Justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday refused to recuse themselves from a case claiming they improperly barred a Little Rock judge from hearing death penalty cases because he exercised his religious liberty by attending a execution vigil in his other role as a Baptist pastor.
Clergy ask Texas to end policy banning chaplains from execution chamber
Interfaith clergy, including leaders in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, released a statement July 23 calling on the state of Texas to drop its ban on prison chaplains from its execution chamber, imposed after the United States Supreme Court ruled that the state could not execute an inmate without allowing a Buddhist chaplain to be in the room at his time of death.
Franklin Graham uses Decision Magazine to issue dire warning against Equality Act
Evangelist Franklin Graham warned that a proposed law supported by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in public accommodations presents a “clear and present danger to religious freedom” in an op-ed accompanying the cover story of the July/August 2019 edition of Decision Magazine.
WWJDD: What Would James Dunn Do? America on July 4, 2019
Had James Dunn lived to witness this year’s Fourth of July event – hijacked by President Trump – he would have let his freedom of dissent ring loud and clear. At this moment in the history of American Christianity and American government, Dunn’s distinctive gospel dissent needs to be heard and heeded.
Baptists line up for Supreme Court debate about LGBT worker rights
A small number of Baptists are among more than 700 individuals joining a brief filed July 3 asking the United States Supreme Court to declare that federal civil rights law prohibits job discrimination against gay and transgender workers.
John the Baptist and religious liberty: getting right what many evangelical preachers get wrong
John the Baptist spoke truth to power, refused to pander to politicians and insisted that no earthly kingdom is coterminous with the Kingdom of God. In other words, John got right what many evangelical preachers get wrong.
Judge Wendell Griffen wants power to hear death penalty cases restored
An Arkansas judge cleared of ethics charges stemming from his participation in an anti-death penalty demonstration two years ago has petitioned the state’s Supreme Court to restore his power to hear and decide capital cases.
Sister leaders from Cuba and America: inhabiting the Body of Christ and the nation-state
Together we as Cuban and American Christians are part of the beloved community constructed by the Triune God who creates space for our disparate national identities. We share a commitment to live as Christians under the Lordship of Christ while navigating the demands of citizenship and religious liberty.
Supreme Court delivers ‘splintered’ opinion upholding Bladensburg cross
The United States Supreme Court ruled June 20 that a 40-foot Latin cross can remain on public land as a historical symbol of war.
Religious Right leader elected chair of international religious freedom watchdog group
Tony Perkins, a Religious Right leader long criticized as anti-Muslim and anti-gay, has been named chairman of U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Report: Ethics complaint against anti-death penalty pastor/judge dismissed
The Arkansas state Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission has dismissed an ethics charge against a judge who also is a Baptist pastor for participating in an anti-death penalty demonstration on Good Friday 2017.
Ethics complaint against pastor/judge in death penalty protest hits snag
Two days after saying Arkansas Supreme justices do not have to testify in an ethics complaint against a judge photographed at an anti-death penalty demonstration more than two years ago, a statewide commission that monitors judicial conduct canceled a hearing scheduled June 13.