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….
Tennessee and Arkansas top the list of anti-trans legislation but many bills die in other states
While the 2021 state legislative session has produced more anti-LGBTQ legislation than any previous year — often supported by evangelical Christians — many of the anti-transgender bills have failed in statehouses. The latest setback for anti-transgender bills came in Texas…
In state legislatures, a push against trans teens, for churches as ‘essential’ and seeking to define ‘religious freedom’
Ensuring the absolute right of churches to meet during a global pandemic, amending religious freedom legislation and enacting legislation against transgender youth have emerged as key faith-based actions in state legislatures across the nation this year. All three issues are…
Arkansas allows medical providers to deny service based on a provider’s own ethics or religious beliefs
Personal conscience now outranks the responsibility to provide medical care to all people equally in Arkansas, according to a bill passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Asa Hutchinson March 26. Senate Bill 289, also known…
Equality Act gets a hearing, Black pastors advocate for an alternative, and new national poll shows a majority opinion
As the United States Senate held its first hearing for the proposed Equality Act March 17, a group of Black Christian leaders threw their support behind a competing piece of legislation known as the Fairness for All Act. The Equality…
Equality Act stirs passions about the definition of religious liberty and RFRA’s role
When the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act last week, the long-simmering battle between religious conservatives and the rest of the nation reached a renewed pitch. At stake is the desire of religious conservatives — especially evangelical Christians…
Bill would list schools asking for LGBT exemptions to Title IX
A Massachusetts congresswoman has introduced legislation to require the government to publish the names of colleges and universities that request religious exemptions to federal regulations that bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) unveiled…
BJC, others, oppose discrimination by federal contractors
The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty was among 42 religious, education, civil rights, labor and women’s organizations opposing an amendment to a defense policy bill that would exempt religious organizations from a 2014 executive order by President Obama barring…
Bill termed anti-gay authored by Baptist lawmaker
The Mississippi Senate has passed what critics call the most sweeping anti-LGBT legislation in the United States, sponsored by a Baptist layman who is a trustee at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, a member and former…