When an attorney who is a member of a congregation involved in a legal dispute becomes the attorney of record for those seeking to sue that church and its former pastor, does that constitute an ethical violation? This is at…
‘Trey’s Law’ is now in effect, making NDAs unenforceable in Texas and Missouri
Sept. 1 marks a historic victory for child sexual assault survivors in Texas and Missouri. “Trey’s Law” has officially gone into effect, banning the misuse of nondisclosure agreements in civil settlement agreements pertaining to sexual assault claims. In Texas, this…
Bible-teaching group seeks foot in the door of Kentucky public schools
A nonprofit organization created to promote evangelical Christian curriculum to “opt-in” public school children now has its eyes on Kentucky, where Republican legislators earlier this year created a path for religious education during school hours. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed…
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ appears headed for closure
The Trump administration is removing immigrants from Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention center after a federal judge ordered operations downsized by late October. The Department of Homeland Security announced the move after U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams’ Aug. 21 order prohibiting…
Thou shall not? Schools in Texas and Arkansas caught between rulings
When a federal judge provisionally rules that a state’s mandate for public schools to display the Ten Commandments is unconstitutional, does that ruling apply only to the school districts involved in the litigation or to all districts in the state?…
Warnings escalate about Trump and RFK Jr.’s threat to public health
President Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are “threatening the lives” of the American people, according to the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control work on immunizations who resigned this week. “I am unable to serve in…
Trump wants death penalty for all murders in DC
As U.S support for the death penalty reaches new lows, President Donald Trump wants to make capital punishment the norm in the nation’s capital. “If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, D.C., we’re going to be seeking the death…
Despite Trump’s words, most Americans believe racism is widespread
Despite the MAGA campaign to rewrite American history to deemphasize racism, a supermajority of Americans still believes racism against Black people is widespread in the United States. The latest Gallup poll finds 64% of Americans saying racism against Black people…
Republican congressional candidate burns Quran with flamethrower
The oldest Muslim community in the United States has condemned a Texas congressional candidate’s videotaped burning of a Quran. “Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA strongly condemns the burning of the Holy Quran by congressional candidate Valentina Gomez, as well as the…
Faith leaders urge Arkansas governor not to resume executions
August has been a busy month for capital punishment in Arkansas even though no executions are scheduled and the state’s governor said she’s in no rush to resume executions following an eight-year pause. The first development came Aug. 5 when…
Legendary Baptist missions leader Keith Parks dies
Keith Parks, who led global missions enterprises for both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, died Aug. 26 in Richardson, Texas, at age 97. Parks committed his long life to telling people all over the world about…
Texas schools given conflicting advice on Ten Commandments
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has ordered school districts unaffected by a recent court ruling to comply with a state law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms beginning Sept. 1. The Aug. 25 directive came less than a…