In the News

iStockPhoto

Why The Supreme Court Ruling On Legislative Prayer Won’t Affect All Christians

By James Coffin – Whatever the justices decide concerning legislative prayer, their decision will have little impact on what I’ll do when, as a member of the Christian clergy, I’m asked to pray at such gatherings. I don’t wear one of those WWJD? wristbands. But I regularly ask the what-would-Jesus-do question. And I’m convinced about what he’d do regarding legislative prayer.

Why The Supreme Court Ruling On Legislative Prayer Won’t Affect All Christians Read More »

Religious Liberty News Briefs

On September 19, a bipartisan group introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would prevent the federal government from discriminating through the tax code against individual religious believers who hold the principle that marriage is a union of one man and one woman. According to bill author, Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID)H.R. 3133, the “Marriage and Religious Freedom Act,” “will ensure tolerance for individuals and organizations that affirm traditional marriage, protecting them from adverse federal action.” The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Steve Scalise, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC), and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL).

Religious Liberty News Briefs Read More »

How Would An Attack on Syria Affect the Religious Liberty of the Syrian People?

By Michael Peabody – Despite serious public opposition to involvement in another quagmire in the Middle East, chances are the United States will soon be involved in the two-year-old civil war in Syria. While there are many questions regarding how this will help or hinder national foreign policy aims, few have considered how a shift in power could affect the religious freedom of the people of Syria.

How Would An Attack on Syria Affect the Religious Liberty of the Syrian People? Read More »

Into the Minefield: US Supreme Court to Consider Legislative Prayer in October

This October the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in Town of Greece v. Galloway, a case that could change the way that prayers are conducted in legislative proceedings. The Court will determine whether city council rules, which do not openly discriminate against non-Christians or permit prayer to be used to promote a particular religion, are unconstitutional when most of the people offering the prayers are Christians.

Into the Minefield: US Supreme Court to Consider Legislative Prayer in October Read More »

Egypt: Mob burns Adventist Church in Assiut (ANN)

The Assiut Adventist Church, located approximately 220 miles south of Cairo, was attacked by a mob and heavily damaged after it was set on fire. The pastor and his wife hid in their upstairs apartment and were not found by the attackers, who set the building on fire. The pastor and his wife were rescued from the burning building by Muslim neighbors.

Egypt: Mob burns Adventist Church in Assiut (ANN) Read More »

Down Syndrome Births Drop in U.S. as More Women Abort – ABC News

Excerpt: “An estimated 92 percent of all women who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate their pregnancies, according to research reviewed by Dr. Brian Skotko, a pediatric geneticist at Children’s Hospital Boston. http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=8960803&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Down Syndrome Births Drop in U.S. as More Women Abort – ABC News Read More »

Prayers, Parks, and Monuments: Litigation Over Religious Symbols in America

By Jason Hines – Now the clock is ticking for the group because there are KY tourism tax incentives for the project that are set to expire in May of 2014. The longer it takes to open the park, the less the group can receive in rebates. Under the current plan, the group can receive up to 25% of the cost of the project over ten years.

Prayers, Parks, and Monuments: Litigation Over Religious Symbols in America Read More »

State Department Reports on Serious Freedom Abuses Abroad (CenterForLiberty.org)

Since its creation in 1998, the USCIRF has been controversial, both at home and abroad. At home, criticism typically focuses on the charge that the US should be more willing to assist CPC nations to improve their record rather than just putting them on a “blacklist” for the world to see. Abroad, nations have frequently criticized the US for its attitude of “arrogance” in thinking that it is superior to other sovereign nations and entitled to criticize them for religious freedom abuses when the US hardly has a spotless record itself. Nevertheless, after 15 years of activity, there is little doubt that the USCIRF reports have often motivated CPC nations to improve their religious freedom records. USCIRF’s work has also exposed serious religious freedom abuses that should be brought to the world’s attention.

State Department Reports on Serious Freedom Abuses Abroad (CenterForLiberty.org) Read More »

Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Defense of Marriage Act: Is Federal Government in the Marriage Business?

One of the more interesting aspects of the gay marriage debate that the arguments of the last two days have highlighted is how different the discussion of marriage is from the religious to the legal realm. Religion was not mentioned one time over the course of the two days and neither should it have been. The issues of the extension of civil marriage are not issues of theology or spirituality (and they still won’t be if same-sex marriage became legal nationwide tomorrow).

Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Defense of Marriage Act: Is Federal Government in the Marriage Business? Read More »

Scroll to Top