religious-freedomBrowse by Recently AddedTitleDateAuthorTopic Religious Liberty ArticleExplainer: What you need to know about the Bostock v. Clayton County Supreme Court caseby Policy StaffWhat just happened? In a 6-3 ruling of a consolidated group of cases styled Bostock v. Clayton County, the Supreme Court expanded the definition of “sex” to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. When this legislation was passed in 1964, it is not seriously disputed Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty Press ReleaseRussell Moore says U.S. Supreme Court Bostock ruling has ‘Seismic implications for religious liberty’by Elizabeth BristowWASHINGTON, D.C., June 15, 2020—The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6 to 3 in the consolidated Title VII cases covered in Bostock v. Clayton County today. The opinion, written by Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, states that an employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender violates Title VII. Title VII of the Civil Rights Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty ArticleExplainer: Nevada’s non-neutral church attendance policy upheld by federal judgeby Policy StaffOn Tuesday, a federal judge in Las Vegas refused to grant an injunction to void Nevada’s 50-person attendance cap on all religious gatherings. Two churches, Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley and Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain, asked the court for an injunction claiming that the state’s COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings were unconstitutional. They also claimed that religious Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty Press ReleaseRussell Moore comments on Supreme Court decision to reject California church’s challengeby Elizabeth BristowWASHINGTON, D.C., May 30, 2020—Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, commented today on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to reject the request of a California church to block the state’s attendance limits on places of worship. "I wish the Supreme Court had acted to bring more constitutional clarity Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty ArticleAnother win for religious libertyby Josh WesterSince the COVID-19 pandemic began to disrupt life in the United States several months ago, governments across the country have taken aggressive action to combat the spread of the coronavirus and mitigate its effects. At various points over the last several weeks, it has become clear that some of these actions have needlessly imperiled religious Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty Capitol Conversations EpisodeWhat the Supreme Court arguments from a Catholic school and the Little Sisters of the Poor mean for religious libertyby Chelsea Patterson Sobolik, Jeff Pickering, Travis WussowOver the past two weeks, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on two important cases for religious liberty. The court convened via conference call, due to the coronavirus pandemic, and as such, the public could listen live for the first time in history. Josh Wester, from the ERLC’s Nashville office, joins Jeff Pickering, Chelsea Patterson Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty ArticleThe Supreme Court hears arguments on the ‘ministerial exception’by Josh WesterThe Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments yesterday in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey Berru, the second religious freedom case before the court in as many weeks. At issue in this case is whether the First Amendment’s religious protections allow for courts to interfere with a religious organization’s employment decisions Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty Press InterviewRussell Moore on the safety of church reopeningby Russell MooreDr. Russell Moore, the president of the Southern Baptists' Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, says he's been pleased to see that most churches nationwide have complied with public health guidance during the crisis. "I think that's the real story here is how well congregations and governments have been working together so far," he told CBN News. Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty Press InterviewRussell Moore on in-person worshipby Russell MooreFor members of the Southern Baptist Convention, when and how to resume in-person worship “would be a congregation-by-congregation decision,” Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said in a recent interview about the draft CDC guidance. Moore predicted that some virtual worship would continue even as areas resume in-person gatherings. Part of Continue… Continue... Religious Liberty ArticleHow religious liberty made me a Baptist: Part 2by Andrew T. WalkerRead part 1 here. Like an outwardly working concentric circle, religious liberty hinges upon an understanding of (1) individual assent, (2) group association, and (3) institutional distinction. These are reflected in the practices of individual conversion and regenerate church membership, which entails a distinction between membership in the church and membership in society, and the Continue… Continue...