Recent News & Columns
Here are recent columns and news items from the Baptist Joint Committee. Visit our blog and read our monthly magazine, Report from the Capital, to stay current on all religious liberty news. You can also read our press releases online.
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Courts wrestle with religious accommodation disputes, including teacher’s suit over school policy on transgender students’ preferred names
In a changing religious liberty landscape, even a half-dozen years may not be enough to resolve claims for religious accommodation from federal rules and employer policies. Here are updates on Kluge v. Brownsburg, Wright v. Honeywell International, Inc., and an ongoing dispute about contraceptive coverage in health care plans.
BJC among 1,000+ organizations urging President Trump to end attacks on Johnson Amendment, protect nonprofits from partisan politics
The Johnson Amendment has protected nonprofits – including houses of worship – for more than 70 years from political pressure and additional dangers that come with endorsing and opposing candidates.
New memo instructs federal agencies to ‘adopt generous approach’ in granting religious accommodations allowing remote work
This latest guidance establishes religious accommodation as an important basis for allowing federal employees to work remotely, making clear that the Supreme Court decision in Groff v. DeJoy applies to the federal government too.
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.
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.
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.
BJC slams new Trump travel ban as a ‘moral failure and a constitutional affront,’ supports NO BAN Act
One of the ugliest policies of the first Trump administration is back: President Donald Trump’s new travel ban prohibits or limits nationals from more than a dozen countries from entering the United States. But, there’s a way for you to oppose this policy.
U.S. Supreme Court declines Oak Flat petition, allows for federal transfer of sacred land to mining company
The fight to save sacred land in the southwest won’t happen at the U.S. Supreme Court – at least, not right now. Over an impassioned dissent, the Court declined to take up the petition of Apache Stronghold challenging the federal government’s transfer of sacred land to a mining company.
