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High Court hands Catholic Social Services narrowly drafted victory
The Supreme Court finds for a Catholic foster care service while sidestepping a larger free exercise of religion issue.
Author Archive: Michael Peabody
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Workplace Religious Accommodation Cases
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not be hearing two major workplace religious accommodation cases.
Dr. C. Norman Farley passes to his rest
We are sad to announce the passing of Dr. C. Norman Farley in November 2020. He formally served on our Advisory panel beginning in 2016, and he, along with his wife Alice, have been great supporters and volunteers of ReligiousLiberty.TV and Founders' First Freedom.
Supreme Court not likely to make individual FBI agents pay for allegedly violating Religious Freedom Restoration Act
On October 6, 2020, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case on the issue of whether individual FBI agents can be held financially liable if they are found to have violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The underlying case involves Muslim-Americans who alleged that individual FBI agents put them on the "no fly" list after they refused to act as informants against fellow Muslims in terrorism-related investigations.
"I dissent!" A Survey of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Religion Clause Jurisprudence
Ginsburg wrote little on the religion clauses, but she frequently joined with those Justices who favored a strong separation of church and state.
Ventura County Sues to Stop Church from Meeting Indoors
On August 2, 2020, the church again met indoors and Pastor McCoy said he was "willing to go to jail" and "willing for them to take our building" rather than comply with the state and local orders.
Court rules agency can decide if employers must provide contraceptive coverage
Supreme Court sidesteps the free exercise claim and grants government agencies the power to determine whether to apply the ACA contraceptive mandates to employers.
Supreme Court: Religious schools immune from teachers' discrimination claims
The ethical and moral onus is now on religious institutions as they decide whether to fire "ministerial" employees for reasons illegal in the secular world, such as age or the need for cancer treatment. Institutions engaging in this kind of discriminatory tactic will still need to answer to a Higher Source who will not be impressed with their ability to obtain summary judgment. The way for religious institutions to "win" these cases is to avoid them in the first place by taking the lead in treating employees with the highest degree of care and concern.
COVID-19 aid package that does not exclude churches passes with bipartisan support
Although the Small Business Administration typically works with for-profit enterprises, the CARES Act does not exclude non-profit organizations from this funding, including churches. Banks will distribute these loans to qualifying organizations on a first-come, first-served basis.
Should churches "stay-at-home"? Martin Luther offers guidance
Although Luther wrote it nearly 500 years ago, his advice on how to handle an epidemic is still valid. Trust God and take precautions.