Last Friday a federal judge in Wisconsin issued a ruling that a federal statute that exempts housing for members of the clergy from taxation violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Category: Legal Issues
Federal Judge rules Pennsylvania county seal violates Establishment Clause
A Federal judge has ruled that a Pennsylvania county seal and flag that prominently feature a cross violates the Establishment Clause.
Supreme Court may hear California pregnancy center free speech cases
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering whether to hear a cases brought by three California faith-based pregnancy counseling organizations that are challenging a California law that require every licensed pregnancy center in the state to inform its clients of publicly funded abortion and contraception services. The organizations claim that the law violates their freedom…
EEOC files suit against physician who mandated daily religious meetings
[dc]T[/dc]he U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit on behalf of four former employees of a Texas physician who allegedly discriminated against them on the basis of religion by unlawfully requiring them to attend daily Bible studies, requiring them to discuss religious matters in these meetings, and for terminating them for religious reasons….
US House votes to defund IRS investigations of church political endorsements
[dc]Y[/dc]esterday, by a margin of 211 to 198, the U.S. House of Representatives quietly voted to defund IRS investigations of church political endorsements as part of a massive spending bill. On the bottom of page 21 of the text of the 2018 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill, the drafters included the following language: SEC….
Trump judicial nominee Barrett faces religious tests from left and right
At the committee hearing, Democrat Sen. Feinstein questioned her Catholic beliefs on abortion and Republican Sen. Cruz questioned her on the death penalty.
States Rights, Slavery, the 14th Amendment and Religious Liberty
Have you ever wondered what legal mechanism existed that permitted the legalization of slavery in the United States after the Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791? How it was that men, women, and children were held in bondage after Francis Scott Key wrote the famous words, “land of the free, and the home of the brave” in 1812? How segregation persisted in law until the late 1960s?
Dominionism and the Rise of Alt-Christianity
Dominionism has many variations, but simply stated it is the belief that Christians can and must have political, social, and religious dominance in the world.
4,000+ faith leaders ask Congress to keep Johnson Amendment
Over 4,000 faith leaders from all 50 states have signed onto a letter asking Congress to keep the Johnson Amendment as part of the tax code to protect houses of worship and other tax-exempt organizations “from being pressured by politicans for endorsements.”
States prohibiting all non-public school funding may escape Trinity Lutheran impact
States that have constitutional provisions that prohibit public aid to all private schools, regardless of whether or not they are religiously affiliated, might have a substantial argument against school voucher claims under Trinity Lutheran v. Comer.