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.
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.
On March 1, 2024, the European Sunday Alliance issued a new manifesto reaffirming its commitment to a work-free Sunday.
Jewish students sue UCLA, alleging campus antisemitism and exclusion zone in wake of protests. Lawsuit seeks immediate relief and accountability.
West Virginia’s new law, Senate Bill 280, signed on March 22, 2024, by Governor Jim Justice, allows public school teachers to discuss intelligent design. Advocated by Senator Amy Grady, this legislation aims to promote academic freedom by addressing questions about life’s origins.
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, dismissing a lawsuit by 44 Methodist churches seeking to disaffiliate over doctrinal disputes about human sexuality while retaining their properties. The court’s decision, based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, underscores the limitations of civil courts in resolving ecclesiastical issues, leaving the churches to navigate the UMC’s internal processes for resolution.
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?
The Michigan Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of four anti-abortion protesters for resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, and trespassing at the Women’s Health Clinic in Flint. The defendants, who staged a “red rose rescue” protest, argued their actions were protected by their religious beliefs. However, the court ruled that passive resistance constitutes obstruction under Michigan law and maintained that the law was applied neutrally. The protesters were sentenced to 45 days in jail, highlighting the judiciary’s stance on the limits of religious and protest activities within legal boundaries.
Vermont families challenge state’s foster-care policies in federal lawsuit, alleging discrimination based on religious beliefs about human sexuality.
In Louisiana, controversy brews as the state considers mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Critics warn of the dangers to church-state separation.