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California lifts location and attendance limits on churches following Supreme Court ruling
Following Friday's Supreme Court ruling, California has lifted restrictions on the number of attendees and location of religious services.
Church and State
US Supreme Court overturns California restrictions on in-home Bible studies
In a decision released Friday night, April 9, 2021, the United States Supreme Court has blocked California's COVID-19 restrictions on in-home religious gatherings.
Court blocks New York Governor's COVID Restrictions on Religious Congregations
In a major victory for religious congregations, delivered late on Thanksgiving Eve, the United States Supreme Court blocked the state of New York from implementing gathering restrictions that the Court ruled discriminate against religious congregations.
Church deserves trial on constitutionality of shutdown order rules judge
Contempt of court is a quasi-criminal act, and the court cannot punish someone for breaking a regulation if that regulation is not constitutional.
"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.
Two Southern California Judges Refuse to Shut Down Churches This Weekend
With outdoor temperatures expected to pass the 100-degree mark, two Los Angeles area judges have given local churches some comforting news.
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.
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.
Did the Supreme Court open the door to regulation of religious schools?
With the death of state Blaine Amendments this week, religious schools that welcome state money might find that they are now subject to regulation that may undermine their very reason for existence.
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.