canon and criminal law.” But he added that the assertions of lack of knowledge were sometimes “hard to reconcile” with the contents of church files.

Matthias Katsch of Eckiger Tisch, a group representing German clergy abuse survivors, spoke of a “historic” moment. “This building of lies that was constructed here in Munich to protect Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict, collapsed today,” he told German news agency dpa.

“To us, this is not shocking news,” SNAP, a network representing survivors of sex abuse by clergy, said in a statement. “Sadly, we see these unsavory actions and inactions surface years later after lengthy silence by church officials and painful memories harbored by victims.

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, said the Holy See would hold off comment until it had read the report in full and could give the contents “careful and detailed examination.”

“In reiterating shame and remorse for abuses committed by clerics against minors, the Holy See expresses its closeness to all victims and reaffirms the efforts undertaken to protect minors and ensure safe environments for them,” he said in an emailed statement.

Benedict’s former spokesman declined to comment in advance, deferring any response to the Munich archdiocese.

Benedict’s legacy as pope had already been colored by the global eruption in 2010 of the sex abuse scandal, even though as a Vatican cardinal he was responsible for turning around the Vatican’s approach to the issue.

What’s the Schedule?

What Else?

Behind the Decision

What Is Legalism, Really?

WHAT IS LEGALISM? LEGALISM IN THE VINEYARD

Sources

How to Tune a 12-String Guitar

The Basics of Tuning a 12-String

Other Ways to Tune Your 12-String

What About Using a Tuner?

Conclusion

Pastors are a Part of the Big Switch

The number one change is an ideology. It’s a mindset.

Change the mindset – Change the church.

3 Quick Tips for Teen-Focused Discussions

1. You need to practice before you’ll be comfortable.

2. Discourage one-word answers.

3. Don’t fire all these questions like they’re being shot from a machine gun.

35 Youth Group Conversation Starters

Dr. Tony Evans: ‘Something Bigger’ Is Going On

Scott Ross: I Pastor People Who Don’t Know They Need a Pastor

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