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Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first? Warren Last Friday, just days before the Southern Baptist Convention gathered for its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, SBC megachurch Pastor Jack Graham said in a social media post that the SBC has never had a “systematic sexual abuse crisis” and described what prompted a 2021 independent investigation by Guidepost Solutions as a “reckless hoax.” Christina Speaking of reckless, given all the evidence for serious issues in the SBC, that seems a pretty reckless thing to say. Warren Agreed. I have met Jack Graham a few times, and he seemed like a normal guy. I clearly missed the signs. This statement is so dislocated from reality as to make my head swim. Christina The Houston Chronicle documented nearly 400 cases of sexual abuse in Texas alone. The Guidepost Report on the SBC found hundreds more. Warren Graham's view seems to be that the problem was not systematic and was instead a function of how large the SBC is (“a few bad apples”). Even if that was true (and I do not think it was), the failure to respond quickly and adequately to survivors was surely systematic, a product of the culture of the SBC. That said, the SBC has, in recent years, taken solid steps toward reform. I applaud the denomination for that. But Graham's comments are not helping. Christina While we're on the subject of the Southern Baptist Convention, the SBC has released new demographic information, and Ryan Burge has analyzed it. Warren Here's a passage from one of his recent weekly newsletters: “I've said this on many occasions, but the rise of the SBC from 1945 through 1990 will never ever be replicated again in the history of American religion.” The SBC peaked at $16.2 million in 2006. Today it has about 12.3 million. This 25 percent decline in a generation is due to a lot of factors, including a general secularization of culture. But to claim that the sex abuse scandals played no role strains credulity. Christina The Southern Baptist Convention is meeting this week, but the SBC is not the only thing in the news. Warren That's right. A new study is out from Communio and the Institute for Family Studies. Among the findings: “Children raised in homes where faith is discussed regularly are more than twice as likely to attend church and say religion is very important to them when they become adults.” The study is called Passing the Torch: How Faith Moves Across Generations, and it claims to be the “most comprehensive examination to date of how parents successfully pass on faith to the next generation.” The report also found that when both parents attend church weekly, 41 percent of children do the same in adulthood, compared to 29 percent when only one parent attends. Children who report a strong relationship with both parents are 97 percent more likely of believing in God as adults than those with weaker parental relationships. Christina We do not often cover the Catholic Church, but a story from our hometown of Charlotte caught your attention this week. Warren Prosecutors say a Catholic Charities employee in Charlotte embezzled and laundered money by using a business credit card. The damage was more than $13,000. Leah Stewart, age 46, was arrested in late April. She faces felony charges over the unauthorized credit card charges. We do not cover Catholic charities much, but this one was in my hometown, so I could not help but notice. Also, it gives me another opportunity to note that we can learn from this situation. To find out how your organization can put safeguards in place to avoid financial fraud, click here. Christina And our last story is a bit of good news. Warren That's right. There's so much news about people doing bad things, it's nice sometimes to catch people doing good things, especially when they happen to be friends. Christina And one of them is right here in Charlotte. Warren That would be Rod Culbertson. He has “graduated” to emeritus status at Reformed Theological Seminary here in Charlotte after a long and distinguished career as a pastor, campus minister with Reformed University Fellowship, and a longtime professor at RTS. “Emeritus” is what you call someone who has retired but who does not believe in retirement as a biblical category! Christina And who's the other one. Maria Montserrat Alvarado, the current president and COO of U.S.-based Catholic media giant EWTN News, will lead the Vatican's communication office, the Vatican announced Tuesday (June 2). Montse, as I know her, is not yet 40 years of age, and she will be the youngest person to lead a Vatican dicastery in recent memory and the first woman who is not a religious sister to be a Vatican prefect, a task historically reserved for cardinals. When I first met Montse, nearly 20 years ago, she was barely in her 20s and working for The Becket Fund, the religious liberty legal organization. We have reported on their work often here at MinistryWatch. It was clear even then she was a rising star. Indeed, in 2017 she became the Executive Director there. So, Montse and Rod, I will be praying for you both as you enter news seasons of life and ministry. Christina Warren, we need to wrap things up here. Any final thoughts before we go? Warren I'm in Colorado Springs and Denver this week. I'll be doing a reader lunch in the Springs on Thursday and in Denver on Friday. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. I also want to mention that June is the end of our fiscal year. We've had a good year, so far, but we still have about $45,000 that we need to raise between now and June 30. If that number sounds huge, I'd like to remind you that the average gift to MinistryWatch is less than $100. But they add up. If you have been listening to us here on the podcast for a while, but have never given, I'd like to ask you to consider a gift so MinistryWatch can continue our work. Just go to www.MinistryWatch.com/donate Christina That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I hope you'll join Warren and me again on Friday. We'll be bringing you the news of the week, from a MinistryWatch perspective. Until next time, may God bless you.
In this Federalist Society America250 series, experts analyze modern legal and policy debates through the lens of the Founding generation. The Founders gave us the tools to answer many contemporary questions; join us as we explore those answers.In 2022, the Supreme Court overruled the "Lemon Test" for interpreting the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, holding that the Clause must instead be interpreted by reference to "historical practices and understandings." To do this, the Court suggested it would look to certain historical "hallmarks of religious establishments the framers sought to prohibit when they adopted the First Amendment." This has kicked off a vigorous debate, in both caselaw and scholarship, about what constituted "an establishment of religion" at the time of the Founding, and how that history should inform interpretation of the Establishment Clause today. Join a gathering of the foremost scholars and litigators of the Establishment Clause to discuss the Clause's historical meaning both as a matter of originalist theory and in its application to current church-state controversies, such as displays of the Ten Commandments in public schools.Featuring:Joe Davis, Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious LibertyDouglas Laycock, Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Virginia; Alice McKean Young Regents Chair in Law Emeritus, University of TexasMichael McConnell, Richard and Frances Mallery Professor of Law, Stanford Law School(Moderator) Hon. Ryan D. Nelson, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
This week, the en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that a Texas law requiring public schools to display a copy of the Ten Commandments in classrooms does not violate the First Amendment's Establishment or Free Exercise Clauses. The court explained that Stone v. Graham, which relied upon the now-defunct Lemon test to invalidate a similar Kentucky law decades ago, is no longer controlling. In the place of Lemon and its progeny, the en banc court explained, courts must ask whether a challenged law resembles a founding-era religious establishment. The court also held the challengers here failed to show the law substantially burdened their free exercise. Join us for a litigation update breaking down this ruling and what it may hold for Establishment and Free Exercise cases in the future. Featuring: Prof. Stephanie Barclay, Professor of Law and Faculty Director for the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, Georgetown University Law Center Prof. Andrew Koppelman, John Paul Stevens Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law (Moderator) Joe Davis, Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
As we enter into the Marian month of May, papal biographer George Weigel discusses Pope John Paul II's love for the Blessed Mother and he also touches on some of the current ills of society today including the recent rise in antisemitism and the Catholic Church in Germany's moves to ordain women to the priesthood. The Becket Fund's Nicholas Reaves also joins as the Supreme Court is set to hear a case about whether Colorado can continue excluding Catholic families and preschools from the state's “universal” preschool program because of their faith. Msgr. Roger Landry marks the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and gives us a glimpse into the upcoming beatification of soon-to-be-saint Fulton Sheen from Peoria, Illinois.. Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!
The U.S. Forest Service swapped 2,400 acres of lands last month with Resolution Copper that included an Apache holy site called Oak Flat. Now, an Arizona organization is challenging that decision. KJZZ's Gabriel Pietrorazio has the latest. Resolution Copper told KJZZ that courts at every level have consistently ruled in the mining company's favor, adding “it is time for the meritless litigation to end”. Becket Fund senior counsel Luke Goodrich disagrees. “This litigation is far from over. It's really just getting started.” That is why his D.C. religious liberty firm filed a 41-page plea on Earth Day on behalf of the nonprofit Apache Stronghold. They are asking Arizona's federal district court to essentially undo this congressionally approved land exchange, claiming the U-S has violated federal laws and even an 1852 treaty. Goodrich says there is even legal precedent to back them up. “The courts, if they find that transfer is unlawful, can unwind the transfer and require the parties restore the land to its pristine state.” (Photo: Theo Greenly / KUCB) Unalaskans got a chance to learn about the island's only recycling program Tuesday, as part of Earth Day celebrations this week. Most of what the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska collects gets shipped out, but not the glass. KUCB's Sofia Stuart-Rasi has more on how used glass bottles could be put to use on island, over and over again. “Thank you all for joining us today.” Shenoy Anderson is standing in a conference room, walking community members through a PowerPoint presentation about recycling called “Bin to beyond”. “And recycling is a process of gathering and processing materials to create new products.” Anderson is the environmental director for the tribe. The tribe started their recycling program in 2024, collecting glass, number one plastic, aluminum, and cardboard. It is Unalaska’s only recycling program. Most of the recyclables get shipped out in containers to the Tacoma, Wash. area through a partnership with the barge company Matson, but glass is heavy and takes up too much space. So rather than see it go to waste, the tribe recycles it in house. “I got to take off all the plastic and, the metal off the bottles. That takes up most of the time.” That iss John Gustafson. He is the tribe’s recycling and facilities manager. He sorts the glass and runs the crusher machine, processing bottles into material used for sandbags and winter road traction for the island. That is cheaper than sending it out of town. When sorting glass, Gustafson has one hard rule. Bottles with food residue do not make the cut. Food residue and recycling can contaminate entire batches of material and can cause costly damage to equipment. “Like spaghetti sauce, Alfredo, and stuff like that. People don’t think to rinse it first.” As of now, the tribe has about 6,000 pounds of crushed glass stored. That is roughly 2 years’ worth, but Gustafson says there is room to grow in the future. “It’s just me and can only, you know, handle so much at a time. But eventually we want to upgrade all of our equipment and everything and we’ll spread the news to the whole community. It’ll be even busier.” Anderson says the tribe hopes to have the new equipment ready within the year and potentially recycle the glass into other materials for art, construction, and landscaping. She says once it is up and running, they plan to collect recyclable glass beyond an Alaska. “Our goal is to be a hub.” For now, community members can drop off recyclables at the Cowlingan Tribe’s office. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Friday, April 24, 2026 — Music, fashion, and traditional ink under the stars with the Native Guitars Tour
It's Wednesday, April 22nd, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Timothy Reed British Christians get more culture pushback now Christians in the United Kingdom report experiencing greater cultural pressures because of their faith. While 88 percent of Evangelicals feel they can freely live out their faith in the country, a new survey by the Evangelical Alliance United Kingdom found that 48 percent believe it has become harder to practice their faith in public within the past five years. And 35 percent report experiencing non-criminal hostility for their faith in Christ. The survey noted, “For many evangelical Christians, the challenge is less about what the law says and more about how their conviction is perceived and received in an increasingly contested cultural landscape.” British Parliament passed pro-abortion amendments The Parliament of the United Kingdom passed pro-abortion amendments to the crime and policing bill last week. The measure removes criminal liability from women who end the lives of their unborn babies. The bill also gives automatic pardons for women who previously committed such “self-abortions.” Sir Edward Leigh, a conservative Member of Parliament, called this “a terrible indictment of our society that a human life can be taken when it is about to be born, at 39 weeks, and that there should be a free pardon in such a serious case.” Church in Wales approved blessing sexually perverted couples The Church in Wales approved blessings for people living sexually perverted lifestyles last week. Welsh Anglican leaders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the measure. It allows clergy to provide services of blessing for homosexual couples. This follows the denomination's appointment last year of its first openly homosexual archbishop, Cherry Vann, who has a lesbian lover named Wendy Diamond, reported NBC News. Matthew Firth with the Free Church of England said that evangelical Anglicans in Wales will be “devastated today by this departure from the faith and will be looking for biblical alternative episcopal oversight.” Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” Should Catholic school staff be required to affirm biblical marriage & sexuality? In the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear another religious freedom case involving two Catholic schools in Colorado. The state excluded the schools from its preschool program for their religious beliefs. Specifically, the schools require staff to hold biblical views on marriage and sexuality. The schools have been challenging the decision since 2023. Nick Reaves, with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, commented, “After three losses in religious freedom cases at the Supreme Court, Colorado should know better. The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that states cannot exclude families from government benefits because of their faith.” Virginia Democrats asking voters to approve tortured congressional map Virginia is asking voters to approve an outlandish Congressional map. The state, which is narrowly controlled by the Democrat party, is seeking to redistrict Republicans out of five Congressional seats, giving the Democrat party ten seats, while the Republicans would retain only one. Conservatives across the state have stepped up to fight the proposal, and Republican Representative Jen Kiggans stated, “We have a lot of momentum on our side. And as the funding has come in, we've been able to do more educating, more outreach to voters.” Polling shows the referendum as a tossup. Most popular Easter Bible verse on YouVersion The Bible app YouVersion reported its highest level of engagement ever on Resurrection Sunday earlier this month. The most popular verse during Easter season was Matthew 28:6. It says, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.” Bobby Gruenewald, founder and CEO of YouVersion, said, “Over the last several months, worldwide interest in the Bible has continued to increase. … Seeing people around the world encounter Scripture, many for the first time, is exactly why we do this.” 18-year-old Chick-fil-A employee finds & turns in $9,833 cash And finally, a Chick-fil-A employee in North Carolina found and returned $9,833 in cash earlier this month. Eighteen-year-old Jaydon Cintron discovered two envelopes in the men's restroom during his usual break on the Friday before Resurrection Sunday. Kinston Police Chief Keith Goyette said many people would have taken the money and run with it. But Jaydon turned in the envelopes of cash. He credited his Christian faith for the responsible action. Listen to his interview with WITN. CINTRON: “I just picked it up and I brought it to Human Resources.” REPORTER: “The money was inside two envelopes when he found it. I asked him why he didn't just keep the money for himself.” CINTRON: “That's not what Jesus would have done. That's not what God would have wanted.” REPORTER: “Cintron said his faith guides his thought process.” CINTRON: “Money is useless without character.” Proverbs 11:3 says, "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, April 22nd, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected a Colorado law that restricted counselors from assisting clients who wished to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. Luke Goodrich from The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty joins to discuss with Russell Moore and Clarissa Moll why the Supreme Court was nearly unanimous on the decision, and the implications for free speech. Then, CT's Sho Baraka stops by to discuss the high unemployment and underemployment rate of college graduates, and where grads can find hope. Finally, Daniel K. Williams joins to analyze Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's service at the Pentagon in which he prayed imprecatory prayers against America's enemies. This in contrast with Pope Leo's Palm Sunday sermon, in which he prayed for peace in the midst of war. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: Conversion Therapy, TikTok's Algorithm, and Child Abuse Convictions - The Bulletin Young Graduates Face the Grimmest Job Market in Years - The New York Times War Projections, 2028 Hopefuls, AI Novels, and Men's College Attendance - The Bulletin ABOUT THE GUESTS: Luke Goodrich is vice president and senior counsel at Becket, where he represents religious organizations and individuals in religious liberty disputes in courts across the country, including in the Supreme Court. He is the award-winning author of Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America. Luke has appeared on CNN, Fox News, ABC World News, PBS, and NPR, and has been published or quoted in major outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and The New York Times. Sho Baraka is Christianity Today's Big Tent editorial director. He is a recording artist, performer, culture curator, activist, and writer. He is a cofounder of Forth District and the And Campaign, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. He was an original member of influential hip-hop consortium 116 Clique, recording with Reach Records. Daniel K. Williams teaches American history at Ashland University and is the author of several books on Christianity and politics in the United States, including The Politics of the Cross: A Christian Alternative to Partisanship and Defenders of the Unborn: The Pro-Life Movement before Roe v. Wade. His work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's Wednesday, February 25th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Yemen authorities arrested 20 Christians Authorities in Yemen, a country in the Middle East bordering Saudi Arabia to the north, have arrested at least 20 Christians in recent months. For simply professing Christ, these believers can face torture and even death. The Islamic country is located in the south of the Arabian peninsula. It is illegal for Christians to publicly display or share their faith there. International Christian Concern notes, “The arrests in Yemen paradoxically confirm what missionaries and human rights observers have long suspected: despite being one of the most dangerous places on Earth to be a Christian, Yemen hosts a growing indigenous church.” According to Open Doors, Yemen is the third most oppressive country worldwide for Christians. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” Christian Canadian fined $750,000 for opposing gender confusion The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal fined a Canadian Christian $750,000 last week for opposing gender confusion. Barry Neufield is a former Board of Education trustee for the district of Chilliwack. He posted on social media that there are only two sexes, and he opposed transgender ideology in the schools. Neufield wrote on Facebook that the widespread embrace of such ideology has “demonized people of faith who believe that God created humans male and female: In the Image of God.” Judge fined Maryland school district for promoting sexual perversion In the United States, a federal judge fined Maryland's largest school district $1.5 million last week for promoting sexual perversity. Parents sued Montgomery County Public Schools for not allowing them to opt their children out of storybooks featuring such perversity. Eric Baxter with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty commented, “Public schools nationwide are on notice: running roughshod over parental rights and religious freedom isn't just illegal—it's costly.” Louisiana allowed to display 10 Commandments in classrooms Louisiana can now enforce its law for every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling last week in favor of the displays. The ruling stated, “There can be no doubt that the Ten Commandments bear immense religious significance. … But they also ‘have historical significance as one of the foundations of our legal system.'” Deuteronomy 6:7 and 9 says this of God's commandments: “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. ... You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Vermont foster families allowed to affirm Biblical view The state of Vermont will no longer require families to abandon their religious beliefs in order to be foster families. The new policy comes thanks to the litigation of Alliance Defending Freedom. The issue began after Vermont revoked the licenses of two Christian families for opposing gender confusion. The Christian legal rights group's Senior Counsel, Johannes Delphonse, said, “This is an incredible victory for children in Vermont's foster-care system.” Conservative Methodist denomination hits 7,000 churches worldwide The Global Methodist Church recently announced it reached 7,000 churches worldwide. The denomination launched in 2022 after years of internal conflict within the United Methodist Church over human sexuality. Many theologically conservative churches left the mainline denomination since then. The Global Methodist Church posted on Facebook, “This moment reminds us that growth isn't just measured in numbers — it's found in repentance, renewal, and lives being transformed by Jesus Christ.” U.S. economy growing slower than expected U.S. economic growth was slower than expected during the fourth quarter of 2025. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported real gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 1.4 percent last quarter. That's down from 4.4 percent during the third quarter and much lower than expectations. Government spending was down during the fourth quarter because of the record-length shutdown. Chicago man saved baby out of frigid Lake Michigan And finally, a Chicago man saved an eight-month-old baby from the frigid 35-degree waters of Lake Michigan last Wednesday. Block Club Chicago reports 30-year-old Lio Cundiff was taking a walk along the lake at Belmont Harbor. That's when he heard a woman scream. Gusting winds had sent her stroller with her baby into the lake. Cundiff can't swim. But he dove in to save the baby anyways. He wasn't sure how long he could keep her above water, but thankfully other bystanders stepped in and helped. He said, “If she's going down, I'm going down with her. I couldn't live with myself if that baby hadn't made it. … If it wasn't for everyone being alert and helping, I don't know what would've happened. I'm very thankful.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, February 25th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
It's Wednesday, January 7th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Sudanese military killed 11 Christians Tragically, the military of Sudan killed a group of Christians on their way to church on Christmas morning last month. The Sudanese Armed Forces targeted the group with a drone strike, killing at least 11 Christians and injuring 18 more. A Christian attorney in the area told Morning Star News, “The church [building] was not hit, but a congregation who were marching in procession towards the church were targeted.” Sudan's military is in conflict with various rival forces in the country's ongoing civil war. Sadly, Christians are caught in the crossfire, facing increased attacks and violence in the Muslim-majority country. According to Open Doors, Sudan is the fifth most dangerous country worldwide for Christians. Canadian Christians upset: Quoting Bible can be “hate speech” Liberal lawmakers in Canada are trying to remove a religious exemption from the country's hate speech laws. Currently, people cannot be convicted of hate speech if they make a statement in “good faith” based “on belief in a religious text.” The Christian Institute warns that quoting the Bible could be criminalized as hate speech under the new proposal. Andrew Lawton, a conservative Member of Parliament from Ontario, commented, “[The Liberals] are prepared to mount … a full-scale assault on religious freedom.” Psalm 94:20-21 asks, “Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with [the Lord]? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood.” Hegseth tours America's hypersonic weapons On Tuesday's Worldview newscast, we said, “The United States has yet to deploy its hypersonic technology -- it is still in the testing phase.” Upon closer examination, according to The War Zone, we can report that War Secretary Pete Hegseth recently toured the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama to examine America's long-range Dark Eagle hypersonic boost-glide vehicle weapon system. During his visit, Hegseth designated the installation as U.S. Space Command's new headquarters. The Army's Dark Eagle, also known as the Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, is a trailer-launched hypersonic boost-glide vehicle system that can travel long distances at hypersonic speeds, with velocities in excess of 3,800 miles per hour, while maneuvering erratically through Earth's atmosphere. This makes it an ideal weapon for striking high-priority and time-sensitive targets that are extremely well defended. It's the first true hypersonic weapon slated for frontline U.S. service. The same missile architecture is being adopted by the Navy for sea-launch under the Intermediate Range Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system. During a show-and-tell of Army missile systems, Lieutenant General Francisco Lozano, Director of Hypersonic, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition, told Hegseth that Dark Eagle has a 2,100-mile range. Members of the media were also present at the event, which was captured on video by C-SPAN. Colorado must pay $5 million over trying to shut down pro-life clinic In the United States, Colorado must pay $5.4 million in a lawsuit involving a pro-life healthcare clinic. The state tried to ban abortion pill reversal and shut down a Denver-area pro-life clinic. Bella Health and Wellness fought back and won their case with the help of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Rebekah Ricketts, senior counsel at Becket, said, “At least 18 moms who received abortion pill reversal care at Bella just celebrated Christmas with babies born during this case. All Coloradans should celebrate those little miracles and the brave medical team at Bella that helped their moms when no one else would.” Vandal of J.D. Vance's home is trans Democrat The U.S. Secret Service arrested a man on Monday who caused property damages at the Ohio home of Vice President J.D. Vance. The man used a hammer to break four windows on the front of the home. He also vandalized an unmarked Secret Service vehicle. The man has been identified as 26-year-old William DeFoor. He pretends to be a woman and goes by the name “Julia.” His father. Dr. Bob DeFoor, is a prominent urology surgeon and a mega Democrat donor. Vice President Vance responded on X. He wrote, “I appreciate everyone's well wishes about the attack at our home. ... I'm grateful to the Secret Service and the Cincinnati police for responding quickly. We weren't even home as we had returned already to D.C.” Corporation for Public Broadcasting dissolves over Trump defunding The board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting voted Monday to dissolve the organization after losing federal funding. Congress created the nonprofit in 1967 to support public broadcasting in America. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has distributed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars each year to public stations through National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting System. However, President Donald Trump has accused such outlets of spreading misinformation. In line with this, Congress defunded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting last summer. Republican Congressman of California died Tuesday House Republicans announced Tuesday that Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California died at the age of 65, reports the Western Journal. The announcement was shared in a statement posted by the official House Republicans X account. On January 5th, LaMalfa experienced a medical emergency at his home and was transported to a Chico, California hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. During the procedure, he experienced both a heart attack and an aneurysm, according to the Sacramento Bee. He died the following day at 3:20 a.m while still in surgery. LaMalfa was a fourth-generation rice farmer. U-Haul does well in red states, poorly in blue states U-Haul released its annual Growth Index for last year. The truck rental company ranks states by their net gain or loss based on one-way rentals. Many conservative states topped the list for growth while many Democrat states were at the bottom of the list. Texas and Florida saw the most in-migration. Illinois and California saw the most out-migration. More Americans vow to read entire Bible in 2026 And finally, CBN News reports that a growing number of Americans are committed to reading the entire Bible this year. Only an estimated 13-20% of Americans have completed the feat in the past. But that number is rising as Bible sales surged over the last year. Dr. Corné Bekker, Dean of Divinity at Regent University, has read the Bible several hundred times. Listen to his comments. BEKKER: “I do think increasingly our world is falling apart. The foundations of our society are being eroded at a record speed. People are longing for that which is eternally true, that which is ancient, that which is unchanging.” In Isaiah 66:2, the Lord says, “But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My Word.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, January 7th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
It's Wednesday, December 3rd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Thailand orders Christian back to Vietnam to likely torture Last Wednesday, a court in Thailand ordered that a Christian activist and asylum seeker must be sent back to Vietnam. Y Quynh Bdap, the co-founder of Montagnards Stand for Justice, faces a 10-year sentence in Vietnam for alleged anti-Communist activities. International Christian Concern noted, “If extradited to Vietnam, he will likely face torture, violence, and imprisonment. … This will set a dangerous precedent for the thousands of other Christian refugees in Thailand who could also be extradited to their home country, where they fled persecution.” According to Open Doors, Vietnam is the 47th most dangerous country worldwide for Christians. Flooding and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Monsoon rains brought catastrophic flooding and landslides to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand last week. The death toll has surpassed 1,300, and nearly a thousand people are missing. The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka is distributing emergency aid to pastors and Christian workers in the country. The group said the flooding has been “displacing families and severely impacting pastors, Christian workers, and churches.” Trump pauses immigration from Third World countries In the United States, President Donald Trump announced last Thursday his administration will “permanently pause” migration from Third World countries. This came a day after an Afghan national shot two National Guard members with a 357 revolver in Washington, D.C. near the White House. U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, aged 20, died the next day. U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolf remains in serious condition. However, doctors report that he was able to give a thumbs-up sign when prompted and he wiggled his toes on command as well. Brigadier General Leland Blanchard spoke at a press conference. BLANCHARD: “Their families' lives are all changed forever because one person decided to do this horrific and evil thing.” Officials charged the 29-year-old Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, with first-degree murder yesterday. The Afghan man drove cross country, from his home in Washington State, to carry out the targeted attack. He had immigrated to the United States in 2021 under a Biden era program evacuating Afghan refugees during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces. Listen to comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. LEAVITT: “Sarah and Andrew represent the very best of America, two young patriots who were willing to put on the uniform and risk their lives in defense of their fellow Americans. Both of them truly embody the profound words spoken by Jesus Christ in the Gospel. Greater love has no one than this to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (John 15:13) Mass killings are down this year Mass killings in the U.S. are down according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today. There have been 17 shooters who killed four or more people in a 24-hour period not including themselves. That's the lowest on record since 2006. Mass killings mostly occur at people's homes and often involve family members. California officials dropped $70,000 in COVID fines against church Officials in California recently dropped nearly $70,000 in fines against a church and Christian school. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health targeted Calvary Chapel San Jose and its affiliated Calvary Christian Academy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joel Oster with Advocates for Faith & Freedom said, “This is a complete victory, not only for Calvary Christian Academy, but for every church and Christian school in California. The State tried to use [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] as a weapon to intimidate a religious institution. They failed. And they were forced to walk away from their own claims.” Should pro-life ministry be compelled to reveal names of donors? The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case yesterday involving a pro-life ministry in New Jersey. The case began in 2023 when the state targeted First Choice Women's Resource Centers with a subpoena, demanding the names of its donors. Reuters reports that the justices appeared favorable to the pro-life ministry. William Haun with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty said, “The Court should make clear that state bureaucrats cannot exploit their power to intimidate ministries or chill the faith commitments that guide their work.” Isaiah 10:1-2 says, “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless.” The “Naughty and Nice List” of U.S. retailers And finally, AUDIO: “He's making a list and checking it twice. He's going to find out who's naughty or nice.” Liberty Counsel released its latest “Naughty and Nice List” last month. The list catalogs retailers that are censoring Christmas and ones that are publicly celebrating it. Companies that celebrate Christmas include Costco, Lowe's, and Walmart. Companies that silence and censor Christmas include TJ Maxx, Barnes & Noble, and CVS Pharmacy. Mat Staver with Liberty Counsel said, “Christianity remains the largest faith tradition in the United States and is associated with worship, family traditions, nostalgia, and seasonal joy. … We are happy to report that some retailers still recognize that the Christmas season is about the birth of Jesus and is not just a winter holiday.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, December 3rd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Steve Gruber speaks with Amanda Dixon, Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, about a case currently before the Supreme Court in which Colorado Catholics are asking for equal treatment under the law. They discuss the legal arguments, what this case could mean for religious liberty nationwide, and the broader implications for how faith communities are treated under state and federal regulations.
In 2010, the Supreme Court issued a consequential opinion that stifled the freedom of association across countless campuses when it came to religious groups. In CLS v. Martinez, in a divided 5-4 opinion, the Court opened the way for universities to limit group association by refusing to grant them power to elect those leaders best suited to carry on that group's mission and purpose. In a forthcoming article (here) in the Texas Review of Law and Politics, my guest today, Benjamin Fleshman, covers the infamous Martinez decision and the problem it created for student organizations across the country. Given the closeness of this topic to my own work, we discuss in some detail the infamous "all comers" policy (see this and this) still upheld in some law schools, e.g., UC-Berkeley (see this), nature of student organizations, the importance of recent Supreme Court decisions (see recent FCA en banc decision in the Ninth Circuit and then the other mentioned FCA case in Washington, D.C.), the recent attempts to strengthen group access (see this), and more. Benjamin joined The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty as Counsel in 2023. His work there focuses on appellate litigation in both state and federal courts. Prior to joining Becket, Ben worked as an associate at Shearman & Sterling in Washington, D.C., where he practiced antitrust law and complex commercial litigation. Before entering private practice, he served as a law clerk to Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Full bio. Cross & Gavel is a production of CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY. The episode was produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento.
Each month, a panel of constitutional experts convenes to discuss the Court’s upcoming docket sitting by sitting. The cases covered in this preview are listed below. Villarreal v. Texas (October 6) - Sixth Amendment; Issue(s): Whether a trial court abridges a defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel by prohibiting the defendant and his counsel from discussing the defendant's testimony during an overnight recess. Berk v. Choy (October 6) - Civil Procedure; Issue(s): Whether a state law providing that a complaint must be dismissed unless it is accompanied by an expert affidavit may be applied in federal court. Barrett v. U.S. (October 7) - Fifth Amendment; Issue(s): Whether the double jeopardy clause of the Fifth Amendment permits two sentences for an act that violates 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) and (j). Chiles v. Salazar (October 7) - First Amendment; Issue(s): Whether a law that censors certain conversations between counselors and their clients based on the viewpoints expressed regulates conduct or violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment. Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections (October 8) - Election Law; Issue(s): Whether petitioners, as federal candidates, have pleaded sufficient factual allegations to show Article III standing to challenge state time, place, and manner regulations concerning their federal elections. U.S. Postal Service v. Konan (October 8) - Federal Tort Claims Act; Issue(s): Whether a plaintiff's claim that she and her tenants did not receive mail because U.S. Postal Service employees intentionally did not deliver it to a designated address arises out of "the loss" or "miscarriage" of letters or postal matter under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Bowe v. U.S. (October 14) - Habeas Corpus; Issue(s): (1) Whether 28 U.S.C. § 2244(b)(1) applies to a claim presented in a second or successive motion to vacate under 28 U.S.C. § 2255; and (2) whether Subsection 2244(b)(3)(E) deprives this court of certiorari jurisdiction over the grant or denial of an authorization by a court of appeals to file a second or successive motion to vacate under Section 2255. Ellingburg v. U.S. (October 14) - Criminal Law; Issue(s): Issue(s): Whether criminal restitution under the Mandatory Victim Restitution Act is penal for purposes of the Constitution's ex post facto clause. Case v. Montana (October 15) - Fourth Amendment; Issue(s): Whether law enforcement may enter a home without a search warrant based on less than probable cause that an emergency is occurring, or whether the emergency-aid exception requires probable cause. Louisiana v. Callais (October 15) - Election Law; Issue(s): (1) Whether the majority of the three-judge district court in this case erred in finding that race predominated in the Louisiana legislature's enactment of S.B. 8; (2) whether the majority erred in finding that S.B. 8 fails strict scrutiny; (3) whether the majority erred in subjecting S.B. 8 to the preconditions specified in Thornburg v. Gingles; and (4) whether this action is non-justiciable. Featuring: Jana Bosch, Deputy Solicitor General, Ohio Matthew Cavedon, Director, Project on Criminal Justice, Cato Institute Amanda Gray Dixon, Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Prof. Michael T. Morley, Assistant Professor, Florida State University College of Law Richard B. Raile, Partner, Baker Hostetler LLP (Moderator) Erielle Azerrad, Of Counsel, Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC
It's Wednesday, August 27th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark India threatens life in prison for sharing Christ Christians may face life in prison for simply sharing the Gospel in India. The country's northern state of Uttarakhand amended its anti-conversion law last week. Violations are now punishable by life imprisonment. The law also cracks down on sharing one's faith through social media. Rev. Vijayesh Lal told Morning Star News, “These provisions, with penalties up to life imprisonment, represent some of India's harshest anti-conversion measures and could turn ordinary conversations about belief into criminal acts.” Please pray for the church in India. The country is ranked 11th on the Open Doors' World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian. Trump imposes 50% tariffs on India over funding Russian war The U.S. imposed new tariffs on exports from India starting today. The tariffs come in response to India's continued purchasing of Russian oil. President Donald Trump's levies on Indian exports are at 50% now. India has become one of the top buyers of Russian oil since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The Trump administration is accusing India of effectively funding Russia's war through its oil purchases. 5,000 Irish march for Jesus Around 5,000 people joined the March for Jesus in Belfast, Northern Ireland over the weekend. Rev. John Ahern organized the event. He told Christian Daily International, “As the people of God, if we're willing to humble ourselves and pray, as the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, and turn from our wicked ways, God has promised to hear from Heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land.” The event builds on last year's march in Dublin where about 12,000 Christians participated. Another march in Dublin is scheduled for next month. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Minnesota Christian colleges allowed to offer free credit to high schoolers A U.S. District Court ruled in favor of faith-based colleges in Minnesota last Friday. Previously, the state barred such colleges from offering free college credit to high school students. Minnesota parents successfully challenged the decision with the help of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Diana Thomson, senior counsel at Becket, said, “Minnesota tried to cut off educational opportunities to thousands of high schoolers simply for their faith. That's not just unlawful—it's shameful. This ruling is a win for families who won't be strong-armed into abandoning their beliefs, and a sharp warning to politicians who target them.” D.C. hospital halts transgender drugs on minors ABC News reports that Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. will no longer offer transgender drugs to minors. It's the latest hospital in the U.S. to stop offering so-called “gender transition” drugs. Other hospitals to make similar decisions include Yale Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and UChicago Medicine. These decisions follow President Trump's executive order to end federal funding for transgender procedures on minors. U.S. gov't owns 10% of Intel stocks Last Friday, Intel announced an $8.9 billion investment in the company's stock by the U.S. government. This means the government will own about 10% of the computer chip manufacturer. The deal converts government grants into equity share in the company. On Truth Social, President Trump wrote, “The United States paid nothing for these Shares, and the Shares are now valued at approximately $11 Billion Dollars. This is a great Deal for America and, also, a great Deal for INTEL.” 100-year-long German prayer chain And finally, this week is the anniversary of when a Christian community in Herrnhut, Germany began a round-the-clock “prayer chain.” The community started after Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf opened his estate to Protestant refugees. On August 27, 1727, dozens in the community committed to pray, in turns, every hour of every day. The prayer chain reportedly lasted over one hundred years. The Moravian community went on to send hundreds of missionaries around the world, becoming the spearhead of Protestant missions. Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, August 27th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
The United States Supreme Court first acknowledged what would become the church autonomy doctrine, also known as the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, in the 1871 case of Watson v. Jones, 80 U.S. 679 (1871). That case involved a schism in a Presbyterian church in Louisville, Kentucky, over the issue of slavery. The Court fashioned a principle that civil courts should not decide issues regarding faith, doctrine, and membership. Later, in Kedroff v. Saint Nicholas Cathedral, 344 U.S. 94 (1952), the Court cemented the rule of deference to ecclesiastical bodies in internal church disputes, grounding the rule in the First Amendment and applying it to states through the Fourteenth Amendment. However, a competing rule emerged in certain circumstances in a 5-4 decision in Jones v. Wolf, 443 U.S. 595 (1979). In Jones, a divided Court held that civil courts may also use “neutral principles” of law to resolve church schisms involving property disputes. Today, courts wrestle with the dilemma of applying deference or neutral principles and face challenging questions regarding the nature of the church autonomy doctrine, including whether it is jurisdictional in nature and its application in a variety of circumstances.Join us for a conversation among religious liberty advocates on these and related topics.Featuring:Prof. Carl H. Esbeck, R. B. Price and Isabelle Wade & Paul C. Lyda Professor Emeritus of Law, University of Missouri School of LawL. Martin Nussbaum, Partner, First & Fourteenth PLLCEric Rassbach, Vice President and Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious LibertiesHiram Sasser, Executive General Counsel, First Liberty Institute(Moderator) Hon. Brantley Starr, District Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Mahmoud v. Taylor concerns the question of whether parents have the right to be notified and opt their children out of classroom lessons on gender and sexuality that violate their religious beliefs.In 2022, the Montgomery County, Maryland, School Board introduced storybooks for pre-K through fifth-grade classrooms covering topics like gender transitions and pride parades. Maryland law and the Board’s own policies provide parents the right to receive notice and opt their kids out of books that violate their religious beliefs. However, when parents attempted to exercise this right, the School Board eliminated notice and opt-outs altogether. In response, a diverse coalition of religious parents, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, sued the School Board in federal court. The parents argue that storybooks are age-inappropriate, spiritually and emotionally damaging for their kids, and inconsistent with their beliefs.Last year, the Fourth Circuit upheld the School Board’s policy, ruling that the removal of notice and opt-outs does not impose a legally cognizable burden on parents’ religious exercise. The parents appealed.On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, held that parents challenging the Board’s introduction of the “LGBTQ+-inclusive” storybooks, along with its decision to withhold opt-outs, are entitled to a preliminary injunction. Join us for a breakdown of this decision and its implications.Featuring:Eric Baxter, Vice President and Senior Counsel, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty(Moderator) Prof. Teresa Stanton Collett, Professor and Director, Prolife Center, University of St. Thomas School of Law
In recent years, a flurry of lawsuits has been launched nationwide against religious organizations, raising fraud and other claims related to tithing and church donations. These challenges generally argue that church leaders falsely claimed they would only put donations to one use, but instead put them to another. These cases, which have been heard in the 9th, 10th, and D.C. Circuits, as well as multi-district litigation in federal court in Utah, raise church autonomy issues, such as the extent to which religious leaders can determine how to use donations made to the organization. Additionally, at least one of these cases raises the procedural question of whether church autonomy should be treated more like immunity from suit, and allow for interlocutory appeals on church autonomy matters. On this FedSoc forum, Daniel Blomberg and Dr. James C. Phillips will run through several of these cases, discussing these and related issues.Featuring:Daniel Blomberg, Vice President and Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty(Moderator) Dr. James C. Phillips, Associate Professor & Director, Constitutional Government Initiative, Wheatley Institute, Brigham Young University
Michael O'Brian of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty The post A Supreme Court Ruling on Elementary School Students Forced to Read Books Promoting Transgender Ideology – Michael O'Brian, 6/30/25 (1814) first appeared on Issues, Etc..
It's Wednesday, June 11th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Islamic legal system discourages Christian conversion in Brunei, Iran & Yemen Christians face significant persecution in countries that follow Sharia law like Brunei, Iran, and Yemen. The Islamic legal system is used to ban people from converting out of Islam to another religion. International Christian Concern notes, “The abuse inflicted upon the Christians of these nations is an open secret. … Forcing Christians into prisons — often under the guise of slanderous accusations, sexually assaulting Christian women, and forcing Christ followers into demeaning work has become commonplace in far too many nations.” Muslims experienced highest growth rate among religions Pew Research released a report on the growth of religious groups in the world between 2010 and 2020. All religious groups except Buddhists increased numerically during the time frame. Muslims grew the most, followed by the religiously unaffiliated. Christians increased by about five percent from 2.1 billion to 2.3 billion people. As a share of the global population, only Muslims and the religiously unaffiliated experienced growth. Christians and Buddhists decreased as a share of the global population while Hindus, Jews, and other religions held steady. Muslims have a notably higher fertility rate than other religious groups around the world. Supreme Court affirmed right of Catholic group to tax exemption In the United States, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of a Catholic nonprofit last Thursday. The state of Wisconsin had denied a tax exemption for the Catholic Charities Bureau in 2016. The case went before the state Supreme Court which ruled against the nonprofit. Nick Reaves, an attorney at Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, commented on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling. He said, “When every justice agrees and says ‘Yes, this is foundational to our understanding of religious freedom, that you can't discriminate among religions,' that's really exciting for us.” RFK Jr. replaced entire Advisory Committee on Immunization The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is replacing the 17 members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. The committee makes vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Biden administration had appointed all 17 members. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. stated, “A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science. ACIP's new members will prioritize public health and evidence-based medicine. The Committee will no longer function as a rubber stamp for industry profit-taking agendas.” The younger the kids of divorce, the worse the trauma The National Bureau of Economic Research released a report last month about the effects of divorce on children. The study noted that nearly a third of American children experience parental divorce before adulthood. Children had more negative outcomes the younger they were when the divorce occurred. Researchers wrote, “We find that parental divorce reduces children's adult earnings and college residence while increasing incarceration, mortality, and teen births.” Speaking of husband and wife, in Matthew 19:6, Jesus said, “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Trump: We “will always defend right of every American to worship God freely” The White House released a presidential message on Pentecost Sunday this week. The message from President Donald Trump said, “Today, I join in prayer with Christians joyfully celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—one of the most sacred events of the Christian faith. We commemorate the fulfillment of Jesus Christ's earthly mission and the birth of His holy and living Church. "As we celebrate this glorious feast day, we also honor all Christians who, like the Apostles, have willingly endured persecution because of their faith. My Administration will always defend the right of every American to worship God freely and without fear.” On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Lesson from The American Miracle movie: “God governs in the affairs of men” If you have not yet seen The American Miracle, the new docudrama about God's providential hand in America's founding, then get tickets to see it tonight. And bring a bunch of your friends with you. It's the last day it will be in the theaters. Actress Lauren Lael portrayed the daughter of a slave named Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman who was portrayed by Christian singer Nicole C. Mullen. Remarkably, the slave won her freedom in a Massachusetts court on August 22, 1781. This is what Lauren Lael said. LAEL: “I think that one of the biggest Biblical themes that The American Miracle embodies is, I think, a spirit of integrity and a message of hope and a message also of connectedness, that really exalts God. This is such a pivotal time that this type of message needs to come out.” People who have seen the film have been reminded afresh of God's intervention in American history. TESTIMONIAL 1: “Something that I've learned in the film tonight is that we cannot underestimate how great our God is and how powerful He is, and how much He does govern the affairs of men." TESTIMONIAL 2: "It really reminded me how great our country is, because the Lord ordained America to be great.” TESTIMONIAL 3: “I enjoyed it immensely. And I thought, if there's ever been any doubt about the faith and the beliefs of our founders, then this movie clears all that up and lets you know that, yes, they believed that God governs in the affairs of men.” Watch the trailer. Go to the website www.AmericanMiracleMovie.com, watch the trailer, click on the Tickets tab, type in your zipcode, and purchase tickets for tonight. It's the last night of a 3-night national run. 18 Worldview listeners gave $9,129 to fund our annual budget And finally, toward our midpoint goal of $61,750 to fund half of The Worldview newscast's annual budget by this Friday, June 13th, 18 listeners stepped up to the plate. We missed our 20-donor daily goal by two donors. Our thanks to Anna in Great Falls, Montana who gave $4, Trudy in Los Olivos, California and Gwyndol in Albany, Oregon – both of whom gave $25, as well as Cathy in Fate, Texas who gave $35. We appreciate Janet in Canton, Illinois, Ed in Ramara, Ontario Canada, Emily in DeForest, Wisconsin, Sheila in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and Jess in Forestville, California – each of whom gave $50. We're grateful to God for Titus in Omaha, Nebraska who gave $80, Kerry in Parowan, Utah who gave $100, Melissa in Great Falls, Montana who gave $110, and Calvin in Odessa, Minnesota who gave $300. And we were touched by the generosity of Elizabeth in Carol Stream, Illinois who gave $1,000, Keith and Lisa in Lansing, Michigan who gave $1,000, an anonymous donor in Texas who gave $1,000, Rick and Shannan in Lynchburg, Virginia who pledged $100 per month for 12 months for a gift of $1,200, and Scooter in Naples, Florida who will match all four of those gifts with another $4,000. Those 18 Worldview listeners gave a total of $9,129. Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (Drum roll sound effect) $ 23,800.20 (People clapping sound effect) That means we still need to raise $37,949.80 by this Friday, June 13th to hit the half-way mark, to stay on the air, and fund our 6-member Worldview newscast team for another fiscal year. In an audience of this size, I know that there is someone who could fund half of that amount with a one-time gift of $18,974.90. A couple of you could give a one-time gift of $5,000. If you were one of 8 more people who could give a one-time gift of $1,000, Scooter in Naples, Florida will match you with a corresponding $1,000 gift. Could 10 of you pledge $100 per month for 12 months? And another 20 of you pledge $50/month for 12 months? We could knock this annual budget out of the park overnight if everyone did something. Just go to TheWorldview.com and click on Give on the top right. Click on the button that indicates a recurring donation if you want to give monthly. Invest in a newscast that's succinct, factual, and Biblically based. Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, June 11th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance program provides financial assistance to those who have lost their job through no fault of their own. Under state law, certain nonprofit organizations can opt out of the program, including those operated primarily for religious purposes. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Superior—a religious ministry that serves people with disabilities, the elderly, and the impoverished—requested an exemption from the state’s program so that it could enroll in the Wisconsin Bishops’ Church Unemployment Pay Program (CUPP), which provides the same level of unemployment benefits.Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Catholic Charities could not receive an exemption because its charitable work was not “typical” religious activity. The court said that Catholic Charities could only qualify for an exemption if, for example, it limited its hiring to Catholics and tried to convert those it served. On June 5th, 2025, the United States Supreme Court unanimously reversed the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling, holding it was a violation of the First Amendment to withhold a tax exemption on the grounds that they were not “operated primarily for religious purposes” because the organization did not proselytize or limit services to only fellow Catholics. Join us for an expert analysis of the decision and its implications.Featuring:Eric Rassbach, Vice President and Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberties(Moderator) Prof. Michael P. Moreland, University Professor of Law and Religion and Director of the Eleanor H. McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
For the first time in years, the U.S. Supreme Court is addressing questions of religious liberty and is doing so with three significant cases: Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission, Mahmoud v. Taylor, and Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, which have the potential to shape religious liberty in the United States for years to come.Join Mark Rienzi and Bill Saunders as they discuss these cases, their potential outcomes, and their future impact on religious liberty.Featuring:Prof. Mark L. Rienzi, President, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Center for Religious Liberty, Catholic University; Visiting Professor, Harvard Law School(Moderator) Prof. William L. Saunders, Director of the Program in Human Rights, Catholic University of America
Liz and Rebecca continue the SCOTUS religion cases coverage with Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case that threatens to force public school districts to bend to the will of their most conservative religious parents. They discuss how the case came to be, what the oral arguments told us, and why this case actually is about book banning and censorship. Background SCOTUSblog Amicus briefs AU FFRF SCOTUSblog: “Supreme Court considers parents' efforts to exempt children from books with LGBTQ themes” Vox: “The Supreme Court threatens to bring ‘Don't Say Gay' to every classroom in America” Cases Discussed FFRF v. The County of Lehigh (2016) Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission (2018) Upcoming Case Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond Check us out on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and X. Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.
Michael O'Brian of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty The post A Supreme Court Case Involving Elementary School Students Forced to Read Books Promoting Transgender Ideology – Michael O'Brian, 5/2/25 (1222) first appeared on Issues, Etc..
Grace Morrison, a Catholic mother of seven and a pro-life activist, is a lead plaintiff in a landmark Supreme Court case along with Will Haun, senior counsel at the Becket Fund, who exposes how public schools are pushing radical gender ideology on children without parental consent. Grace shares her powerful testimony as a mother, homeschooler, and defender of faith, while Haun explains how their legal fight could redefine parental rights and religious freedom in America. This is more than one family's battle—it's a fight for every parent, every child, and the soul of the nation.U.S. residents! Create a will with LifeSiteNews: https://www.mylegacywill.com/lifesitenews ****PROTECT Your Wealth with gold, silver, and precious metals: https://stjosephpartners.com/lifesitenews +++SHOP ALL YOUR FUN AND FAVORITE LIFESITE MERCH! https://shop.lifesitenews.com/ ****Download the all-new LSNTV App now, available on iPhone and Android!LSNTV Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lsntv/id6469105564 LSNTV Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lifesitenews.app +++Connect with John-Henry Westen and all of LifeSiteNews on social media:LifeSite: https://linktr.ee/lifesitenews John-Henry Westen: https://linktr.ee/jhwesten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Attorney Eric Baxter of the Becket Fund, who represents parents in their lawsuit against the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board for indoctrinating their kindergartners and elementary school kids with unacceptable sexual propaganda, talks about what happened when he argued the case before the Supreme Court.
Attorney Eric Baxter of the Becket Fund, who represents parents in their lawsuit against the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board for indoctrinating their kindergartners and elementary school kids with unacceptable sexual propaganda, talks about what happened when he argued the case before the Supreme Court.
Attorney Eric Baxter of the Becket Fund, who represents parents in their lawsuit against the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board for indoctrinating their kindergartners and elementary school kids with unacceptable sexual propaganda, talks about what happened when he argued the case before the Supreme Court.
Attorney Eric Baxter of the Becket Fund, who represents parents in their lawsuit against the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board for indoctrinating their kindergartners and elementary school kids with unacceptable sexual propaganda, talks about what happened when he argued the case before the Supreme Court.
In Mahmoud v. Taylor, the Supreme Court will decide whether parents have the right to be notified and opt their children out of classroom lessons on gender and sexuality that violate their religious beliefs.In 2022, the Montgomery County, Maryland, School Board introduced storybooks for pre-K through fifth-grade classrooms covering topics like gender transitions and pride parades. Maryland law and the Board’s own policies provide parents the right to receive notice and opt their kids out of books that violate their religious beliefs. However, when parents attempted to exercise this right, the School Board eliminated notice and opt-outs altogether. In response, a diverse coalition of religious parents, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, sued the School Board in federal court. The parents argue that storybooks are age-inappropriate, spiritually and emotionally damaging for their kids, and inconsistent with their beliefs.Last year, the Fourth Circuit upheld the School Board’s policy, ruling that the removal of notice and opt-outs does not impose a legally cognizable burden on parents’ religious exercise. The parents appealed, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari in January 2025, and arguments are scheduled for April 22nd.The question before the court is: Do public schools burden parents’ religious exercise when they compel elementary school children to participate in instruction on gender and sexuality against their parents’ religious convictions and without notice or opportunity to opt-out?Featuring:Eric Baxter, Vice President and Senior Counsel, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty(Moderator) Prof. Teresa Stanton Collett, Professor and Director, Prolife Center, University of St. Thomas School of Law
It's Wednesday, April 23rd, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Nigerian Muslims have killed 20,000 Christians since 2015 Nigerian Muslims have killed over 20,000 Christians since 2015, according to a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law. The report accuses various jihadist groups of targeting Christian communities in the southeast part of the African nation. The group also blames local government leaders for doing nothing about the violence. The report called on the United States to reinstate Nigeria on its list of Countries of Particular Concern and to classify Fulani Muslim jihadist herdsmen as an Entity of Particular Concern. Nigeria is ranked seventh on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Psalm 144:4-5 asks, “Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up My people as they eat bread, and do not call on the LORD? They are in great fear, for God is with the generation of the righteous.” Worldwide economic outlook looks more dim The International Monetary Fund released its latest World Economic Outlook yesterday. The report projects the world economy will grow 2.8% this year, down from a previous forecast of 3.3%. Large economies like the U.S. and China are expected to weaken. U.S. economic growth is forecast to be 1.8% this year, down from a previous expectation of 2.7%. The declining economic outlook comes during the uncertainty of what U.S. tariffs will look like. Supreme Court likely to support parental opt-out right The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a religious freedom case yesterday. Public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland don't let children opt out of classes that include sexually perverted lifestyles in storybooks. Parents are challenging this. They come from various backgrounds including Muslim, Christian, Roman Catholic, and Ukrainian Orthodox. The conservative majority on the Supreme Court appeared likely to support parents in the case during the hearings yesterday. Eric Baxtor, Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, commented on the case, reports The Hill. BAXTOR: “Around 300 parents in Montgomery County, [Maryland] are just looking for the right to opt their children out of instruction that is highly controversial, tells kids that doctors guessed at their sex when they were born, and that they can choose for themselves who they are. “The board allowed opt-outs for an entire year and then overnight kind of withdrew them with no explanation. We're simply asking for that opt-out right to be returned.” Ephesians 6:4 says, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Maryland's physician-assisted suicide bills killed Speaking of Maryland, the state did not enact physician-assisted suicide bills during its most recent legislative session. This is the eighth time such deadly legislation has been introduced and the eighth time it has failed. Americans United for Life celebrated the defeat of the bills, crediting “numerous grassroots testimonies and thousands of letters speaking out.” Sadly, physician-assisted suicide is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Secretary of State Rubio cuts staff by 15% U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to overhaul the State Department yesterday. The changes will cut staff in the U.S. by 15% and close or consolidate over 100 bureaus around the world. It's part of President Donald Trump's “America First” foreign policy. In a press statement, Rubio said, “The sprawling bureaucracy created a system more beholden to radical political ideology than advancing America's core national interests. That is why today I am announcing a comprehensive reorganization plan that will bring the Department into the 21st Century.” Tammy Bruce, a State Department spokeswoman, added this in a press conference yesterday. BRUCE: “This is a whole of government, every department looking at how they can make their department more efficient, less burdensome, less bureaucratic. This is the State Department's version of that.” Alabama schools to display Ten Commandments, ban drag shows Lawmakers in Alabama passed several conservative bills last Thursday. One bill would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments. Republican State Rep. Phillip Rigsby, the sponsor of the bill, shared his mindset. RIGSBY: “In no way is this establishing a religion in the schools. I think it gives us a good, at a minimum, moral compass.” Another bill would ban schools from promoting sexually perverted lifestyles through instruction or homosexual pride flags. And a third bill would prohibit schools and libraries from hosting drag performances. Appearing on WDHN, Republican State Rep. Mack Butler explained why he believes children should be protected from drag shows in schools and libraries. BUTLER: “I'm a dad, you know, and if you look at all these sponsors of the bill, same thing: just dads trying to protect children. I'm just trying to take a stand for our children. Let them have their innocence. Just protect them.” The measures have passed in the state's House of Representatives and are awaiting approval by the Alabama State Senate. Louisville Univ. pays $1.6 million to fired Christian psychiatrist And finally, University of Louisville officials agreed to a nearly $1.6 million settlement in a free speech case recently. Dr. Allan Josephson worked for the university's Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology. The Christian psychiatrist spoke out against transgender drugs and surgeries. In response, the university demoted him, harassed him, and fired him. Travis Barham with Alliance Defending Freedom commented on the recent court victory for Josephson. He said, “After several years, free speech and common sense have scored a major victory on college campuses.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, April 23rd, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe for free by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). 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Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the United States, responsible for nearly 400,000 abortions annually. This Supreme Court term, there is an important case called Medina vs. Planned Parenthood that will determine whether individual Medicaid beneficiaries have the legal right to challenge a state's decision to exclude certain healthcare providers, such as Planned Parenthood, from Medicaid programs.On today's episode, you'll hear from Christopher Mills, founder of Spero Law in Charleston, S.C., who partnered with the ERLC to write an amicus brief that we submitted to the Supreme Court in the Medina case. Mills will discuss his work on the amicus brief and why this case matters to Southern Baptist churches and ministries across the nation. Mills previously served as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. He's currently an Adjunct Professor at Charleston School of Law. He has authored many briefs and motions in the Supreme Court. He graduated summa cum laude from Furman University in 2009 and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2012. You'll also hear from Brent Leatherwood, president of the ERLC, about the ERLC's ongoing campaign to defund Planned Parenthood. Southern Baptists affirm the sanctity of every human life and believe that Scripture testifies that all people are made in the image of God. It is from this belief that the ERLC has led this campaign calling on Congress to defund Planned Parenthood through the budget reconciliation process.
On March 31, 2025, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission.Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance program provides financial assistance to those who have lost their job through no fault of their own. Under state law, certain nonprofit organizations can opt out of the program, including those operated primarily for religious purposes. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Superior—a religious ministry that serves people with disabilities, the elderly, and the impoverished—requested an exemption from the state’s program so that it could enroll in the Wisconsin Bishops’ Church Unemployment Pay Program (CUPP), which provides the same level of unemployment benefits.Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Catholic Charities could not receive an exemption because its charitable work was not “typical” religious activity. The court said that Catholic Charities could only qualify for an exemption if, for example, it limited its hiring to Catholics and tried to convert those it served. Catholic Charities appealed, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari in December 2024.Does a state violate the First Amendment’s Religion Clauses by denying a religious organization an otherwise-available tax exemption because the organization does not meet the state’s criteria for religious behavior?Featuring: Eric Rassbach, Vice President and Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberties(Moderator) Hon. Ryan D. Nelson, Judge, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
The First Amendment’s Religion Clauses guarantee religious entities the freedom to make certain internal governance decisions without State interference. Supreme Court cases like Kedroff v. St. Nicholas Cathedral (1952), Serbian Eastern Orthodox Diocese v. Milivojevich (1976), Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. EEOC (2012), and Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru (2020) have affirmed that this constitutional protection bars civil courts from intruding into some religious matters involving faith, doctrine, and church governance. However, lower courts differ in some respects on how to understand and apply the “church autonomy doctrine.” The panel will explore the roots of the church autonomy doctrine, its recent applications, and its implications and trajectory.Featuring:Prof. Thomas C. Berg, James L. Oberstar Professor of Law and Public Policy, University of St. Thomas School of LawProf. Leslie C. Griffin, William S. Boyd Professor of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of LawAlex J. Luchenitser, Associate Vice President & Associate Legal Director, Americans United for Separation of Church and StateBranton J. Nestor, Associate, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP(Moderator) Amanda Salz, Counsel, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
On this episode of America's Talking, Casey Harper, D.C. Bureau Chief for The Center Square, is joined by Lori Windham, Vice President and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. They discuss the case out of Oklahoma about whether religious schools can receive taxpayer funding.Support this podcast: https://secure.anedot.com/franklin-news-foundation/ce052532-b1e4-41c4-945c-d7ce2f52c38a?source_code=xxxxxx
Scott Walter is the president of Capital Research Center. He served in the George W. Bush Administration as Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and was vice president at the Philanthropy Roundtable, editing Philanthropy magazine and producing donor guidebooks on assistance to the poor, school reform, public policy research, and other topics. Walter has written for and been quoted in such outlets as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Chronicle of Philanthropy. A Georgetown graduate, he served as a senior fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and as senior editor of AEI's flagship publication. VISIT: https://capitalresearch.org/the-doge-files/FOLLOW: @capitalresearchSUPPORT OUR WORK https://www.judicialwatch.org/donate/thank-youtube/ VISIT OUR WEBSITE http://www.judicialwatch.org
Benjamin Fleshman, Council at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, joins Paul E. Peterson to discuss the St. Dominic Academy v. Makin case, which looks into whether students at Catholic schools in Maine can participate in the state's school voucher program.
On "EWTN News Nightly" tonight: In discussing the latest in Syria, the US State Department today emphasized, “that the transition process should be Syrian led and Syrian owned and produce an inclusive and representative government.” Also, with the brutal dictator Assad gone, Israel has been pounding military sites. Nick Reaves, attorney for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, joins to discuss the Supreme Court case between a Catholic organization and the state of Wisconsin. Churches and organizations are reaching out to help those behind bars find Christ and turn their lives around. However, inmates in federal prison are not getting the faith-based outreach they are entitled to. And, Hannah Brockhaus, Senior Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency, joins News Nightly to discuss Pope Francis's trip to Corsica.
As Christians, we know that God's design for raising children is in the context of a home with a loving father and mother—and he gave parents the responsibility to raise their children in accordance with His Word. This may seem obvious, but our society is increasingly pushing back against God's design by undermining “parental rights.” While in a fallen world parents don't always seek what is best for their children and should be held accountable by God-given authorities, in most cases, moms and dads should be able raise their children according to their deeply held beliefs, ensuring their children are protected from things like the harmful effects of radical ideas about gender and sexuality.So, why and how are parental rights being brought up at the Supreme Court this term in a case titled United States v. Skrmetti? On today's episode, you'll hear from two lawyers—Matt Sharp and Kayla Toney—who are well acquainted with these legal challenges and how they are related to radical gender ideology. Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF's team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life.Sharp has also worked on important cases advancing religious freedom and free speech. He earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.Kayla Toney is Associate Counsel with First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights for clients of all faiths. Prior to joining First Liberty, Kayla litigated religious freedom cases as a Constitutional Law Fellow at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. She clerked for Judge Gregory E. Maggs on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Kayla also worked as a litigation associate.Kayla earned her law degree from George Washington University. A native of Michigan, Kayla is based in First Liberty's Washington, D.C. office and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and D.C.
This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Eric Rassbach, Vice President and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Mr. Rassbach discusses the Loffman v. California Department of Education case, where Becket successfully secured a unanimous Ninth Circuit decision ensuring equal access to […]
This week on The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of DFER and U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng interview Eric Rassbach, Vice President and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Mr. Rassbach discusses the Loffman v. California Department of Education case, where Becket successfully secured a unanimous Ninth Circuit decision ensuring equal access to special education funding for religious school students. He explores how California's restrictive interpretation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) denied federal funds to students at private religious schools, in contrast to secular ones. He delves into the broader context of religious liberty in K-12 education, highlighting landmark SCOTUS rulings, including Trinity Lutheran, Espinoza, and Carson's impact on the evolving legal battles reshaping states' Blaine Amendments and school choice policies. Rassbach also examines how religious schooling and school choice initiatives can enhance student achievement. He foresees increased litigation and legislative action bolstering educational freedom nationwide.
Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them)In this thought-provoking episode of Faithful Politics, hosts Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram tackle the timely and contentious intersections of religious liberty and government regulation. Joining them is Rachel Morrison, an attorney and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, whose expertise sheds light on how recent federal policies and Supreme Court decisions are impacting religious freedoms in healthcare, employment, and beyond.This episode dives into questions that resonate deeply in today's polarized environment: What protections do healthcare professionals have if they object to certain procedures on moral or religious grounds? How does the recent Supreme Court Loper-Bright decision shift the power dynamics between government agencies and individuals? And, perhaps most importantly, what do these issues mean for the future of faith-based decision-making in a rapidly changing legal landscape?Morrison breaks down the implications of the Loper-Bright decision, explaining how it puts religious liberty on more stable footing by limiting the power of federal agencies to interpret laws in ways that might disregard religious or moral objections. The hosts and Morrison then explore real-world scenarios—such as COVID-19 mandates and the rise of gender-identity policies under the current administration—that illustrate how these legal shifts could play out in healthcare and workplace settings.Guest Bio:Rachel N. Morrison is a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, leading EPPC's HHS Accountability Project. An attorney specializing in religious liberty, healthcare conscience rights, life issues, and civil rights, she previously served as an Attorney Advisor at the EEOC, focusing on religious discrimination, and held roles at Americans United for Life and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Ms. Morrison's work has appeared in prominent law reviews and media outlets. She earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Whitworth University. She is a member of the D.C. and Washington State bars. "The Faith Roundtable" is a captivating spinoff from the Faithful Politics podcast, dedicated to exploring the crucial issues facing the church in America today. Hosted by Josh Burtram, this podcast brings together faith leaders, theologians, and scholars for deep, respectful discussions on topics at the heart of American Christianity. From the intersection of faith and public life to urgent matters such as social justice and community engagement, each episode offers insightful conversations Support the showTo learn more about the show, contact our hosts, or recommend future guests, click on the links below: Website: https://www.faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/ Faithful Host: Josh@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Political Host: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Twitter: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics Subscribe to our Substack: https://faithfulpolitics.substack.com/
The Federalist Society is proud to host Mark Rienzi, President of the Becket Fund and Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America, for this year's annual discussion of Religious Liberty at the Court. This webinar will be moderated by William Saunders, Professor and Co-director of the Center for Religious Liberty at Catholic University […]
The Federalist Society is proud to host Mark Rienzi, President of the Becket Fund and Professor of Law at the Catholic University of America, for this year’s annual discussion of Religious Liberty at the Court. This webinar will be moderated by William Saunders, Professor and Co-director of the Center for Religious Liberty at Catholic University of America. Please join us for this latest installment which will look at recent developments in religious liberty litigation and ahead to the Supreme Court’s October term. Featuring:Prof. Mark L. Rienzi, President, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Center for Religious Liberty, Catholic University; Visiting Professor, Harvard Law School(Moderator) Prof. William L. Saunders, Director of the Program in Human Rights, Catholic University of America
If there's one thing conservatives like doing, it's finding the perfect plaintiff to be the face of a court challenge to a policy that will strip people's rights.Enter: the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and their plaintiffs: a group of goat-herding Anglican nuns, who are challenging a New York state regulation that requires employers to provide medically necessary abortions in their employee health insurance plans.In this week's Boom! Lawyered, Jess and Imani get you caught up on Diocese of Albany v. Harris, and the Becket Fund's petition to the Supreme Court asking the justices to take up their case.Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that episodes like this one is only made possible with the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating here.And sign up for The Fallout, a weekly newsletter written by Jess that's exclusively dedicated to covering every aspect of this unprecedented moment.
If there's one thing conservatives like doing, it's finding the perfect plaintiff to be the face of a court challenge to a policy that will strip people's rights.Enter: the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and their plaintiffs: a group of goat-herding Anglican nuns, who are challenging a New York state regulation that requires employers to provide medically necessary abortions in their employee health insurance plans.In this week's Boom! Lawyered, Jess and Imani get you caught up on Diocese of Albany v. Harris, and the Becket Fund's petition to the Supreme Court asking the justices to take up their case.Rewire News Group is a nonprofit media organization, which means that episodes like this one is only made possible with the support of listeners like you! If you can, please join our team by donating here.And sign up for The Fallout, a weekly newsletter written by Jess that's exclusively dedicated to covering every aspect of this unprecedented moment.
In the 7 AM Hour: Larry O'Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: WMAL GUEST: 7:05 AM - INTERVIEW - ERIC BAXTER - vice president and senior counsel at Becket Fund for Religious Liberty - discussed parents asking Supreme Court to Restore Opt-Out Choice Religious parents to Supreme Court: restore opt-outs for instruction on gender and sexuality Hundreds of Hezbollah pagers explode across Lebanon injuring thousands Jewish Inventor Al Gross; Invented Pager, Walkie-Talkie and Cordless Phone Kamala Harris once again repeats her very rehearsed “I grew up a middle class kid” story when asked about what she will do to improve the economy. Kamala Faces Questions On Joy, Gun Bans From Org That Grilled Trump Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 / 7 AM Hour O'Connor and Company is proudly presented by Veritas AcademySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
WMAL GUEST: 7:05 AM - INTERVIEW - ERIC BAXTER - vice president and senior counsel at Becket Fund for Religious Liberty - discussed parents asking Supreme Court to Restore Opt-Out Choice Religious parents to Supreme Court: restore opt-outs for instruction on gender and sexuality Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 / 6 AM Hour O'Connor and Company is proudly presented by Veritas AcademySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A catholic school's ability to operate in accordance with its faith is in jeopardy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit heard oral arguments in St. Joseph Parish v. Nessel on Tuesday, June 11. The case involves a Catholic school in Michigan that is asking the court to protect its ability to hire staff who align with its faith.The Michigan Supreme Court reinterpreted a state civil rights statute's definition of sex in July 2022 to include sexual orientation without any exemption for religious organizations. In March 2023, the Michigan legislature wrote this into state law, expressly prohibiting discrimination on sexual orientation or gender identity. The school's right to hire staff who hold its views on marriage and gender is at risk. St. Joseph's asks all staff to be practicing Catholics and uphold the faith. Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty Will Haun argued the case before the Sixth Circuit Court on June 11. He joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what the case means for Christian institutions nationwide. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A catholic school's ability to operate in accordance with its faith is in jeopardy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit heard oral arguments in St. Joseph Parish v. Nessel on Tuesday, June 11. The case involves a Catholic school in Michigan that is asking the court to protect its ability to hire staff […]
In Montgomery County, Maryland Public Schools the school board approved “LGBTQ-Inclusive Texts Approved for Instructional Use.” Books with titles like “Pride Puppy”, “Uncle Bobby's Wedding” and “Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope” are just a few of the approved books. Many parents with religious backgrounds have come together to challenge the school board in court to restore their right to opt their children out of instruction that is inconsistent with their faith. Newt's guest is Eric Baxter. He is the Vice President and Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and the attorney representing the plaintiffs in the case.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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