Religious freedom is a radical invention that allows all Americans to believe or not believe as they choose, but on the condition that others are not harmed, said Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State….
Religious freedom and dignity for prisoners at US Supreme Court
Religious freedom is for everyone. That’s a promise — as well as a calling for us today — straight out of our country’s flawed but hopeful “history and tradition” that the current U.S. Supreme Court keeps emphasizing. If we want…
What’s your church: Republican? Democrat? Independent? Gospel?
On July 7, 2025, the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas Tyler Division, issued the following ruling: When a house of worship in good faith speaks to its congregation, through its customary channels of communication on matters of faith…
Supreme Court sides with Catholic Charities in tax case
The Wisconsin Supreme Court erred in not granting a Catholic social agency the same exemption from state unemployment assistance taxes enjoyed by churches, religious schools and other faith groups, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 5. The unanimous opinion written…
Judge blocks Trump’s plan to dismantle Department of Education
A federal judge in Boston called out the Trump administration for attempting to abolish the U.S. Department of Education while claiming it was merely seeking to restructure the agency. “The record abundantly reveals that defendants’ true intention is to effectively…
Due process for all Americans now threatened, Melissa Rogers warns
The wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia poses a looming threat to the right to due process in the U.S., said Melissa Rogers, a former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Garcia is the…
The Supreme Court at a crossroads
Every four years, the people who are most politically engaged in American law and politics tend to focus their autumn energy on the upcoming November election. The annual October kickoff of the U.S. Supreme Court term may be overlooked. That…
Why is this still happening?
Louisiana is making history, and not the good kind. As the only state with a law mandating displays of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, Louisiana is a standout among a host of states pursuing legislative measures that…
How to tell if it’s ‘Christian nationalism’ or not
Identification as a white evangelical doesn’t necessarily mean a Christian has become a follower of Christian nationalism, but it certainly doesn’t rule it out, said Amanda Tyler, executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Speaking during a recent…
Biden administration restores religious protections for those receiving federal social services
Religious liberty advocates are hailing a new Biden administration rule that protects the recipients of federally funded social services from discrimination by the religious groups that administer them. The White House measure is designed to prevent faith-based organizations that receive…
The Supreme Court’s refreshing unity on religious freedom
If you want to read one U.S. Supreme Court opinion from the past term that doesn’t risk raising your blood pressure, I suggest Groff v. DeJoy. Plenty of the court’s decisions display deep divisions among the justices — divisions that both…
High court’s ruling on wedding website designer is fatally flawed, Hollman and Tyler say
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 303 Creative v. Elenis ruling could undermine public accommodation laws historically enacted to end Jim Crow and other discriminatory practices, said Holly Hollman, general counsel for Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. “It’s not surprising that…