Midday Roundup: American Bible Society announces move to Philly

Relocation. American Bible Society (ABS) announced Wednesday it is relocating its headquarters to the heart of Philadelphia from the historic “Bible House” in New York City. ABS chose Philadelphia partly because of its affordability and livability, said President and CEO Roy Peterson. ABS, founded in 1816, helps distribute Bibles in multiple languages around the world. But it has struggled in recent years with finances, leadership, and the high cost of maintaining its historic New York headquarters, which needs $20 million in renovations by 2016 to meet city code. The building is for sale and estimated to be worth $300 million. The property’s sale could mean the end of a Christian landmark in one of the world’s most secular cities. ABS said it will maintain a small staff in New York.

Employer discretion. The mayor of Washington, D.C., has signed two laws that could violate the religious liberty of Christian organizations. The first one, according to Life Site News, prohibits employers from discriminating against an employee based on her “reproductive-health decisions.” Opponents of the measure fear it could require D.C. employers to provide health coverage for abortions, in opposition to the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Hobby Lobby case. The other law says religious schools cannot prohibit gay and lesbian student groups from using campus facilities. Congress will review both measures and has 30 days to vote to block them. If not, they automatically become law.

One step closer. Trinity Western University in British Columbia won a legal victory Wednesday for its proposed law school. The Christian university has faced numerous roadblocks in trying to form a law school because many in Canada say its conduct rules for students, which prohibit homosexual relationships and other behaviors, are discriminatory. In the most recent court case, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia ruled the Nova Scotia Barrister Society (NSBS) erred by saying it would not accept graduates of the TWU law school. “Allowing the NSBS’s decision to stand would have a chilling effect on the liberty of conscience and freedom of religion,” Justice Jamie S. Campbell wrote. The ruling doesn’t yet allow TWU to start the law school. That must come from the authorities in British Columbia.

In memory. Charles H. Townes, a Nobel Laureate and devout member of the United Church of Christ, died Tuesday. He was 99. Townes is known for the scientific breakthrough that led to the invention of the laser. His inspiration came to him while sitting on a park bench in 1951. He famously compared it to a revelation. Now, his discovery is applied ubiquitously in devices such as DVD players, gun sights, printers, computer networks, and metal cutters. Townes wrote many essays about the intersection of science and religion. “My own view is that, while science and religion may seem different, they have many similarities, and should interact and enlighten each other,” he wrote.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.