COVID-19
On the Vaccine and Religious Liberty
We have received more contacts from readers about the COVID-19 vaccine than any other since we went live in 2008. This is understanda…
Michael Peabody
268 articles
Supreme Court
Court to consider tax funding of religious schools, pre-viability abortion ban, and clergy activity at executions
This term, the Supreme Court will be revisiting the issue of whether states must fund religious schools, whether clergy members can say pray…
Free Exercise
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.
Employment Law
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.
Current Events
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, an…
Supreme Court
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…
Church and State
“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 s…
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 build…
Abortion / Contraception
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…
Church and State
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 th…