A Methodist foster care and adoption agency that receives government funding may continue to serve “Christians only” because the Jewish couple who challenged the agency were found by a Tennessee court not to have legal standing. The religious discrimination at…
Church-state separationists join Justice Sotomayor in blasting the Supreme Court’s ruling in a Maine school voucher case
Church-state separationists lambasted a June 21 decision of the United States Supreme Court that granted parents in Maine access to taxpayer-funded vouchers to send their children to private religious schools. Meanwhile, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a scathing dissent from the…
Does the Johnson Amendment have any teeth left?
Donald Trump failed to “totally destroy” the Johnson Amendment as he promised evangelical Christian supporters, but a current case may demonstrate whether the no-politicking policy for tax-exempt organizations has any teeth left. The Johnson Amendment is a 1954 law that…
Unanimous Supreme Court rules against Boston in Christian flag case
The City of Boston so clearly violated U.S. law on religious liberty that a normally divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously against the city May 2. Given the tense nature of debate about the meaning of religious freedom amid the…
Former high school football coach gets a second shot at the Supreme Court with his claim that he ought to be able to lead public post-game prayers on the 50-yard-line
A Seattle-area high school football coach has extended his religious liberty claim into unexpected overtime, with the United States Supreme Court agreeing to hear his case for a second time. Joseph Kennedy, a former Bremerton High School coach, was placed…
High court says New York doesn’t have to offer a religious exemption to vaccine mandate
After nearly two years of largely favoring the free-exercise-of-religion claims brought by conservative Christians during the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Supreme Court drew a firm line against such claims Dec. 13. Presented with a request for an emergency injunction…
Conservatives hoping for a 6-3 ruling in favor of taxpayer funding for sectarian schools
Comments by justices of the United State Supreme Court Dec. 8 indicate likely support for parents of Maine high school students who want to use government funding to send their children to sectarian schools. During oral arguments before the court…
Senator criticized for asking nominee, under oath, whether he ‘believes in God’
Religious liberty watchdogs cried foul July 28 when a United States senator during a confirmation hearing asked the candidate under oath whether he believes in God. The U.S. Constitution plainly states: “No religious test shall ever be required as a…
Does landmark religious freedom legislation need a fix or is it fine as is?
Does the landmark Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 need a legislative fix? Some Democratic Congressmen and religious freedom advocates believe so, which has prompted a renewed attempt to resolve problems they believe have been created by conservative court rulings…