Supreme Court Preserves Abortion Pill Access

At Axios, Sareen Habeshian and April Rubin report that the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the biggest abortion-related case since Roe v. Wade, effectively preserving access to the abortion pill mifepristone, which currently accounts for the majority of U.S. abortions. According to the Court’s unanimous opinion, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, accepting the plaintiffs’ argument would have enabled citizens to challenge almost any government action they do not agree with. PRRI finds that nearly 7 in 10 Americans (68%) oppose laws that make it illegal to use or receive through the mail FDA-approved drugs for a medical abortion, also known as the abortion pill.

Here’s What the Christian Right Wants From a Second Trump Term

At The Washington Post, Michelle Boorstein and Hannah Knowles exploreChristian conservatives’ political hopes and opportunities if former President Donald Trump wins a second term. Proposals being pushed by the Christian right include removing the words “gender” and “abortion” from federal programs, carving out greater exemptions to LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws, and imposing new restrictions on abortion pills. Boorstein and Knowles note that, in a marked contrast from 2016, Trump is now considered a proven champion of conservative Christians; last fall, PRRI’s 2023 American Values Survey found that 76% of white evangelical Protestants said they would vote for Trump if the election was held that day.

Grassroots Conference Embraces Christian Nationalism and Great Replacement Theory

For Salon, Robert Downen and Juan Salinas II report that The True Texas Project, a far-right activist group, will host a conference next month bringing together prominent elected officials and fringe extremists. The conference’s agenda asserts that Democrats are trying to “rid the earth of the white race,” echoing a conspiracy known as the great replacement theory. The True Texas Project has ties to prominent Texas Republicans including Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. Ted Cruz. PRRI finds that more than half of Republicans adhere to or sympathize with pillars of Christian nationalism, including beliefs that the U.S. should be a strictly Christian nation.

In Secular France, Chaplains Prepare to Provide Olympians With Spiritual Support

Giovanna Dell’Orto at the Associated Press reports that more than 120 faith leaders from five major global religions are preparing to support nearly 10,000 athletes at the Paris Olympics. A shared hall in the Olympic village will offer worship services and spiritual refuge to anyone in need, regardless of faith. The chaplains face unique challenges, from France’s secularism laws to athlete activism, and will provide comfort ranging from a pre-competition blessing to help coping after the passing of a loved one back home. Rev. Anton Gelyasov, archpriest of the Greek-Orthodox Metropolis of France, said their purpose is to “give witness that we are present, not only as ‘my church’ but as ‘religions.’”