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…
Interfaith work called key to preserving religious liberty in public education
“Interfaith work is at the center of the work to save this country,” Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum told a summit on religious freedom in public schools Sept. 15. Kleinbaum, senior rabbi emerita at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York City,…
Texas schools given conflicting advice on Ten Commandments
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has ordered school districts unaffected by a recent court ruling to comply with a state law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms beginning Sept. 1. The Aug. 25 directive came less than a…
The attempted deportation of a Baptist hero, Roger Williams
In February 1631, the ship Lyon arrived in Boston harbor, carrying a group of migrants seeking to escape religious and political oppression suffered in England. Among them was Roger Williams. His migrant status didn’t end with his arrival in Boston,…
Attacks on Zohran Mamdani defy religious liberty
Recent events reveal some of our politicians have forgotten America was founded on religious freedom that included respect for those whose religious beliefs differ from our own. Zohran Mamdani faces a flurry of anti-Muslim attacks after his New York City…