Yes, here we go again. The first time I read through this Washington Post story — “ Firing of gay Catholic school teacher could test latest Supreme Court ruling” — I thought it was another botched mainstream press story about a case in which a doctrinally defined academic community (in…
Judges Probe High Court Ruling’s Reach in Photographer’s Challenge to Anti-LGBTQ Bias Law
Federal appellate judges probed the scope of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling during arguments Friday in a challenge to a Louisville anti-discrimination ordinance brought by a Christian photographer opposed to shooting same-sex weddings. In 303 Creative v. Elenis , the high court’s conservative majority ruled for a Denver website…
Judge dismisses church’s lawsuit challenging Washington law mandating abortion coverage
A federal judge has rejected a church’s argument that a Washington state law forcing faith-based organizations to cover elective abortions in their employee health plans violates the church’s religious freedom rights. In a Tuesday ruling , Judge Benjamin Settle of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington…
Revised Lawsuit Filed By Long Valley Church Over Taxpayer Money
Earlier this spring, two churches filed a federal lawsuit against Morris County, alleging discrimination after being denied grant funding. Vianella Burns , Patch Staff Earlier this spring, two churches filed a federal lawsuit against Morris County, alleging discrimination after being denied grant funding. (Google Maps ) LONG VALLEY, NJ —…
Is the Supreme Court giving favorable treatment to religion?
Supreme Court Have religious zealots coopted the Supreme Court? The left seems to think so. Pieces written about its last two terms, in particular, make various versions of this claim. They’ve said the court allegedly wishes to end the separation of church and state . They’ve said the majority of…
Examining Implications for Freedom of Speech, Religious Accommodation, LGBTQ Rights After Recent Rulings
Michael Maslanka A birthday ending with a “0” is bearing down on me. As with other Baby Boomers, thoughts pivot from temporal concerns toward transcendent ones. So, a very recent trifecta of cases involving religion in the workplace snagged my attention: two from SCOTUS and one from the Fifth Circuit.…
Religious Charter Schools: Another Brick in the Wall of Separation?
The idea that religion should be isolated from our civil institutions has overwhelmingly captured the American popular imagination . Recently however, the U.S. Supreme Court has been dismantling this “wall of separation” narrative, brick by brick, to allow more freedom for private religious expression and activity. Over the past year,…
Is Refusing To Provide ‘Expressive Service’ a Legal Right or Discrimination? The Supreme Court May Have Decided
Late last month, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a split decision that Colorado can’t force, through its anti-discrimination law, a business owner who provides expressive services like graphic design and website creation to make wedding websites for same-sex couples. To do so, the court found, would violate the…
How the First Amendment can save affirmative action
People walk through the gate on Harvard Yard at the Harvard University campus on June 29, 2023 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Supreme Court recently ruled that race-conscious admission policies used by Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution, bringing an end to affirmative action in higher education.…
Fort Worth faces legal battle over censorship claims by atheist organization
The Metroplex Atheists group hung "In No God We Trust" banners on Fort Worth, Texas, lampposts in July 2019. Photo via Atheists.org (RNS) — Metroplex Atheists, a Texas-based nonprofit advocating for the separation of church and state, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Fort Worth, Texas, after being…
Supreme Court Clarifies Standard for Employers Evaluating Religious Accommodation Requests
On June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court issued a decision clarifying the standard employers must apply in considering an employee’s religious accommodation request under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In Groff v. DeJoy , the justices unanimously ruled that Title VII requires employers who deny such requests…
Peoria school board member will stop quoting scripture at public meetings—legal warnings, public opinion prompted compliance
Peoria Unified School District Administration Building Last month the Peoria Unified School District received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation stating grounds of “imposing religion” on those in public attendance and if continued, “could subject the district to unnecessary liability and potential financial strain.” During Thursday’s meeting, Bible…
Supreme Court bringing American politics to a new low
The U.S. Supreme Court made a colossally misguided ruling in a case involving a website designer who doesn’t want to serve same-sex clients. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | Has America hit political bottom? The Supreme Court may have demonstrated that there is no bottom to which America can descend,…
The Colorado website designer’s win is one of dozens of federal cases where religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ rights have clashed
Login | July 11, 2023 University of Nebraska-Lincoln (THE CONVERSATION) Does a Colorado designer’s belief that marriage is between one man and one woman merit an exemption to state law barring discrimination against LGBTQ+ people? On June 30, 2023, the Supreme Court decided 6-3 that the answer is yes: Requiring…
U.S. Supreme Court “Clarifies” Religious Accommodation Standard After Nearly Half a Century
On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued a significant decision in Groff v. DeJoy , No. 22-174 (June 29, 2023), in which it “clarified” the religious accommodation standard under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Uprooting nearly half a century of precedent, the Court articulated that…
Fifth Circuit Holds That Religious Employers May Be Entitled to Exemptions from Title VII’s LGBTQ Requirements
Subscribe to Our Mailing List > In Braidwood Management, Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that religious employers may be exempt from Title VII requirements concerning sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination if those requirements are found to…
Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Religious Liberty in Groff v. DeJoy
In a significant legal milestone for religious liberty, the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Groff v. DeJoy , a case litigated with the assistance of NRB member First Liberty Institute, delivered a resounding affirmation of the rights of employees to freely exercise their religious beliefs. The ruling sets a powerful…
FFRF challenges Arkansas Ten Commandments in today’s hearing
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is one of three sets of plaintiffs making the case today for removal of a Ten Commandments monolith from the grounds of the Arkansas Capitol in the federal courtroom of Judge Kristine G. Baker. FFRF Legal Counsel Sam Grover and local counsel Gerry Schulze are…
Explainer: Recent Supreme Court rulings protect free speech and religious liberty
During the last week of June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued rulings in two cases— 303 Creative v. Elenis and Groff v. Dejoy —that further protects the basic rights of Americans to free speech and religious liberty. Here’s the run-down of what you should know about two of the most…
U.S. Supreme Court Toughens Religious Accommodation Standard Under Title VII
Key Takeaways: With its decision in Groff v. DeJoy , the Supreme Court has ruled that an employer must demonstrate granting a religious accommodation would result in substantial increased costs to the employer to justify an accommodation denial. The 9-0 decision nullified a line of lower court cases permitting an…
The Colorado website designer’s win is one of dozens of federal cases where religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ rights have clashed
Does a Colorado designer’s belief that marriage is between one man and one woman merit an exemption to state law barring discrimination against LGBTQ+ people? On June 30, 2023, the Supreme Court decided 6-3 that the answer is yes: Requiring a conservative Christian business owner to create wedding websites for…
The Colorado website designer’s win is one of dozens of federal cases where religious beliefs and LGBTQ+ rights have clashed
Does a Colorado designer’s belief that marriage is between one man and one woman merit an exemption to state law barring discrimination against LGBTQ+ people? On June 30, 2023, the Supreme Court decided 6-3 that the answer is yes: Requiring a conservative Christian business owner to create wedding websites for…
Supreme Court’s record on religion-related cases is more complicated than it seems
Protesters are seen in front of the Supreme Court ahead of Friday’s rulings. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | July 3 (UPI) — Does a Colorado designer’s belief that marriage is between one man and one woman merit an exemption to state law barring discrimination against LGBTQ+ people? On Friday, the…
U.S. Supreme Court says Christian web designer can refuse to serve same-sex weddings
Conservative justices form 6-3 majority in case Web designer Lorie Smith poses for a portrait at her office in Littleton, Colo., in this photo taken Nov. 28, 2022. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favour of Smith in a dispute over protections for freedom of speech under the…
Supreme Court to rule on web designer with anti-gay marriage stance
Web designer Lorie Smith, plaintiff in a Supreme Court case who objects to same-sex marriage, poses for a portrait at her office in Littleton, Colorado, U.S., November 28, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/ [1/3] June 30 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday is poised to rule on whether a Christian…