Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Rhode Island Bishop Tells Patrick Kennedy Not to Receive Communion
UPDATE: Former New York governor, Mario Cuomo, reacting to Church pressure on Patrick Kennedy, warned that if Church leaders pressure Catholic politicians to follow Church teaching in their political roles, this may well lead to people being hesitant to vote for Catholics. According to AP on Sunday, Cuomo said in part: "The American people need no course in philosophy or political science or church history to know that God should not be made into a celestial party chairman."
UPDATE2: Bishop Thomas J. Tobin issued a statement (11/22) in response to Rep. Kennedy's remarks. He says he wrote Kennedy in Feb. 2007 asking that he refrain from receiving Holy Communion in light of his consistent actions in opposition to Church teachings. The letter said that Tobin was writing Kennedy "personally and confidentially as a pastor addressing a member of his flock." Tobin says he is disappointed that Kennedy has now made this public.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
2nd Circuit Says EEOC Can Subpoena Company's Nationwide Records
9th Circuit Won't Enjoin Church Sign Regulations, But Remands For Further Consideration
New York High Court OK's State Employee Benefits To Same-Sex Spouses
IRS Schedules Hearing On Changes For Authorizing Church Tax Examinations
Indiana Christian TV Station Produces Program on Faith and the Law
Ohio Supreme Court: Regional Church Offices Are Not Tax Exempt
The dissenters argued that the headquarters were exempt as property used exclusively for a charitable purpose because it plays an integral role in the public worship and outreach programs of local churches.
Friday, November 20, 2009
New Catholic, Evangelical Declaration Reaffirms Pro-Life, Traditional Marriage Agenda
Today's New York Times reporting on the Declaration says that the document, written by Prison Fellowship founder Charles Colson, "is an effort to rejuvenate the political alliance of conservative Catholics and evangelicals that dominated the religious debate during the [Bush] administration.... They want to signal to the Obama administration and to Congress that they are still a formidable force that will not compromise on abortion, stem-cell research or gay marriage." [Thanks to Ira "Chip" Lupu for the lead.]While the whole scope of Christian moral concern, including a special concern for the poor and vulnerable, claims our attention, we are especially troubled that in our nation today the lives of the unborn, the disabled, and the elderly are severely threatened; that the institution of marriage, already buffeted by promiscuity, infidelity and divorce, is in jeopardy of being redefined to accommodate fashionable ideologies; that freedom of religion and the rights of conscience are gravely jeopardized by those who would use the instruments of coercion to compel persons of faith to compromise their deepest convictions.
.... We are Christians who have joined together across historic lines of ecclesial differences to affirm our right—and, more importantly, to embrace our obligation—to speak and act in defense of these truths.... Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.
Award By Rabbinical Court Vacated Over Limit on Party's Choice of Attorney
Ban On Transfer of Funds To Iraq Does Not Infringe Charity's Free Exercise
Individual Congregations Seek To Intervene In Fort Worth Episcopal Diocese Case
Groups Challenge Use of Church for Graduation Ceremonies
We ... understand that when the Board first approved using the Cathedral for graduations, it was told that the religious items in the Cathedral would be covered for graduations. In fact, this never occurred; indeed, ... religious symbolism is inherent in virtually every aspect of the Cathedral, and so secularizing the facility for school events would not appear to be possible....The ACLU filed a similar objection in 2006 when the use of the Cathedral began. (See prior posting.)
[T]hat the Enfield Schools may have secular reasons for using the Cathedral (such as the price or the physical amenities of the facility) does not render such use constitutional. The Establishment Clause not only prohibits conduct that has a religious purpose, but also conduct that has a religious effect, such as religious coercion, endorsement, or delegation.... Second, the placement of a disclaimer on school graduation programs cannot cure the constitutional violations. A disclaimer does nothing to prevent or remedy coercive imposition of religion upon students and family members at a graduation ceremony, as we have here.
Defendant Sentenced For Cyber Attack On Scientology Websites
University Settles With Woman Fired For Being A Witch
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Appeal Filed Seeking Acceptance of D.C. Marriage Initiative Petition
Yesterday, several proponents of the initiative filed suit seeking court review of the Election Board's ruling. The complaint (full text) in Jackson v. District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics, (DC Super. Ct., filed 11/18/2009), challenges the restriction in D.C. law that precludes using the initiative for any measure that would authorize discrimination in violation of the Human Rights Act. It also argues that the Initiative does not violate the HRA. Alliance Defense Fund issued a release announcing that the appeal had been filed.
Groups Will Portray Nativity Scene On Supreme Court Sidewalk
Malaysia Authorities Charge Progressive Muslim Cleric
Deputy Proposes Change In Russia's National Anthem to Remove Reference To God
Israel's High Court Denies Rehearing In Grant of Kosher Certification To Messianic
Think-Tank Charges U.S. Conservatives With Using African Clergy In LGBT Battles
Additional background is also available from PRA's website. Ekklesia carries an article on PRA's new report.U.S. conservatives have successfully recruited a significant number of prominent African religious leaders to a campaign seeking to restrict the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The flagship issue ... is the ordination of LGBT clergy by mainline Protestant denominations-- particularly the Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches-- in the United States....
As a direct result of this campaign, homophobia is on the rise in Africa-- from increased incidents of violence to antigay legislation that carries the death penalty....
[O]ne of the main organizations promoting homophobia in both Africa and the United States over the last decade is the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD), a well-funded neoconservative think tank that opposed the African liberation struggles. In Africa, IRD and other U.S. conservatives present mainline denominations' commitments to human rights as imperialistic attempts to manipulate Africans into accepting homosexuality-- which they characterize as a purely western phenomenon. For IRD, this campaign is part of a long-term, deliberate, and successful strategy to weaken and split U.S. mainline denominations, block their powerful progressive social witness promoting social and economic justice, and promote political and social conservatism in the United States. Using African leaders as a wedge in the U.S. conflicts is only its latest and perhaps most effective tactic.