Newly enacted national school voucher program undermines ‘both public schools and religious freedom’
The national school voucher program in the new law is disguised as a tax credit scheme. It makes a mockery of our Founders’ principled opposition to forcing taxpayer support of religion.
IRS announces new policy regarding houses of worship and endorsement of political candidates in settlement of lawsuit challenge
The IRS has refrained from enforcing the ban on church electioneering in recent years. This announcement makes it official with respect to houses of worship while keeping the so-called “Johnson Amendment,” that portion of the tax code that prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from opposing or endorsing candidates for office, intact.
BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler on the IRS’s Decision to Allow Churches to Endorse Candidates from the Pulpit
“The law has never prevented clergy from speaking out on moral issues or engaging their congregations in civic life,” said Amanda Tyler. “But green-lighting tax-exempt churches to endorse candidates from the pulpit creates new pressure on religious leaders to align with partisan candidates and risk division within congregations and entanglement with campaign agendas.”
Amanda Tyler on the Signing of the Budget Reconciliation Bill and Creation of a National School Voucher Program
“By creating a national school voucher scheme, Congress has opened the door for taxpayer dollars to fund private religious education—undermining both public schools and religious freedom,” said BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler. “On a day meant to celebrate liberty, this legislation erodes it.”
S6, Ep. 18: End of term roundup
On our season 6 finale, Amanda and Holly explore some of the consequential decisions from the final days of the Supreme Court term, including Mahmoud v. Taylor – which involves parents who want to opt their children out of curriculum they find in conflict with their religious beliefs – and U.S. v. Skrmetti, which focuses on access to medical care for transgender youth. They discuss the real world implications of these and other recent rulings. Amanda and Holly also celebrate a decision from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals striking down Louisiana’s law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom and share why this case might find its way up to the Supreme Court before too long.
U.S. Supreme Court says Constitution guarantees parents the right to opt out of public school instruction that interferes with religious upbringing of children
In Mahmoud v. Taylor, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with parents seeking notice and the opportunity to opt their children out of public school curriculum that conflicts with the parents’ religious beliefs.
S6, Ep. 17: Christian nationalism and the Texas public sphere
What’s the difference between religious privilege and religious freedom? How does Christian nationalism start to spread? Why do so many ideas that start in Texas expand to other parts of the country? On this episode, we bring you a special panel discussion on Christian nationalism in the Texas public sphere, recorded live on April 8. It features BJC Executive Director (and Respecting Religion co-host) Amanda Tyler, scholar David Brockman, professor Mark Chancey, and journalist Robert Downen. Moderated by Jack Jenkins, it was part of an all-day event focused on telling the story of religion in Texas through journalism, hosted by the Texas Tribune in partnership with Religion News Service, the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life, and Southern Methodist University’s Religious Studies department.
Federal appeals court finds Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law unconstitutional as Texas enacts a similar measure
In Roake v. Brumley, Louisiana’s plan to mandate the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom again met a constitutional roadblock.
Unanimous Supreme Court decision focuses on definition of ‘religious purposes’ in giving exemption to Catholic Charities Bureau
In its unanimous decision, the Supreme Court said that Wisconsin’s denial of a religious exemption under the state’s unemployment compensation laws violated the First Amendment rights of Catholic Charities Bureau.
