Written by Don ByrdI posted earlier this week about the 50th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases Abington v. Schempp. There the Court invalidated the practice of compelled Bible reading at public school as a violation of religious liberty. As a follow up, author Stephen Solomon’s has an op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal. He makes an important point about that decision: it didn’t take God out of schools as so many claim.
Written by Don ByrdAfter 8 months of delay, a meditation center in Lake County, Illinois can finally open, now that county officials have finally determined Maum Meditation is indeed a religion. The zoning board previously denied Erik Sung’s request to turn his home into a meditation center, claiming the “elements of religion” were not met. A federal lawsuit seems to have helped change their mind.
Written by Don ByrdChrista Dias received a jury verdict of $170,000 earlier this month in her suit against the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for wrongful termination. Ms. Dias was a computer teacher, a role which the trial court found was not “ministerial” and thus did not allow the defendants to argue an exemption from employment discrimination laws.
Now, the Archdiocese has filed a notice of appeal in the case. The Huffington Post Religion blog suggests the appeal’s will implicitly argue, among other things, for an expansion of the scope of the ministerial exception.
Written by Don ByrdA new lawsuit was filed challenging surveillance of Muslim communities by the New York Police Department. The ACLU charges the program amounts to unconstitutional religious profiling that “imposed an unwarranted badge of suspicion and stigma on law-abiding Muslim New Yorkers.”
Written by Don ByrdYesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Abington v. Schempp, in which the practice of required Bible readings to begin the public school day was ruled unconstitutional. Then-16-year-old Ellery Schempp staged a protest of the requirement and refused to back down to school officials, ultimately filing suit over the dispute. Schempp and his family received threats but stayed with the case, ultimately a win for the religious liberty of all of us.
Faith.
Freedom.
For All.
The targeting of religious minorities.
The rise of Christian nationalism.
The politicization of houses of worship.
BJC brings people together to tackle today’s serious threats to religious liberty.
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Faith.
Freedom.
For All.
The targeting of religious minorities.
The rise of Christian nationalism.
The politicization of houses of worship.
BJC brings people together to tackle today’s serious threats to religious liberty.