Before we mercifully close the book on 2020, here are some developments in religious liberty stories related to COVID-19 that took place in the last part of December.
Like every other area of human life, the coronavirus pandemic dominated religious liberty discussions this year. Here’s my list of the top 10 religious liberty developments this year, with the caveat that – being that this is 2020 – the year is not over yet.
Although they purported to expand and protect First Amendment freedoms, the rules harm religious liberty by – among other things – removing safeguards for the beneficiaries of government services.
In Tanzin v. Tanvir, the Supreme Court unanimously held (8-0) that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) allows for monetary damages against officials who are sued in their official capacities.
This week, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed House Resolution 512, which calls for the repeal of global blasphemy and apostasy laws.