The intersection of medical care and religious care has always been somewhat contentious. However, the medical world has a long history of involvement with various religions. The Knights Hospitallers gained fame during the medieval period for building hospitals throughout the known world while also participating in religious and military crusades. Nuns and other religious organizations Read More

Some say that an armed society is a polite society. Others say that the only people who should have guns are the police. These divisions are equally pronounced in the religious community, as some believe that armed pastors are necessary in this day and age in order to defend churches against shooters. But what kind Read More

When the vaccine mandates first rolled out, you may have heard vague rumors about religious exemptions. This always seemed like a distant possibility for most, and the general assumption was that if you petitioned to escape the vaccination mandate due to your religious beliefs, you would be denied. This is certainly what many people experienced, Read More

A recent lawsuit claims that the “medical conscience clause” in an over $70 billion budget bill goes against the terms of the single-subject requirement found in Ohio’s Constitution. This clause lets medical professionals decline to provide services to individuals based on their religious, ethical, or moral beliefs. Ohio’s single-subject regulations prohibit legislatures from placing policies in bills Read More

A court recently ruled in favor of a state regulation that removes religious exemptions for students of both private and public schools when it comes to state vaccine requirements involving communicable diseases like COVID-19. The New Regulation on Religious Exemptions The new regulation requires immunizations for all children before school enrollment. Before 2021, students could Read More

A judge for a Texas federal court in January, 2022, ruled against a vaccine policy for military members. The judge’s ruling focuses on how the Navy’s regulations address those who seek an exemption on religious grounds from the vaccine mandate. This case highlights religious rights in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine Policy Targeted Read More

Lawsuits were first initiated in August against Maine’s Governor, Health and Human Service Commissioner, and Maine CDC Director over their COVID-19 vaccine requirement for healthcare workers. On two occasions, lower federal courts rejected these challenges and agreed with Maine’s mandate. Consequently, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene, the state mandate is now in Read More

A federal appellate court recently issued a decision in favor of Western Michigan University athletes. This decision means the athletes will be able to play sports without obtaining a COVID-19 vaccine. The University had issued a vaccine mandate for student athletes, but did not mandate them for all students. How the Lawsuit Arose The original Read More

A brother and sister in California were recently banned from high school after they refused to wear masks on the first day of school. The father of the siblings reported that the children were told to leave Charter Schools Temecula Student Center and not come back regardless of whether or not they were wearing masks. Read More

A New York federal judge recently vacated a “conscience rule” created by the Trump administration that allows health care workers to refuse to participate or refer in procedures with which they have religious objections. This religious objection is most commonly raised in abortion or gender reassignment surgeries. The decision marks an advancement in women’s and Read More