EARNING YOUR TRUST, EVERY DAY. 07.17.21 VOLUME 36 NUMBER 13 JOE BIDEN SOLD OUT ON ABORTION— WILL THE BISHOPS BUY HIS JUSTIFICATION? P. 38 “WHY SHOULD OUR INNOCENT CHILDREN PAY FOR THE FAILURE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SECURITY?” —ABDUCTIONS PLAGUE NIGERIA, P. 52 NIGERIA, P. PLAGUE —ABDUCTIONS SECURITY?” PROVIDE TO GOVERNMENT THE OF FAILURE THE FOR PAY CHILDREN INNOCENT OUR SHOULD “WHY V36 13 COVER+TOC.indd 1 6/29/21 3:51 PM THERE IS MORE TO OUR LIVES THAN “NOW.” IF THERE IS NOT, THEN EVEN THE NOW IS MEANINGLESS. RIGHT NOW COUNTS FOREVER INVEST IN YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH TODAY. LIGONIER.ORG/LEARN V36 13 COVER+TOC.indd 2 6/29/21 2:28 PM FEATURES 07.17.21 VOLUME 36 NUMBER 13 52 NIGERIA’S KIDNAPPING, INC. Armed groups have abducted thousands of Nigerians in recent months. The government blames bandits, but international observers highlight religious motivation by Onize Ohikere 38 46 58 THE PRESIDENT AND THE PEW A SUMMER OF WORK? WORD BY WORD, YEAR BY YEAR Joe Biden’s pro-abortion policies Down, out, and upward in Houston A look back at key coverage are driving wedges between leaders from WORLD by Marvin Olasky, of the Roman Catholic Church Elaina Bals, Jonathan Harbour, by Marvin Olasky, Rachel Aldrich, by Jamie Dean and Sam Landstra and Susan Olasky SUNDAY ALAMBA/AP 07.17.21 WORLD V36 13 COVER+TOC.indd 1 6/30/21 8:51 AM DEPARTMENTS 07.17.21 VOLUME 36 NUMBER 13 5 MAILBAG 6 NOTES FROM THE CEO 21 Luca (left) and Alberto in a scene from Luca. Dispatches Culture Notebook 11 NEWS ANALYSIS 21 MOVIES & TV 65 BUSINESS A summer of surprising Luca, Loki, Stray, At Swenson Gardens in Supreme Court unanim- Fatherhood, LUCA HAS A Minnesota, pesticide- ity includes a narrow In the Heights free flowers are the ruling that could bode REFRESHING family business well for Christian foster 26 BOOKS agencies Social economics INNOCENCE 67 LIFESTYLE 13 28 THAT HARKS 68 BY THE NUMBERS CHILDREN’S BOOKS BACK TO MEDICINE 14 HUMAN RACE 30 Q&A Ed Litton MOVIES OF AN Voices 15 QUOTABLES 34 MUSIC EARLIER ERA. 8 Joel Belz 16 QUICK TAKES B.J. Thomas’ cross- 18 Janie B. Cheaney genre career 36 Mindy Belz 70 Andrée Seu Peterson 72 Marvin Olasky ON THE COVER: illustration by Jason Seiler 2 WORLD 07.17.21 DISNEY VIA AP V36 13 COVER+TOC.indd 2 6/30/21 8:52 AM TAKE YOUR FIRST CLASS FREE ONLINE MASTER OF DIVINITY Quality Seminary Training An accredited degree equipping you for your calling Flexible Schedule 100% online program designed for where you are now Accomplished Bible Faculty Credentialed teachers with 310+ combined years of pastoral experience Affordable Education Low tuition gives you the best value and makes seminary doable Claim your free class today at go.pcci.edu/MDivFreeClass V36 13 COVER+TOC.indd 3 6/30/21 9:32 AM years BIBLICALLY OBJECTIVE JOURNALISM THAT INFORMS, EDUCATES, AND INSPIRES “THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND THE FULLNESS THEREOF; THE WORLD AND THOSE WHO DWELL THEREIN.” —PSALM 24:1 EDITOR IN CHIEF Marvin Olasky WORLD NEWS GROUP SENIOR EDITOR Mindy Belz CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kevin Martin CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Nick Eicher WORLD MAGAZINE FOUNDER Joel Belz DEVELOPMENT Pierson Gerritsen, Debra Meissner, EDITOR Michael Reneau Andrew Belz, Sandy Barwick, MANAGING EDITOR Daniel James Devine Whitney Williams, Ambria Collins NATIONAL EDITOR Jamie Dean FINANCE Bill Gibson SENIOR REPORTERS Emily Belz, Angela Lu Fulton, ADMINISTRATION Kerrie Edwards Sophia Lee WAS IT MARKETING Jonathan Woods AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Mickey McLean REPORTERS Esther Eaton, Leah Hickman, DIFFICULT Charissa Koh ADVERTISING John Almaguer, Kyle Crimi, STORY COACH Susan Olasky TO FIND AN Christine Hartman, Elizabeth Kerns MEMBER SERVICES Amanda Beddingfield SENIOR WRITERS Janie B. Cheaney, Andrée Seu ABDUCTEE’S Peterson, Lynn Vincent CORRESPONDENTS June Cheng, John Dawson, Maryrose FAMILY WORLD FOR STUDENTS Delahunty, Sharon Dierberger, WILLING TO Juliana Chan Erikson, Charles Horton, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Rich Bishop Arsenio Orteza, Jenny Lind Schmitt, TALK WITH GOD’S WORLD NEWS WEBSITE gwnews.com Laura G. Singleton, Russell St. John YOU ABOUT MANAGING EDITOR Rebecca Cochrane REVIEWERS Sandy Barwick, Bob Brown, Jeff Koch, ABDUCTIONS WORLD WATCH WEBSITE worldwatch.news Marty VanDriel PROGRAM DIRECTOR Brian Basham EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Kristin Chapman, Mary Ruth Murdoch, IN NIGERIA? Elizabeth Russell ART DIRECTOR David Freeland WORLD JOURNALISM INSTITUTE ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Rachel Beatty ILLUSTRATOR Krieg Barrie WEBSITE wji.world GRAPHIC DESIGNER Arla Eicher “I contacted DEAN Marvin Olasky DIGITAL PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Dan Perkins Jennifer ASSOCIATE DEAN Edward Lee Pitts through a WORLD DIGITAL mutual BOARD OF DIRECTORS friend. It was John Weiss (chairman), William Newton (vice chairman), WEBSITE wng.org a feat to find EXECUTIVE EDITOR Timothy Lamer Mariam Bell, John Burke, Kevin Cusack, Peter Lillback, someone MANAGING EDITOR Lynde Langdon Edna Lopez, Howard Miller, R. Albert Mohler Jr., ASSISTANT EDITOR Rachel Lynn Aldrich willing to Russell B. Pulliam, David Skeel, David Strassner REPORTERS Mary Jackson, Onize Ohikere share their Member of the Associated Press CORRESPONDENTS Laura Edghill, Collin Garbarino, experience Julia A. Seymour, Steve West with kidnap- pers. But WORLD RADIO speaking to HOW TO CONTACT US WEBSITE wng.org/radio someone TO BECOME A WORLD MEMBER, GIVE A GIFT MEMBERSHIP, CHANGE ADDRESS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Paul Butler whose family ACCESS OTHER MEMBER ACCOUNT INFORMATION, OR FOR BACK ISSUES dealt with AND PERMISSION: The World and Everything in It the pain first- HOSTS Nick Eicher, Mary Reichard, EMAIL [email protected] Myrna Brown hand drove ONLINE wng.org/account (members) MANAGING EDITOR Leigh Jones home the or members.wng.org (to become a member) REPORTERS Kent Covington, Anna Johansen Brown, human PHONE 828.435.2981 within the U.S. or 800.951.6397 outside the U.S. Sarah Schweinsberg impact of the Monday–Friday (except holidays), 9 a.m.–7 p.m. ET SENIOR CORRESPONDENTS Katie Gaultney, Kim Henderson, WRITE WORLD, PO Box 20002, Asheville, NC 28802-9998 Les Sillars insecurity.” BACK ISSUES, REPRINTS, PERMISSIONS 828.435.2981 or [email protected] CORRESPONDENTS Maria Baer, Ryan Bomberger, Laura —WORLD FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/WNGdotorg Finch, George Grant, Jill Nelson, Bonnie Pritchett, Jenny Rough, reporter FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WNGdotorg Cal Thomas, Emily Whitten Onize FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM instagram.com/WNGdotorg PRODUCERS Johnny Franklin, Carl Peetz Ohikere, Rich Roszel, Kristen Flavin WORLD OCCASIONALLY RENTS SUBSCRIBER NAMES TO CAREFULLY SCREENED, whose story LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS. IF YOU WOULD PREFER NOT TO RECEIVE THESE Listening In is on p. 52 PROMOTIONS, PLEASE CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASK TO BE PLACED ON Warren Cole Smith OUR DO NOT RENT LIST. Effective Compassion WORLD (ISSN 0888-157X) (USPS 763-010) IS PUBLISHED BIWEEKLY (24 ISSUES) Anna Johansen Brown, Charissa Koh FOR $69.95 PER YEAR BY GOD’S WORLD PUBLICATIONS, (NO MAIL) 12 ALL SOULS CRESCENT, ASHEVILLE, NC 28803; 828.253.8063. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT The Olasky Interview ASHEVILLE, NC, AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. PRINTED IN THE USA. Jill Nelson, Marvin Olasky REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION IS PROHIB- Legal Docket ITED. © 2021 WORLD NEWS GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. POSTMASTER: SEND Mary Reichard, Jenny Rough ADDRESS CHANGES TO WORLD, PO BOX 20002, ASHEVILLE, NC 28802-9998. 4 WORLD 07.17.21 v36 13 MASTHEAD+MAILBAG.indd 4 6/30/21 8:34 AM MAILBAG CAMPUS MUTINY ADAM NIEDERLOH/MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. RACHEL LOWERS/WYOMING, MICH. I have always appreciated WORLD’s It looks like the LGBTQ crowd is not approach to handling complicated reading the Bible. Scripture presents topics. With so many different opin- God’s holiness, His purity, His sacri- ions and information bombarding fice, His sovereignty, and His dividing us by the minute, with lies masquer- of the sheep and the goats. Students ading as truth and truths that are at Christian schools have no excuse. labeled as lies, it’s incredibly diffi- I’m praying for them. cult knowing which information sources we can trust and have con- fidence in. ENLIGHTENED ENTERTAINMENT MAY 22, P. 23—JERRY ZIMPELMANN/ EAGLE RIVER, WIS. THINKIN’ ABOUT LINCOLN Like Megan Basham, I am very excited MAY 22, P. 72—WILLIAM MILLER/ about The Chosen’s second season CAMPUS MUTINY WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. and its potential to share the story of While Abraham Lincoln and others Jesus with so many. But she failed to Administrators at before him set out to change public mention the Mormon Church’s Seattle Pacific opinion on slavery, it took about two involvement with the project. We all University and Calvin generations to accomplish. Yet he know that “he that holds the purse took a decisive stand and fought strings controls the message.” University should be against evil—and evil hit back. Peo- ashamed for even ple shouldn’t think they can con- JONATHAN SHIPP/KNOXVILLE, TENN. considering complaints front evil without expecting there Basham addresses “those able to from students, faculty, to be a fight that gets messy and has watch [on-screen depictions of Jesus] or employees about casualties. with a clear conscience,” but I can find nowhere in Scripture where obe- Biblically based dience to the moral law rests on the definitions of men and CULTURAL ICONS discretion of the human heart or women and the Old MAY 22, P. 10—MARY MICHOL OEN/ SAINT MARYS, OHIO conscience. The Chosen breaks the and New Testament Second Commandment by attempt- stance against the sins I worked at a daily newspaper for ing to portray holiness and perfec- almost 29 years, and Joel Belz’s col- tion in human terms. of homosexuality. umn brought back memories of Placating advocates operating a Linotype. It was a beast ISMAEL C.