By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman Obergefell v. Hodges, the same-sex marriage case being argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this week, is not a First Amendment case. Its potential impact, however, has increased conversations about religious liberty, particularly the…
Utah compromise worth consideration
By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman Through our publications, blog, and website, the BJC regularly reports on state legislative action affecting religious liberty. Some of the most visible recent bills are state versions of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act…
Ten commandments for campaigns
By Executive Director J. Brent Walker The 2016 election season began in March when Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced his candidacy for president of the United States at Liberty University’s convocation in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Religious liberty, Easter, and fear
I’m no legal expert when it comes to religious liberty. Not like Brent Walker or Holly Hollman. Neither am I a political pundit or a talking head who takes an extreme view in order to satisfy the base. I write…
Not all RFRAs are created equal: What’s different about Indiana’s controversial law
Move over, Gene Hackman. Indiana is becoming known for a lot more than just Hoosier’s basketball. After the state passed a law purported to restore “religious freedom,” it was met with crushing criticism from those who believe the law grants…
Why do so many Christians think we need government to prop up Jesus?
In a recent Facebook post, Franklin Graham praised Indiana’s House of Representatives for passing a “religious freedom” bill “that would protect business owners who want to decline to provide services for same-sex marriages.” Religious freedom, which has been a hallmark…
Same-sex marriage and the intractable knot of freedoms
Same-sex marriage has tied American society into a seemingly intractable knot. Advocates of one great value pull a thread that ultimately tightens and restricts another cherished principle. And vice-versa. Human rights vs. religious liberty.
Did the President misrepresent Christianity?
President Obama spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 5, as you know, and that speech unleashed considerable negative reaction-mostly from the same people that have criticized him for about everything he has said or done since 2009. Most…
Religious freedom doesn’t require risking public health
By General Counsel K. Hollyn Hollman The recent measles outbreak and ensuing conversation about immunizations is not primarily a story about religion or religious exemptions. We are learning, again, that measles is a serious, and sometimes fatal, but preventable disease….