The history of education and religion in the United States are heavily intertwined, and religious schools have always fought for the ability to teach their own religious doctrines free from governmental interference, including most recently, the role of Title IX. The first schools in the nation were Christian, and they were established by groups such 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

The Universal Life Church is pleased to announce the positive resolution of another recent court case in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In 2021, the Universal Life Church (ULC) filed a federal lawsuit against Allegheny County, PA, after learning that the county had repeatedly denied its ministers the right to solemnize marriages by refusing to recognize the Read More

This past February, Clark County, Nevada finally agreed to settle a lawsuit that the Universal Life Church brought against it back in 2016 over discriminatory treatment of its ministers in the area. As Universal Life Church (ULC) ministers in the area were likely aware, Clark County and County Clerk Lynn Goya instituted a series of Read More

Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, an openly gay San Antonio-based judge, was recently forced to remove the rainbow flag and other rainbow materials from her courtroom after defense attorney Flavio Hernandez filed a complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. According to the attorney, the rainbow flag is no different from a swastika or Confederate Read More

Sandeep Dhaliwal was the first Sikh sheriff’s deputy in Harris County, Texas history, and at his memorial service last month he generated much praise for not only his service on the force but his advancement of religious freedom. Indeed, Dhaliwal was one of the first law enforcement officers in the country, and the first in Read More

Are you looking for a unique way to personalize your wedding ceremony? If you and your partner are searching for something truly special, consider asking a close friend or family member to officiate your wedding. Having a friend join your lives together in matrimony can really add a memorable quality to what will already be Read More

  Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee recently signed into law SB 7522, which protects LGBTQ individuals from conversion therapy. The bill is the result of efforts by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equal Rights Washington. These groups have long advocated for the prohibition of conversion therapy throughout the country. In response to this decision, Read More

Lambda Legal, in combination with the American Civil Liberties (ACLU) of Ohio, recently initiated legal action against the state of Ohio for its policy that prohibits people from changing the gender marker on their birth certificates. Ohio, as well as Kansas and Tennessee, are the only states that decline to change gender designations even after Read More

  An increasing number of schools throughout the United States have begun to offer released time programs. Released time refers to programs in which students voluntarily receive religious education during the course of the school year. These programs are almost always required to occur outside of school buildings and are limited to how many hours Read More