Some Texas legislators want to outdo Georgia and Arkansas with a combination of bills restricting transgender teens and voting access for poor and minority citizens. The Texas bills — four concerning transgender health care, six concerning transgender athletes and two…
‘Pandemic acknowledges no religious exemption,’ interfaith group warns state legislatures
“The pandemic acknowledges no religious exemption,” a group of faith leaders wrote to state legislators across the nation April 12. The interfaith group — which includes the Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Home Mission Societies, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious…
Another Friday night, another Supreme Court rapid ruling on churches and COVID
For the second time in two months, the United States Supreme Court on Friday, April 9, issued a late-night, end-of-the-week ruling on a California church’s challenge to public health restrictions due to COVID-19. But there’s something different about the latest…
Canada labels Uyghur repression ‘genocide,’ but that’s not as exemplary as you might think
This week, Canada’s Parliament voted to label China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority as “genocide.” This makes Canada the second country in the world after the United States to describe Beijing’s egregious repression as it is. A bit of…
Supreme Court again overturns COVID restrictions on houses of worship
In a sign of how long the coronavirus pandemic has gone on, the United States Supreme Court has been dealt enough cases on church closures during the pandemic now to have reversed itself and splintered further in its own opinions….
Neither democracy nor religious freedom are biblical concepts, John MacArthur declares
The Bible favors neither democracy nor religious freedom, John MacArthur said in a pair of January sermons where he lamented the perceived persecution of his church by government. The highly influential pastor — who has been at war with Los…
Voices of freedom continue to speak from Colonial Williamsburg church
Americans have a long way to go to fully embrace freedom of religion and expression given the challenges of recent years, decades and even centuries, according to a panel discussion hosted online this month by Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. “A…
Next BNG free webinar will survey global religious issues and human rights
International religion expert Knox Thames will be the featured guest for Baptist News Global’s first free webinar of the new year on Monday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. Central Time. Registration for the 75-minute webinar is free. However, registration is…
In Tennessee and Kentucky, religious freedom claims and COVID prevention plans are in conflict
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain the already contentious boundaries of religious practice versus public policy. In the same week the U.S. Supreme Court ruled New York may not restrict religious worship gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus, two…