On June 27, 2024, the Superintendent of Oklahoma’s state schools sent a letter to all districts, providing very clear discussions about using the Bible in classroom discussions. According to the Superintendent, the Bible should be viewed as a source of instruction support and an important historical document. All grades from 5 to 12 have been Read More

One of the most fascinating things about our nation is that each state has considerable freedom to set its own laws. When traveling from one end of the country to the other, you might experience drastically different regulations on things like traffic, self-defense, and divorce. However, one common characteristic across all States is the division Read More

A new bill in Oklahoma would allow students to pursue their own elective religious training. Although this training will occur outside of public school premises, it will still happen during school hours. This bill has raised numerous issues about the mixing of church and state, which is supposed to be federally prohibited by the United Read More

Ask any constitutional scholar about America’s official religion, and they will likely tell you that it has none. This is, of course, written into the Constitution, and since its inception, the government has been very careful to separate church and state. However, not everyone agrees with this time-honored principle – and some argue that the Read More

Medical assistance in dying, or “MAID,” is becoming an increasingly common practice among developed nations, and it is beginning to come into conflict with major religions. Although one might argue that MAID is humane, it is still suicide in its most basic form. Some religious leaders have embraced this, while others have refused to participate Read More

Many Americans forget that the United States is a constitutionally secular republic with no official religion. Although one might argue that the country was founded on Christian values, the government is usually careful to separate church and state. Any overlap between these two realms can potentially lead to lawsuits – and we have certainly seen Read More

Although Paganism has an established history in the United States, the religion has recently experienced a surge in exposure after the January 6th protests. The “QAnon Shaman” famously appeared at the Capitol dressed in a Pagan-inspired outfit with several pagan runes tattooed across his body. Of course, this represents only one example of Paganism in Read More

A veteran recently admitted to beheading a Baphomet statue inside the Iowa State Capital, calling his actions “Christian civil disobedience.” This has not stopped him from facing criminal charges of criminal mischief in the fourth degree, but numerous individuals – including local Satanists – aren’t exactly happy. This has sparked a wider debate over potential Read More

There is a fierce debate in many religious communities about LGBTQ issues, and the United Methodist Church (UMC) is certainly no exception. Due to the unique legal structure of the UMC, this debate is triggering a serious fracture within the church – one that is causing many individual congregations to leave. The process of leaving Read More

Despite America’s official secular stance, there are many situations in which an American citizen might be asked to swear an oath to God. For example, someone might be ordered to swear that they will tell the truth before testifying during a trial. Often, the witness is required to swear on a Bible. In addition, elected Read More