East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, recently announced that it would remove religious icons from its chapel. The university’s president, however, announced that she would first receive feedback from faculty, community members, and students. The president of East Central University went so far as to express regret on making the decision too quickly without Read More

The Second District Court of Appeals recently ruled that a Roman Catholic elementary school principal is unable to pursue a sex bias and retaliation case against the Archdiocese of New York because the principal  is barred by a “ministerial exception.” The Facts of the Case The case involved St. Anthony’s School, which is located in Read More

  Last month, a bill was passed in Kentucky that will change the role that religion plays in public schools. Public schools are now one step closer to allowing their staff members to express their religious beliefs on school property. In accordance with this bill, teachers will be granted the ability to use the Bible Read More

A “burkini” is a combination of the words “bikini” and “burqa.” While most of us have a very clear understanding of what a bikini is, a burqa is something much different. A burqa is a robe-like garment that some Muslim women wear over their day-to-day clothes. The burqa completely covers the woman, except for her Read More

During the summer of 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court finally appeared to settle the question of whether or not same-sex marriage is a legal right. In Obergefell v. Hodges, the court decided in a 5-4 ruling, that the Constitution of the United States not only allows, but guarantees the right to same-sex marriage. The court Read More

We often talk about religious oppression in the United States. From increased TSA pat downs infringing on personal religions to issues surrounding the separation of church and state, there are a multitude of governmental conventions that suppress U.S. citizens’ right and ability to practice a religion of their choosing. Despite our country’s sometimes unwillingness to Read More

  Mississippi recently became the third state this year to sign a bill against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. The bill, set to take effect on July 1, 2016, allows businesses with religious objections to refuse their services to gay couples. This anti-LGBT legislation is potentially far-reaching in terms of discrimination, and allows Read More

Much of the case law surrounding sports and religion in recent history has focused on the high school or collegiate level. The “Friday Night Lights” traditions that bind school age sports stars to their parents and predecessors are often steeped in religion, be it through prayer, cheers, or statements of good luck. For much of Read More

Other areas of the world have dealt with religion-based terrorist attacks on their soil long before the United States entered the stage begrudgingly in 2001. Since the attacks on New York, our country has been fighting terrorism around the globe in a constant struggle to keep our nation safe from the plots of zealots whose Read More

In 1993, the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) was passed. The reasons put forth in support of this legislation included a growing fear among people that the provisions in the Constitution protecting citizens’ religious freedom were being ignored and slowly encroached upon by other laws. Through its passing, church leaders could continue to act Read More