Dear Religion Clause Readers:
Happy New Year 2021! I hope you find Religion Clause a valuable resource in following the intersection of religion with law and politics. At a time in which factual accuracy is increasingly the victim of ideology, I hope that Religion Clause has built a reputation for reliability. I strive for objectivity in my posts, and provide extensive links to the primary sources underlying each post for those who wish to fact check or explore more deeply the developments I highlight.
I am pleased that my regular readers span the political and religious spectrum and include law school faculty, journalists, clergy, governmental agency personnel, students and others working professionally dealing with church-state relations and religious liberty concerns in the U.S. and around the world.
We have all endured one of the most trying years in our lives because of the unprecedented Coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps surprisingly, the earliest pandemic-related litigation has been dominated by religious liberty disputes. Governors and courts have been placed in the uncomfortable position of having to decide, for example, whether congregate prayer is as essential as in-person grocery shopping. The coming months may see another round of religious liberty litigation surrounding the roll-out of COVID vaccines if, as seems likely, employers, airlines, schools and others begin to mandate vaccinations.
2021 brings a reconstituted Supreme Court and a new Administration which face ongoing as well as newly-developing religious liberty controversies. In the past year, many of the most highly charged issues that divide our country politically have continued to divide it along religious lines. This reality creates difficult challenges for the Supreme Court as well as for the other branches of government.
All of this illustrates the saliency of religion in life, law and politics in the U.S. and around the world. Religion Clause will continue to cover all the legal developments in these areas.
Thanks again to all of you who are loyal readers-- both those who have followed Religion Clause for years and those of you who have only recently discovered the blog. A special thanks to readers who have quickly sent me leads on recent developments, and to those who have alerted me to mistakes. All of you have made Religion Clause the most recognized and reliable source for keeping informed on the intersection of religion with law and politics. I encourage you to recommend Religion Clause to colleagues, students and friends who might find it of interest.
I also remind you that the Religion Clause sidebar contains links to a wealth of resources. Please e-mail me if you discover broken links or if there are other links that I should consider adding.
Best wishes as you face the challenges that 2021 brings to us! Feel free to contact me by e-mail (religionclause@gmail.com) in response to this post or throughout the year with comments or suggestions.
May you have a healthy 2021,
Howard Friedman
