Last week, after three days of tough argument before the Supreme Court, the President created a stir when he said that it would be “unprecedented” for the Supreme Court to overturn his national healthcare plan. Obama further questioned the legitimacy of “unelected” and “activist” judges. Conservatives went crazy! How could the President criticize the authority…
Category: Supreme Court
Timeline: Obama Administration Actions Affecting U.S. Religious Freedom | Christianity Today
Excerpt: “The past year has marked a shift in religious liberty debates, one that previously centered on hiring rights but became focused on health care requirements. When President Obama first took office, faith-based groups were especially concerned that organizations that discriminate in hiring based on religious beliefs would become ineligible for federal funding. In 2011,…
The U.S. Supreme Court made the Right Decision When It Upheld the Ministerial Exception
In ruling the way it did, the Supreme Court protected the right of a religious organization to select its clergy without government interference and avoided placing church doctrine under government interpretation. Civil magistrates will not be in a position to where they are forced to determine which religious view, that of the clergy member or the church, is correct.
Ruling on Ministers: What the Supreme Court said & didn’t say | Oregon Faith Report
Excerpt: The U.S. Supreme Court in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC, held that the “ministerial exception” bars a school teacher from bringing employment discrimination claims against her religious employer. The Court’s ruling clearly grants religious institutions the freedom to employ (and terminate) employees who act as ministers of their faith. Yet the…
Film Review: “One Nation Under God” (2011): Misinterpreted facts and frightening conclusions
By Jason Hines, Esq. – Yesterday was a premiere event for the Religious Right movement. In churches, homes, and other venues around the country, conservative Christians watched the premiere of “One Nation Under God,” a DVD created by the group United in Purpose, headed by Bill Dallas. (You can find out more general information about…
Religious leaders line up in support of Supreme Court case – The Courier-Journal
The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear a case involving whether churches can “discriminate” when making employment decisions about employees who are not clergy. EXCERPT: [Many religious groups] support the right of religious groups to hire and fire teachers who could be construed as “ministers” on grounds that would be otherwise discriminatory, whether due…
Religious Liberty on North Dakota Ballot (Devils Lake Journal)
EXCERPT: A North Dakota constitutional amendment about religious freedom will be on the state ballot next year. Secretary of State Al Jaeger says Wednesday that the initiative’s supporters got enough signatures to put the issue to a vote. It will be Measure 3 on the June primary election ballot. The proposed amendment says lawmakers may…
OPINION: The Good Old Days? Not Quite
By Brent Buttler – In these days in which people’s rights seem up for grabs there is a tendency to wish we could go back to the good old days when people had more freedom to live as they chose to live. However, upon further research I have discovered that people’s freedoms have been eroding…
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty – Supreme Court to Hear Religious Hiring Case
This case involving the ministerial exemotion from employment discrimination statutes could have huge implications for churches and denominations.
Advanced Citizenship: The Cost of Free Speech in America
By Jason Hines – One of my favorite movies is “The American President,” (1995) starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening. It is the story of a widowed president who falls in love with a liberal lobbyist. He struggles to navigate his relationship with her while also doing his job as the President. It’s a good…