Written by Don ByrdSitting en banc, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby, ordering the lower court to consider an injunction barring the government from enforcing the contraception mandate pending the outcome of their lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. Back in December, a panel of the 10th Circuit rejected Hobby Lobby’s request for an injunction after finding the corporation unlikely to succeed in its religious freedom claims. Yesterday’s ruling of the entire appeals court overturns that decision.
Written by Don ByrdIn an op-ed for CGNews, the Baptist Joint Committee’s Holly Hollman and Hoda Elshishtawy of the Muslim Public Affairs Council explain why religious liberty is essential to democracy and provides common ground between them.
Written by Don ByrdSometimes, proponents of religious monuments on government land should be careful what they wish for. As advocates like the Baptist Joint Committee have long warned, the separation of church and state is good for religion. When government gets behind a religious perspective, strings are attached, or worse….
In Montana, via Religion Clause, a lawsuit challenging the propriety of a statue of Jesus on federal land used as a ski resort was dismissed by a trial court Monday, using some disturbing reasoning. The Christ statue in question, the court found, is primarily a secular display.
Written by Don ByrdThe Pew Forum reports that religious freedom has not increased in the Middle East, despite hopes that the Arab Spring would lead to less religious oppression. A new study demonstrates continuing government hostility to religion and an alarming increase in social unrest along religious lines.
Written by Don ByrdThe 2nd Circuit’s ruling in A.M. v. Taconic Hills Central School District has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court by the Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly the Alliance Defense Fund). There, the court affirmed the constitutionality of the school district’s refusal to grant a “graduating” middle school student council president permission to offer a blessing at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, a Texas school district apologized to a student whose microphone was cut off at the end of his commencement speech because he deviated from prepared, approved remarks to talk about Christ.
