separation of church and state Archives – Page 4 of 8

Everything I know about separation of church and state I learned from my mother

I must have been in the third or fourth grade when Mama said to me, “When people want prayer in the schools, they are assuming the person who is praying has the same beliefs they do.” And then she added,…

Churches: Take the PPP money and walk

I think a decision not to participate in the PPP program would be a mistake. If your church does take the money, see it as an invitation to do more good in your community.

Secularist group raises red flag over Baptist seminary inside Arkansas prison

A secular group opposed to excessive entanglement of church and state says a new prison seminary program set to begin this fall in Arkansas may be unconstitutional.

‘Counting heads’ on Supreme Court, group drops challenge to clergy housing allowance

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has dropped its latest lawsuit claiming that a law granting a tax benefit to ministers of the gospel is unconstitutional.

Supreme Court to hear three cases pitting conservative religious views against LGBTQ rights

The United States Supreme Court on Monday accepted three cases to decide whether a federal law prohibiting discrimination because of “sex” includes sexual orientation and gender identity, setting the stage for a new round of tension between fundamentalist Christianity and LGBTQ rights.

Appellate court says tax break for clergy housing is constitutional

A federal appeals court on Friday gave its blessing to tax-free housing allowances for ministers of the gospel, overturning a lower court decision that found the 60-year-old benefit unconstitutional.

Feds won’t enforce law limiting use of taxpayer funds by private schools

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced March 11 that her department will not enforce parts of a federal law governing the nation’s elementary, middle and high schools deemed unconstitutional in light of a recent Supreme Court decision regarding the separation…

Supreme Court denies appeal to pastor/judge barred from death penalty cases

The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up the case of an Arkansas judge claiming civil rights violations based on religious beliefs he exercised in his other job as a Baptist pastor. Without comment, the high court…