Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Group Challenges July 4 Religious Broadcast Interview With Army General
Borough To Sue Churches Over Cemetery Upkeep
Court Hears Arguments on Restraining Order Barring Boy From Services
Carol Race, representing herself in court, denies that her son's conduct was disruptive, and argues that the harassment statute unconstitutionally infringes on her son's right to assemble in a public place. The church argues that the parish has the authority to determine who comes onto its property. It also asserts that as a religious corporation it has exclusive authority to decide how its liturgy and religious business is conducted. Thomas Janson, attorney for St. Joseph's Church, argued that requiring the church to allow Adam Race in services would violate the church's free exercise rights protected by the U.S. and Minnesota constitutions.
ACLU Presses Naval Academy on Mealtime Prayer
Tajikistan's Last Synagogue Destroyed In Urban Renewal Project
Justice Official Awarded Grant To Former White House Faith-Based Official
Reacting to the report (press release), Interfaith Alliance president C. Welton Gaddy said: "This incident of cronyism removes all doubts that the real mission of the faith-based initiative is to aid the Religious Right." [Thanks to Blog from the Capital for the lead.]
NY High Court Finds No Fiduciary Breach In Rabbi's Affair With Congregant
Yesterday's Newsday reported on the decision. [Thanks to J.J. Landa for the lead.]Allegations that give rise to only a general clergy-congregant relationship that includes aspects of counseling do not generally impose a fiduciary obligation upon a cleric....
Although she contends that Tendler's ulterior motive for inducing the sexual relationship was the fulfillment of his own gratification, rather than the achievement of Marmelstein's goals, Marmelstein has shown only that she was deceived by Tendler, not that she was so vulnerable as to surrender her will and capacity to determine her own best interests. In the absence of a prima facie showing that a fiduciary obligation was owed by Tendler, no cause of action can be maintained for an extended voluntary sexual affair between consenting adults, even if Marmelstein could prove that her acquiescence was obtained through lies, manipulation or other morally opprobrious conduct (see Civil Rights Law § 80-a).
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Bush Meets With Vietnamese Prime Minister; Discusses Religious Freedom
County Seeks State Department Views On Saudi Academy
Lawsuit Challenges Georgia Restrictions On Sex Offenders As Church Volunteers
The new statute ... intrudes upon core church functions and decisions. Under SB1, people on the registry cannot follow their faith's commandments to perform good works. And, despite a religious organization's own desires and decisions, it may not ever employ a person on the sex offender registry or ask such a person t volunteer as a choir member, serve on a church committee, or perform any other function. Even helping a pastor with Bible study or preparing a meal in a church kitchen will subject people on the registry to prosecution and imprisonment.Plaintiffs also filed a Brief in Support of the Motion. The SCHR press release announcing the lawsuit contains links to other documents in the case as well. AP also reports on the litigation.
NJ Court Says Charitable Immunity Bars Slip & Fall Suit By Mother of Member
Amici File Briefs In "Seven Aphorisms" Case
Dobson Sharply Attacks 2006 Obama Speech
University of South Carolina Settles Student Funding Litigation
Israeli Chief Military Rabbi Given Sensitive Task As To Kidnapped Soldiers
Arutz Sheva reported yesterday that the IDF Chief Rabbi, as the military's highest religious authority, is generally the one given this task-- usually after intelligence services have concluded that individuals are not alive. However, Ehud Goldwasser's family may petition the High Court of Justice to prevent the IDF from beginning the process of determining whether the men should be classified as dead. Meanwhile, Haaretz says the fact that the men's files have been turned over to the Chief Rabbi signals that the deal with Hezbollah will not happen. It reports that intelligence officials object to releasing terrorist Samir Kuntar as part of the deal without resolution of the fate of a third missing Israeli, airman Ron Arad.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Michigan Supreme Court Will Not Review Witness' Religious Rights In Being Sworn
6th Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Campus Evangelist's Claims
U.S. Muslims Frustrated With Obama's Distance From Them
UPDATE: Last Saturday's Wall Street Journal carried an article on the same topic.