Last week, the annual meeting of the National Leadership Council of the American Baptist Churches USA took place in Atlanta under the theme, “Claim, Distinguish and Proclaim the Markers of American Baptists.” That should be considered a big deal for…
Religious freedom is for Christians only, says Jenna Ellis
America’s guarantee of religious freedom is for Christians only, not Muslims, claimed former Trump election fraud attorney and podcast host Jenna Ellis and her guest, virulent anti-Muslim activist and “priest” Calvin Robinson, in a recent podcast, “America Under Divine Judgment.”…
Graham comes to Trump’s defense and Kinzinger calls him out
Once again, Franklin Graham has come to the defense of President Donald Trump, but this time former GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger isn’t having it. After the evangelist and Trump cheerleader posted a defense of Trump sharing an AI-generated image of…
‘Why would anyone want to trade religious liberty for oppression?’
The Baptist approach to the Christian faith was forged in the furnace of persecution and ostracism. The foolish might try to trace Baptist roots back to the first church in Jerusalem, but that is mere mythmaking. However, there certainly are…
Patrick names Texas Select Committee on Religious Liberty
The lieutenant governor of Texas, who serves as chairman of President Donald Trump’s federal Religious Liberty Commission, has appointed his own state version of the panel. He named as chair of the Texas committee a well-known Republican Zionist. Texas Lt….
What James Madison can teach Americans about religious freedom today
As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, debates about religious freedom continue to occupy the center of American public life.
He wanted to be a prison chaplain but was told he had to be Christian
A Maryland county and a Christian prison ministry have agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by an imam barred from serving as a jail chaplain because he is Muslim. The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced the $195,000 settlement for Edrees…
Civil liberties groups say Catholic ministry should not discriminate
Religious employers must comply with nondiscrimination laws and are prohibited from discriminating against employees due to sexual orientation, civil and religious rights organizations said in a new court filing. The American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for Separation of Church…
What’s the difference between the Kennedy Center and a wedding cake?
So, what’s the difference between the Kennedy Center and a wedding cake? The First Amendment rights of wedding cake decorators are more secure than those of the center’s performing artists. Let me explain. In the same week President Donald Trump…
Groypers: An emerging threat to religious liberty
Following his appearance on The Tucker Carlson Show, neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes garnered mainstream attention as the leader of the “Groypers,” an emerging alt-right faction united behind the motto “America First.” Fuentes commands a large following on Rumble, a streaming platform…
When book bans enter the classroom, students lose
On a recent trip to my public library, as I was scanning my books, a young boy next to me asked the librarian behind the desk how many books our library branch has. The answer was in the tens of…
The First Amendment is for we, not just thee
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees five related freedoms, and all five are under attack today by the Republican Party. That is not a partisan statement; it is a fact. The modern-day GOP, overtaken by Donald Trump and…