Everywhere we look, it seems that many of our long-held freedoms are being challenged. Whether it’s a preborn child’s right to life, an employee’s right to receive religious accommodations at work, or the right of everyone to exercise free speech, new lawsuits are filed daily that threaten to chip away, or eliminate altogether, a subset …
Continue...A Christian baker in Colorado lost an appeal last week in his legal fight in the case involving his rejection of a request for a birthday cake celebrating a gender transition. What’s the background? In June 2017, Autumn Scardina called Masterpiece Cakeshop to order a birthday cake, which would, according to the court filings, also …
Continue...A nurse practitioner in Texas has filed a federal lawsuit claiming that CVS Pharmacy violated her religious liberty. What’s the background? Since 2015, Robyn Strader has served as a nurse practitioner at a CVS MinuteClinic in Keller, Texas. Because of her religious beliefs (the lawsuit identifies her as a Christian and “longtime member of a …
Continue...Saturday marks the 182nd anniversary of the death of John Leland, the most influential Baptist preacher of America’s Founding era. Here are five facts you should know about this champion of religious liberty. 1. Leland was an active and productive pastor. From the age of 18 until his death at 86, he preached approximately 8,000 …
Continue...Religious liberty is a Baptist distinctive, despite recent controversies regarding its legitimacy. We believe religious liberty is essential for all people because true faith cannot be coerced, nor should it be outlawed. When freedom to live according to one’s deeply held beliefs is not recognized by the state, human flourishing is suppressed. As ambassadors of …
Continue...Government is ordained by God and exists to promote justice and order the civil sphere. Government is ordained by God for the promotion of civil order and justice in society. From the Noahic covenant, which served to set limits on how individuals interacted with one another after the Fall—requiring life for those who took a …
Continue...On Dec. 5, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in 303 Creative v. Elenis, an important case for free speech and religious liberty. Since 2016, Lorie Smith, founder of the web design firm 303 Creative, has been in the process of challenging a Colorado law that violates her First Amendment rights. It is …
Continue...November 6 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. On this Sunday, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. But more importantly, we lift them up to our good God who hears our prayers. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you …
Continue...On Aug. 4, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed rule that would significantly reinterpret the Affordable Care Act’s Section 1557 nondiscrimination provision by expanding the definition of “sex” to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy-related conditions. Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a …
Continue...On July 12, the Department of Education (DOE) issued a proposed rule under Title IX discrimination laws that would expand the definition of “sex” to include sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Following the announcement, the DOE allowed 60 days for organizations and individuals to comment with concerns. …
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