Free Exercise

Why Free Speech is Key to Religious Liberty

In the United States, protecting both free speech and religious liberty is essential for a healthy, diverse society. Censorship, especially when it limits religious expression, threatens the very core of these freedoms.

October 3, 2024 Read →

Religious Parents Appeal to Supreme Court Over Opt-Out Rights on Gender and Sexuality Education

Religious parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate their right to opt their children out of lessons on gender and sexuality. The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, brings a legal challenge to the Montgomery County Board of Education’s decision to deny parents the ability to exempt their children from exposure to storybooks that include topics such as gender transitions and same-sex relationships.

September 21, 2024 Read →

Balancing Faith and Public Health: The Ninth Circuit’s Ruling in Bacon v. Woodward on Vaccine Mandates and Religious Exemptions

The primary issue in Bacon v. Woodward concerns whether the City of Spokane’s implementation of Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 Proclamation, which required state agency workers to be fully vaccinated, violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment as applied to Spokane firefighters who sought religious exemptions.

June 29, 2024 Read →

Ocean Grove’s Beach Battle: A Church’s Tradition vs. Beach Access Law

In Ocean Grove, New Jersey, a century-old tradition faces modern legal challenges. The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a Methodist group, founded a Christian seaside retreat in 1869. The Association owns all the land in the town, including the beach, which it has historically closed on Sunday mornings for worship services.

June 11, 2024 Read →

Iowa Governor Signs Landmark Religious Freedom Restoration Act

In a significant advancement for religious liberty, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2095, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), into law on April 2, 2024. The legislation, celebrated at a Christian conservative event, aims to fortify the religious freedoms of Iowans against government interference.

June 10, 2024 Read →

Creating Engaging Content for Instagram: Best Practices

Whether the Montgomery County Board of Education’s policy, which mandates the use of LGBTQ-inclusive books without providing an opt-out option for parents, infringes on the plaintiffs’ rights to religious freedom and parental control over their children’s education?

June 5, 2024 Read →

Colorado Court: Baker Must Provide “Non-Expressive” Cake to Transgender Customer

Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, is again in the news after a Colorado court ruled he had illegally discriminated by refusing to make a cake to celebrate a gender transition. The court found that Phillips’ refusal to make the cake violated a customer’s right to be free from discrimination. ADF attorneys are appealing the decision, arguing that no one should be forced to express a message against their core beliefs.

January 30, 2023 Read →