By Melissa Wuske

Young Believers’ Stance on the Same-Sex Marriage Decision

Christian communities continue to grapple with the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage—what it means for their faith and the way they interact with their communities. This struggle is particularly pronounced in Christians under age 40, according to a Barna Research Group study.

Of practicing Christians under 40 years of age, 35 percent support the ruling, standing in stark contrast to the 61 percent of their overall age group who support the ruling. This 26 percent gap is staggering. Instead of relating to their age peer group, young Christians are more closely aligned with their faith peer group: there’s only a 9 percent gap between Christians under 40 and those over 40 (26 percent of whom support the ruling).

Christians under 40 are also divided in their opinions on the ruling based on whether they practice their faith or not. Compared to the 35 percent of practicing young Christians, 73 percent of non-practicing Christians under 40 favor the decision. But both sets of younger Christians think that believers can support legal same-sex marriage and also sustain a faith-based belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Despite their divided peer group, Americans under 40 are less worried about challenges to religious freedom: 62 percent of adults over 40 have concerns, but only 45 percent of Americans under 40 are worried about the future of religious freedom.

Nikes for Disabilities

While most of Nike’s new releases make waves with athletes and style-conscious teens, one of their latest releases targets a less-thought-of audience: people with disabilities. The Zoom Soldier 8 Flyease features a zipper closure that can be secured with one hand for people with limited dexterity. It also has high tops, which provides stability needed for many wearers. While the concept has been in development for some time, the shoe came to fruition after Tobie Hatfield, senior director of athlete innovation at Nike, got a letter from Matthew Walzer, a teenager with cerebral palsy.

No More Passive-Aggressive Emails

Have you ever received (or sent!) an email with a foreboding underlying tone? While writers sometimes intend a snarky or belittling tone, occasionally such a tone creeps in accidentally, spawning unintended consequences. IBM has a tool to help people make sure their email tone is open and positive. The Tone Analyzer scans each word of the email for emotional, social, and writing tone—and helps writers edit to get their desired tone.

Melissa Wuske is a freelance editor and writer. She and her husband, Shawn, live and minister in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Find her work online (melissaannewuske.com).