Religious Freedom News
The Daily Signal provides coverage of religious freedom issues in the United States and around the world, with reporting on policy, legal challenges, persecution, and the impact on people of faith.
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opinion
How to Preserve Religious Freedom After Supreme Court’s Activist Decision on Marriage
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on Friday redefining marriage across all 50 states will likely have many serious, even unintended, consequences for the rule of law, democratic self-governance, and—in particular—religious freedom. Before the ink was dry on the court’s activist decision, a columnist for The New York Times was already calling for the end of… -
news
9 Takeaways From Jeb Bush’s Remarks on Religious Freedom
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush defended religious freedom during remarks at Liberty University’s 42nd Commencement ceremony on Saturday. During his remarks at the Christian university, Bush also praised Christianity as “a voice like no other”: “Whether it is captured on scrolls and paper, or in bits of data; seen in the example of Francis the… -
news
House Passes Resolution Banning D.C. ‘Anti-Religious Freedom’ Law, but Senate Fails to Act
In a historic move, the House voted late Thursday in favor of striking down a Washington, D.C., anti-discrimination law that opponents say infringes on the ability of organizations to operate in accordance to their religious beliefs. The Senate, however, is choosing not to move forward with its own vote, essentially blocking any chance of overruling… -
news
Caving to Conservative Pressure, GOP Leadership Agrees to Hold Vote to Protect Religious Freedom in D.C.
After facing pressure from conservative lawmakers, House leadership has agreed to hold a vote on a measure that could strike down a Washington, D.C., anti-discrimination law that opponents say infringes on the ability of organizations to operate in accordance to their religious beliefs. “We exerted a lot of pressure in the last 48 hours to… -
news
Angie’s List CEO Resigns After Stirring Controversy Over Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
Bill Oesterle, co-founder and chief executive of Angie’s List, announced he is stepping down from his position just weeks after the company took an outspoken stance against Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Oesterle’s announcement comes after Angie’s List decided to withdraw a proposal before the Indianapolis City Council to expand its headquarters. Angie’s List provides… -
news
To Protect Religious Freedom, Republicans Attempt Historic Move Against D.C.
A powerful congressional committee last night passed a measure to kill one of two controversial pieces of legislation from taking effect in the District of Columbia, moving closer to acting out a historic power play against a bill that critics believe infringes on religious liberty. Opponents of the bill, called the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act,… -
opinion
Will We Surrender on Religious Freedom?
“They won’t go to Indiana, but they will go to Saudi Arabia.” That’s Carly Fiorina speaking about Apple CEO Tim Cook and his well-publicized opposition to Indiana’s religious freedom law. Fiorina, a former CEO herself, was underscoring what she quite rightly views as hypocrisy. Here Cook is, excoriating Indiana lawmakers for protecting the freedom of business owners to… -
news
Q&A With Washington Florist on Religious Freedom: ‘Who Are the Real Bigots Here?’
Barronelle Stutzman, a Christian florist from Washington state, is all too familiar with the public backlash that the owners of Memories Pizza faced after supporting Indiana’s controversial religious freedom law. “I think it is sad that it has come to this,” Stutzman told The Daily Signal via email in an exclusive interview. “We all have… -
news
A Pastor’s Easter Message on Religious Freedom
Pastor Jesse Johnson of Immanuel Bible Church just outside Washington, D.C., has a new appreciation for religious freedom in the United States after a recent trip overseas. He shared his insights with The Daily Signal about the fight for religious freedom around the globe and here at home. “It is in light of the resurrection and God’s sovereignty that… -
news
The Religious Freedom Debate Explained in 90 Seconds
Lawmakers in Indiana and Arkansas have revised language in two controversial religious freedom bills. Originally, both bills were intended to prohibit state and local government from infringing on someone’s religious beliefs without a compelling reason. Here’s what you need to know about the debate in 90 seconds. -
news
Christian Groups Call for Boycott of Company That Opposes Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
The American Family Association and Family Research Council want customers of Angie’s List to boycott the company in an act of support for religious freedom. Angie’s List recently announced that it has withdrawn a proposal to expand its Indianapolis headquarters because of the corporation’s disapproval of Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Angie’s List is an online… -
news
Indiana Pizzeria Under Fire for Support of Religious Freedom Law
A pizzeria in Indiana has come under fire for supporting the state’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Memories Pizza is owned by the O’Connor family of Walkerton, Ind. Crystal O’Connor told Indiana’s WBND that the family business is “a Christian establishment.” “If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding,… -
opinion
Facts vs. Spin: Here Is What the Indiana Religious Freedom Law Would Do
There is so much noise and hype surrounding the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act it’s hard to know what is real and what is spin. So I decided to seek out a real expert to get the facts. I asked Ryan Anderson, my colleague at The Heritage Foundation, to explain exactly what the law does—and… -
news
Where the 2016 Hopefuls Stand on Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
Eight Republican presidential hopefuls have offered their support to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as he scrambles to put out a political wildfire over a new state law designed to protect the religious freedom of Hoosiers. “It’s a fix of a bill that through confusion has come to be greatly misunderstood.” —@GovPenceIN Other than unannounced front-runner… -
opinion
Religious Freedom Laws Are About Tolerance, Which Is Exactly Why the Left Doesn’t Like Them
Discrimination is going on all right but not against the groups many on the Left are claiming. Here’s the bottom line: many people who support abortion or who support same-sex marriage don’t just want those rights for themselves. They want society at large to approve of their actions. And they will fight any law or movement that… -
news
These 19 States Have Religious Freedom Laws Similar to Indiana’s. Here’s What That Means.
Gov. Mike Pence gained national attention when he signed the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law last week. It caused the Twitter hashtag #BoycottIndiana to go viral and triggered Apple CEO Tim Cook to pen a Washington Post op-ed calling “pro-discrimination” laws “dangerous.” Yet, despite the uproar, Indiana isn’t alone in enacting legislation that… -
opinion
Apple CEO Tim Cook Is Wrong About Indiana Religious Freedom Law
Apple CEO Tim Cook has taken to The Washington Post to tell the nation that, in the words of the headline, “Pro-discrimination ‘religious freedom’ laws are dangerous.” Notice the scare quotes around “religious freedom.” But the reality is that the only person in favor of discrimination in this debate is Tim Cook. It is Tim… -
news
How a Pastor Reacted to Indiana’s Religious Freedom Law
On Thursday, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law, creating a firestorm in the Hoosier State. The legislation allows residents to freely practice their religious beliefs while opponents believe it will allow businesses to discriminate against gay and lesbian patrons. >>> Read More: Mike Pence Signs Religious Freedom Bill In recent… -
opinion
The True Facts About Religious Freedom Laws
The mainstream media has launched an all-out blitz over a new law that protects the fundamental freedom of Indiana citizens from unnecessary and unreasonable government coercion. The media’s gross mischaracterizations of the Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act ignore the truth: Religious Freedom Restoration Acts prevent government discrimination against religious free exercise and simply provide a… -
opinion
Why Are Lawmakers Changing Their Minds on Religious Freedom Law?
When Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., took to Twitter last night to echo opposition and concern from the NCAA about Indiana’s new religious freedom law, some were puzzled—especially since Schumer had sponsored a national religious freedom law that closely matches Indiana’s new law. “.@NCAA if you’re looking for a new place to hold 2021 #FinalFour –…