Churches could benefit from knowing how to fight, with clear rules of engagement, focused statements of the issues, negotiation to achieve a compromise, and how to know when the dispute has concluded.
Category: Church and State
No more Lemon tree – Supreme Court weakens Establishment Clause protections
The Court took an ax to the trunk of the Lemon tree and replaced it with a vague “history and tradition” rule.
Prayer as Political Football – Post-Game Analysis of Kennedy v. Bremerton
The coach’s final “alone” prayer sessions were not truly alone – they had become a political cause célèbre.
Why Maine’s religious schools are likely to decline state funding
Why two Maine schools slated to receive public funds in the wake of the Supreme Court decision in Carson v. Makin will probably refuse to take the money. Last week we reported that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Maine law that blocked private religious schools from receiving taxpayer-funded aid. Carson v. Makin says…
Count the Cost: The Hidden Dangers of Government Funding of Religious Education
The integrity of the private parochial school system is at stake. Religious schools would, through their agreement to accept requirements for scholarships, make themselves vulnerable for regulation to the point that they have nothing unique to offer the world.
Supreme Court rules 9-0 that Boston violated 1st Amendment in refusing Christian flag at City Hall
This morning the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Shurtleff v. Boston (Dec’d 5/2/2022) that the city of Boston violated the free speech rights of a Christian group when it refused to allow them to participate in a city flag raising program.
Active Liberty: A Survey of Justice Stephen Breyer’s Religion Clause Decisions
A comprehensive review of retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s decisions in Free Exercise and Establishment Clause cases.
Supreme Court hears argument in football coach post-game prayer case
The Supreme Court will likely find that the coach’s interest in free speech and free exercise of religion is more compelling than a potential Establishment Clause violation.
A Concept in Common: Are Sunday Blue Laws Making a Comeback?
While existing blue laws that specifically prohibit things like Sunday hunting may be disappearing, there is a movement to reintroduce the concept in ways that appeal to across the political divide.
Court refuses to block Maine mandate that allows medical but not religious exemptions
The United States Supreme Court refused to issue a preliminary injunction to temporarily block a Maine rule requiring certain healthcare workers to take the COVID-19 vaccine or lose their jobs or medical practices, allowing for medical but not religious exemptions.