Here is David French at The New York Times: This might sound like a funny thing to say, but I’ve rarely read a more unconstitutional letter. On Monday, Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent the […]
religious liberty
When it comes to religious history and public theology, J.D. Vance is “in over his head.”
Michael Sean Winters of the National Catholic Reporter gives the Vice President of the United States a history lesson and a lesson in historical thinking. Vice President JD Vance spoke at the International Religious Freedom Summit last week. There was much in […]
“I think of churches as belonging to an eternal country”
27 Christian and Jewish groups are suing the Trump administration. Here is the Associated Press: More than two-dozen Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans — ranging from the Episcopal Church and the Union for Reform Judaism to the […]
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for they will get an executive order.”
The day after Trump’s inauguration, the president attended an interfaith service at the National Cathedral. During the sermon, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde urged Trump to consider the human dignity of immigrants, refugees, and members of the transgender community. She spoke […]
The Author’s Corner with Linford D. Fisher, Sheila M. McIntyre, and Julie A. Fisher
Linford D. Fisher is Associate Professor of History at Brown University, Sheila M. McIntyre is Associate Professor of History at the State University of New York at Potsdam, and Julie A. Fisher is a historian, educator, and editor. This interview […]
The Author’s Corner with Anthony G. Roeber
Anthony G. Roeber is Professor of Church History at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. This interview is based on his new book, Orthodox Christians and the Rights Revolution in America (Fordham University Press, 2024). JF: What led you to write Orthodox […]
On that Satanic statue in the Iowa state capitol…
I don’t like this display. I find it offensive. But my views on the display are a bit different than people like MAGA worship-leader and Christian nationalist Sean Feucht: To be short and sweet, I don’t think any religious symbols […]
Does Speaker of the House Mike Johnson really believe in religious freedom?
Conservative evangelicals like to talk a lot about religious freedom. When they do address this topic, they are usually talking about their own religious freedom–freedom not to bake a wedding cake, or something like that. I am sure Mike Johnson, […]
The praying coach resigns. He’s going to stick with the right-wing media tours.
Remember Joe Kennedy, the praying football coach? He won his court case but decided to make a nation-wide right-wing media tour instead of returning to coaching football at Bremerton High School in Washington state. This year Kennedy finally returned to […]
The Author’s Corner with Mark Valeri
Mark Valeri is the Reverend Priscilla Wood Neaves Distinguished Professor of Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. This interview is based on his new book, The Opening of the Protestant Mind: How Anglo-American Protestants Embraced Religious Liberty (Oxford […]
On the evangelical postal worker case, Supreme Court tells a lower court to take another look
Amid all the discussion of affirmative action today, the Supreme Court also made a unanimous decision on a religious liberty case. Here is Ariane de Vougue and Tierney Sneed reporting on Groff v. DeJoy, Postmaster General: The Supreme Court revived […]
The Christian postal worker case in historical context
Gerald Graff works for the U.S. postal service. He is also an evangelical who honors the Christian sabbath. In other words, he won’t deliver the mail on Sundays. His religious convictions cost him his job. The Supreme Court recently heard […]
Religious freedom vs. LGBTQ rights on college campus: a short primer
Over at The Conversation, University of Dayton professor Charles Russo gives us the lay of the land. Here is a taste: Disputes over religious freedom and LGBTQ rights in the United States have led to some of the most high-profile […]
Supreme Court: Maine must fund religious education
Here is VOX: The Supreme Court held on Tuesday that Maine must fund religious education as part of a school voucher program that pays tuition for students in rural parts of the state. In the process, the Court’s decision in Carson […]
Can we advance both religious liberty and LGBTQ rights?
Over the last few years we have brought your attention to Fairness for All, a balanced piece of legislation that preserves religious freedom and defends LGBTQ rights. The bill does not appear to have made it out of committee. See […]
The Author’s Corner with Adam Jortner
Adam Jortner is Goodwin-Philpott Eminent Professor of Religion in the Department of History at Auburn University. This interview is based on his new book, No Place for Saints: Mobs and Mormons in Jacksonian America (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022). JF: […]
Kathleen Parker on religious liberty…in 2004
As I prepared for this week’s episode of A History of Evangelicals and Politics podcast I came across a column from syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker. I read it in the June 28, 2004 issue of the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. […]
Supreme Court upholds Obamacare (7-2) and religious liberty (9-0)
Here is Politico on the Texas challenge to the Affordable Care Act: The Supreme Court on Thursdaythrew out a lawsuit threatening the entirety of the Affordable Care Act, finding that Republican-led states behind the case did not have legal ground […]
What is going on at Cairn University?
This one hits close to home. As I recently discussed in a few episodes of the A History of Evangelicals and Politics podcast, I am a Cairn University graduate. Here is Claudia Lauer of the Associated Press: A small Christian […]
The Supreme Court is far more likely to rule in favor of religious rights
Perhaps those concerned about religious liberty as it relates to The Equality Act should consider this. Here is a taste of Adam Liptak’s parsing of a recent essay to be published in The Supreme Court Review: “For many today, religious […]