Many states are ending their legislative sessions at this time, making it an appropriate moment to look back at the previous cycles for issues of importance to Southern Baptists. At the ERLC, we were generally following trends in four major areas: Religious liberty, Sanctity of Human Life, Family/Marriage, and Human Dignity. In particular, the ERLC’s …
Continue...On May 1, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2023 annual report. As the report mentions, USCIRF was created as a result of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA). USCIRF “is an independent, bipartisan U.S. government advisory body, separate from the U.S. Department of State, that monitors religious …
Continue...The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 18 in Groff v. Dejoy, a case dealing with religious accommodations in the workplace. This case, which centers around a Christian postal worker who wishes to observe the Sabbath, puts before the court a question of what burden employers must meet before denying religious accommodations to their …
Continue...On April 18, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Groff v. Dejoy, a case dealing with religious accommodations in the workplace. This case, which centers around a Christian postal worker who wishes to observe the Sabbath, puts before the court a question of what burden employers must meet before denying religious accommodations to …
Continue...The First Amendment is a fundamental protection granted in the U.S. Constitution. It secures the right to the free exercise of religion, and “it protects the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” In a recent court case called …
Continue...On this episode, Lindsay Nicolets talks with Hannah Daniel about Supreme Court opinions she’s anticipating this summer and what implications they will have for free speech and religious liberty. Related content 303 Creative: Explainer Groff v. Dejoy The “Lemon Test” Nathan Finn with 3 reasons Baptists should hold to religious liberty for all Connect with …
Continue...On Feb. 22, 2023, the Department of Education (ED) released a proposed rule related to the free exercise and free speech of faith-based organizations on college campuses. This new rule rescinds two provisions of the 2020 Trump-era “Free Inquiry Rule” which expanded First Amendment freedoms in ED higher education grant programs. On Friday, the ERLC …
Continue...On Jan. 13, 2023, nine agencies released a proposed rule related to the relationship between faith-based organizations and federal funds. This new rule, ostensibly set up to clarify the current regulations, would, among other things, weaken the protections for faith-based organizations which help to provide social services to those in need. On Tuesday, the ERLC …
Continue...Across the nation state legislative sessions are underway. Though we typically think of Washington, D.C., as the primary location for policy change, the realities of a polarized nation and nearly evenly divided federal legislature make it difficult for substantial decisions to be made at a national level. As a result, state legislatures are in a …
Continue...Until the end of World War II, Christian healthcare professionals faced few threats to their ability to practice their profession according to their sincerely held beliefs. Several reasons contributed to this cultural harmony, the most prominent of which is that most of the population identified nominally with the Christian faith. However, this began changing in …
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