The Catholic bishops of Florida took state Attorney General James Uthmeier to school on basic freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment and on the rights of religious institutions, not politicians, to decide matters of theology. It all began in late…
Did this field trip to a mosque violate the First Amendment? A group of Palo Alto parents think so.
A group of Jewish, Hindu and Zoroastrian parents and students are suing a California school district, alleging that a high school program’s field trip to a mosque — and no other houses of worship — violated the First Amendment.
The financial dilemma that wound up helping US churches thrive
By many measures, Americans are growing less religious: Since 2007, for example, the percentage of people who pray daily has dropped, while the “unaffiliated” have grown to 29%. But those numbers can distract from just how much faith still matters in…
‘CatsOnACouch’ influencer sues over First Amendment rights
An online influencer with a penchant for criticizing and lampooning the Trump administration sued the federal government for blocking her from attending a public event where Vice President JD Vance was speaking. Falmouth, Maine, resident Amanda McGonigle’s federal lawsuit accuses…
9 months later, schools are paying for firing teachers over Kirk posts
Remember September last year when hundreds of educators across the nation were facing firing or disciplinary actions for posting personal comments about the death of Charlie Kirk? The rash and reactionary decisions by school boards, superintendents and university presidents have…
Supreme Court slides into partisanship
In siding with the Republican Party in yet another decision loosening campaign spending limits, the U.S. Supreme Court is risking credibility as the supposedly nonpartisan third branch of government. Beyond that, it continues to deny the corrupting influence of the…
Democracy and religious freedom
This is the fifth in a BNG series of articles on Christianity and democracy that will lead toward the July 4 celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The series has been curated by Carol McEntyre, senior minister at First Baptist Church…
Lawsuit seeks to protect Stars and Stripes from Hegseth’s control
A lawsuit filed against the Pentagon seeks to reverse its takeover of Stars and Stripes, the news organization that provided independent news coverage for the U.S. military since 1861. Federal regulations governing the publication ensured its ability to provide “a…
Greg Abbott is on a campaign against religious liberty
One year ago, I wrote about how Texas Gov. Greg Abbott amplified a racist, Islamophobic tweet to further a conspiracy theory about a North Texas Muslim community. The conspiracy was that the planned community, EPIC City, was going to enact…
Supreme Court to hear another LGBTQ case from Colorado
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide another case about LGBTQ rights in Colorado. At issue: Are Catholic preschools that close their doors to 4-year-olds with LGBTQ parents eligible to participate in a state-funded program requiring preschools not to discriminate? Colorado’s…
Arkansas Ten Commandments law ruled unconstitutional
An Arkansas law requiring Ten Commandments displays in all public-school classrooms is unconstitutional because its sole intent is to convert students to Christianity, a federal court has ruled. “Act 573’s purpose is only to display a sacred, religious text in…
He wanted to be a prison chaplain but was told he had to be Christian
A Maryland county and a Christian prison ministry have agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by an imam barred from serving as a jail chaplain because he is Muslim. The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced the $195,000 settlement for Edrees…