Civil rights and separation of church and state groups are thrilled, but conservative evangelicals are dismayed that the Biden administration announced Nov. 18 the reversal of a Trump-era policy that allowed discrimination against foster parents because of their sexual orientation….
Kentucky child care discrimination and proselytizing cases take opposite turns
A two-decades-old dispute between the state of Kentucky and a Baptist child care agency turned two pages in opposite directions within a few days, offering anything but clarity about the situation. On one hand, Sunrise Children’s Services, an agency of…
How our family is celebrating Christmas in July
Christmas is a mere six months away. Many churches, like my first church in West Jefferson, N.C., where I was an associate pastor, have Christmas in July celebrations and festivities that often coincide with the community’s own festival to prepare…
BJC general counsel sees little future guidance in Supreme Court’s latest religious liberty ruling
As with a 2018 ruling involving a baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, the U.S. Supreme Court’s latest foray into a free exercise of religion claim is so narrowly written as to offer little future…
In narrow ruling, unanimous Supreme Court supports Catholic Social Services in Philadelphia foster care case
The United States Supreme Court unanimously sided with Catholic Social Services in its claim against the City of Philadelphia, saying the city cannot exclude the faith-based agency from a foster care contract merely because it does not serve LGBTQ clients….
Upcoming Supreme Court ruling could influence child care case in Kentucky too
With an important Supreme Court ruling on foster care and religious discrimination coming any day, a Kentucky Baptist child care agency is fighting its own battle to continue denying same-sex couples from becoming foster or adoptive parents. The pending Supreme…
How an upcoming Supreme Court decision on ‘religious freedom’ could undermine religious freedom
Baptists care deeply about religious freedom, so we should care when this cherished freedom is misused and undermined. That’s why we should all pay close attention to the United States Supreme Court’s upcoming decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, which will…
Why I’m a 26-year-old mother of five
The mandate of the Scriptures in James is clear, to care for the widow and the orphan. If this is the case, then why are we so slow to do so? Why are we living in a time where there…
When it rains, remember the Disney Rules
Today, we loaded up our little circus and took a drive. The kids had a school holiday, and we planned a little fun out of the house. Didn’t matter that the weather forecast screamed “stay home” or that the clouds…