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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Supreme Court to hear case involving high school football coach’s post-game prayer on the field
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear an appeal in the long-running legal dispute over an assistant high school football coach praying on the field following games in Washington state.
Vaccine mandate updates: Federal court halts mandate against Navy personnel seeking religious exemption, and more
The decision against the Navy’s mandate runs counter to the general trend of court decisions which have largely upheld vaccine requirements against claims brought by religious objectors.
2021: The year in religious liberty
Issues surrounding the intersection of religious freedom and public health dominated the religious liberty news in 2021, and it was impossible to miss the display of Christian nationalism at the Capitol insurrection on January 6. Here’s a look at 10 of the biggest religious liberty developments of 2021.
As federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates head to U.S. Supreme Court for fast-track review, poll shows Americans have nuanced views of religious exemptions
The Supreme Court set a speedy briefing schedule and a January 7 oral argument to address emergency requests to halt enforcement of a pair of federal rules related to COVID-19 vaccination requirements
Most courts – including SCOTUS – leaving vaccine mandates in place against religious liberty challenges
As usual, drawing bright-line conclusions about the state of the law would be a mistake! These cases emerge from diverse factual situations where the details hold a lot of legal significance.
In ‘worrisome’ oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court, justices characterize state’s refusal to fund religious education as ‘discrimination’
The oral arguments in the case suggest there are a majority of justices who believe the state should be required to include sectarian religious education in school funding programs.
U.S. State Department publishes ‘Countries of Particular Concern,’ adding Russia, removing Nigeria, from list of most egregious religious freedom violators
The U.S. Department of State has issued its annual list of Countries of Particular Concern on religious freedom matters. The list is largely unchanged from last year, with two notable exceptions.
Former National Security Adviser Flynn calls for ‘one religion’
Even in these divided times, many onlookers — including prominent Christian conservative leaders — were shocked and condemned such a brazen call from Michael Flynn to unite America under a single religion.
Supreme Court justices ponder questions of sincerity, safety, in execution chamber arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Ramirez v. Collier, in which a death row inmate in Texas is challenging the state’s refusal to allow a minister to lay hands on him and pray audibly during his execution.
U.S. Supreme Court declines to halt vaccine requirement for Maine health care workers seeking religious exemption
By a 6-3 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court last week refused to issue an emergency injunction sought by a group of Maine health care workers against the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
