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Religion & Law

Blog From The Capital

Blog from the Capital is the weblog of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a Baptist church-state separation advocacy group in D.C. for the last 70 years.

Post Frequency: 8.8/day

Last Entry: March 30, 2009 at 16:22:09

9th Circuit Reverses 3-Judge Panel, Sides With Snowbowl Resort Over Navajo in RFRA Challenge

Posted on August 11, 2008
A year ago, a 3-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Appeals Court agreed with the Najavo plaintiffs that plans to expand Arizona's Snowbowl ski resort, in mountains sacred to many Native American tribes, violates their rights under the Religious Freedom...

Bush Visits Registered Church in China

Posted on August 10, 2008
After his efforts to visit an unofficial "house church" in Beijing were scuttled by the Chinese government, President Bush worshipped Sunday in an officially registered Protestant church, according to the NYTimes. Emerging from services at a small Protestant church here,...

Does Historic Preservation Take Precedence Over Worship?

Posted on August 08, 2008
A Christian Scientist church in Washington, D.C. wants to tear down its current building because the upkeep is expensive and some of its architectural features leave it inhospitable. There is just one problem: the structure has been named a historic....

Air Force Chaplain Head "Speaks Out"

Posted on August 08, 2008
The Chief of Chaplains for the Air Force, Maj. Gen. Cecil Richardson, was interviewed by the Air Force Times on subjects relating to charges of evangelism and improper religious coercion. Q. Say a Christian chaplain is visited by a troubled...

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AU Files Brief in Appeal of Utah Cross Ruling

Posted on August 07, 2008
You may remember that back in November, a district judge in Utah ruled that the cross has "evolved" from being a religious symbol and is in fact a *secular* symbol of death. His ruling upheld the state government's practice of...

FL Amendments "Crafted to Deceive"

Posted on August 07, 2008
An editorial in Florida Today comes out strongly against the 2 ballot initiatives designed to usher in a school voucher program. After skewering Amendment 9 for its deceptive "sneak attack" wording, the piece turns toward the other. Amendment 7 ......

Must We Vet for Religion?

Posted on August 06, 2008
Of course, I disapprove (and disapproved here too), but for what it's worth, Steven Waldman, writing at the Wall Street Journal blog, evaluates the "religion factor" of potential VP choices. I'm not naive enough to think that pundits won't explore...

Bush Will Not Attend Church, Will Offer Critique, on China Trip

Posted on August 06, 2008
Originally, President Bush intended to visit a church and meet with religious dissidents during his trip to Beijing for the Olympics, to demonstrate his opposition to China's firm grip on religious exercise. But the NYTimes reports that plan has had....

Religion Plays Prominent Role in Political Coverage

Posted on August 06, 2008
Religion News Service picks up on a recent Pew Forum report showing that during the 2008 presidential primary season, religion played nearly as big a part in campaign coverage as gender and race combined. The study finds that when coverage...

Tuesday Evening Roundup: Hein Impacting Lawsuits, Colorado Declines Appeal, Religious Liberty Champion gets VP Speculation, and Texas Teachers Sue Over "Back Door" Voucher Program

Posted on August 05, 2008
Citing the Supreme Court's decision in Hein, the 7th Circuit has ruled the Freedom From Religion Foundation does not have standing to challenge the VA's emphasis on "spiritual" health of soldiers in its chaplaincy program. You can read the decision...

Circuit Court Judge Allows Voucher Amendments on FL Ballot; AU to Appeal

Posted on August 05, 2008
A Florida circuit judge has rejected arguments challenging the upcoming (misguided) ballot initiatives that would remove the state's "no aid to religion" provisions and pave the way for a school voucher program. Plaintiffs maintain that the constitutional amendments put forward...

Appeal Hearing Upcoming in Texas Moment of Silence Challenge

Posted on August 05, 2008
The Houston Chronicle reports that both sides of the dispute over Texas' "moment of silence" law are "gearing up" for the appellate hearing in the 5th Circuit, to take place this fall. The state's brief focuses on the fact that...

NJ Supreme Court Rules on Religious Hostility in the Workplace

Posted on August 04, 2008
A Jewish police officer in New Jersey filed suit claiming a hostile work environment over religious harassment. Disagreeing with the appellate court, the state's Supreme Court ruled that the evidence does support the jury's finding of liability, making a particular...

Social Services: Government vs. Church Congregations

Posted on August 04, 2008
I asked the question of faith-based funding last week and the Baltimore Sun asks again today: does it work? Law professor Michele Gilman writes, in an op-ed: Professor Mark Chaves of Duke University examined data from the National Congregations Study...

Are Nonsectarian Prayers Neither?

Posted on August 01, 2008
Charles Haynes addresses a proverbial elephant-in-the-room in his newest column, on the issue of government meetings opening with sectarian prayer. Last week's 4th Circuit decision returns to light a curiosity Haynes traces to the Supreme Court's Marsh ruling that said...

Soledad Case Will Continue

Posted on August 01, 2008
The NYTimes today reports on the recent federal court decision rejecting a church-state argument that the Mt. Soledad cross should be removed from government property. Included is a quote from plaintiff attorney announcing his intention to appeal: James E...

HHS Proposes Religious Exemption Requirement for Federally Funded Health Providers

Posted on July 31, 2008
A front-page Washington Post story today tackles the difficult issue of medical workers' right to refuse certain services on religious grounds. The report follows a controversial proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services: [The] regulation...

11th Circuit Orders Christian Fraternity Recognition

Posted on July 31, 2008
Pending a lawsuit from Christian fraternity Beta Upsilon Chi, the University of Florida has been ordered to recognize the group, despite the school's rule prohibiting religious discrimination. AP reports that since the fraternity only allows Christians, it has been barred...

President to Attend Church, Speak of Religious Freedom, in Beijing

Posted on July 31, 2008
According to an AFP story: US President George W. Bush plans to attend church while in China for the opening of the Olympic Games next month, and will speak about freedom of religion, a top aide said Wednesday. "When he...

Final (?) Chapter of Mt. Soledad Cross Dispute Begins with District Court Ruling

Posted on July 30, 2008
The controversial Mt. Soledad cross - a 40+ foot monument near San Diego - has been the subject of a heated church-state dispute for nearly 20 years. Now entering what should be the last phase of argument, the cross currently...

Chabad Wins RLUIPA Challenge

Posted on July 30, 2008
Via Religion Clause, Florida's Chabad of Nova has won its challenge of Cooper City's ban on churches in the business district. The Florida Sun-Sentinel has more on the RLUIPA case. Miami U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga said the city violated...

President Meets with Chinese Activists

Posted on July 30, 2008
AP reports on President Bush's meeting yesterday with Chinese human rights activists, ahead of the upcoming Beijing Olympics. The White House identified the five activists as Harry Wu, Wei Jingsheng, Rebiya Kadeer, Sasha Gong, and Bob Fu. Presidential spokeswoman Dana...

An Important Question of Faith-Based Funding

Posted on July 29, 2008
This campaign season's focus on the future of the Faith-Based Initiative has provided some genuinely good debate and conversation about the nature of the program. Hopefully, the result of all of this discussion will be an improved relationship between religious...

Religion a Factor in US Attorney Scandal: Beach-Blogging Edition

Posted on July 29, 2008
I'm at the beach on vacation for the week, so naturally - like any normal American - I've taken to some light summer reading: the Justice Department's report (pdf) on Monica Goodling and the US Attorney scandal. (Lots of intrigue,...

Fredericksburg Prayer Case Attorneys Profiled

Posted on July 29, 2008
The pro bono lawyers who briefed and argued the 4th Circuit case involving prayer to open a city council meeting are interviewed at law.com.Terence Rasmussen and Robert Rolfe were brought in by People for the American Way....

Pope Benedict, Maliki, Discuss Plight of Christians in Iraq

Posted on July 28, 2008
Pope Benedict met with Nouri al-Maliki Friday and called on the President to offer greater protection of Christians in Iraq. Benedict has frequently expressed concern about the plight of Christians caught in sectarian violence in Iraq. The Vatican statement said...

Response to Colorado School Decision

Posted on July 28, 2008
The Rocky Mountain News gives its opinion on last week's 10th Circuit decision, which invalidated Colorado's law excluding religious colleges from the state's higher education scholarship program. When the legislature established the stipends, it allowed Colorado high-school graduates attending any...

Humanist Chaplains?

Posted on July 28, 2008
Harvard University chaplain Greg Epstein has an interesting idea for - and perspective on - the role of clergy in the military. Writing in the On Faith section of the Washington Post online, he ponders the spiritual plight of many...

Time for a Baptist Lesson?

Posted on July 25, 2008
In Illinois, activist Rob Sherman has filed suit challenging a proposed $1 million state grant to a Baptist church for the purpose of repairing fire damage. Writing at AU's blog, Joseph Conn suggests a proper Baptist response that would put...

McDonald's Lawsuit Claims Religious Discrimination

Posted on July 25, 2008
Two women in Detroit claim they were denied employment at a McDonald's because of their religious attire. Toi Whitfield of Detroit and Quiana Pugh of Dearborn say they were both told by managers at a McDonald's in Dearborn they would...

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