Religious Liberty News
Stories on legal battles, faith in public life, and policies that affect religious freedom. The Daily Signal reports on challenges and victories surrounding First Amendment protections.
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A Christian Baker’s New Legal Fight With Colorado Is a Matter of Fairness
Most of us understand the importance of fairness early in life. Whether it’s an umpire’s call in Little League or a teacher’s grading in elementary school, we all intuitively know that fairness is a big deal. But fairness perhaps is no more important than when our rights are in the hands of courts or other…Jim Campbell -
Judge Says Christian Baker Jack Phillips’ Lawsuit Against Civil Rights Officials Can Proceed
A federal judge in Denver rejected Colorado’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that state civil rights officials are waging a campaign of harassment against Jack Phillips, the Christian baker at issue in the landmark Masterpiece Cakeshop case. Three weeks after Phillips prevailed at the Supreme Court, a state anti-discrimination panel issued a new probable cause…Kevin Daley -
Washington State, ACLU Aren’t Letting Up in Crusade Against Florist’s Religious Liberty
How would you like to attend a political rally featuring President Donald Trump? How about one featuring former President Barack Obama? Even better—why don’t you attend both? You get to help decorate the stage. You can even create a banner setting forth that party’s platform. Given our polarized political climate, it’s a safe bet that…James Gottry -
Christian Baker Jack Phillips Asks Court to Halt New Civil Rights Prosecution
Jack Phillips, the Christian "cake artist" of Masterpiece Cakeshop fame, asked a federal court Tuesday to temporarily stop a new civil rights prosecution brought against him by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Three weeks after Phillips prevailed June 4 at the U.S. Supreme Court, the state agency issued a probable cause determination finding that he likely discriminated…Kevin Daley -
Christian Bakers’ Victory at UK Supreme Court Keeps Free Speech Alive
Earlier this year, Christian cake artist Jack Phillips won a resounding 7-2 victory at the Supreme Court against those who tried to force him to custom design a cake for a same-sex wedding, against his religious beliefs. A similar case has just played out across the pond, and the victory for religious liberty is equally…Jay Hobbs -
Promoting Religious Liberty Affirms ‘Human Dignity,’ Pompeo Tells Values Voter Summit
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed Friday that the Trump administration is committed to religious liberty, both at home and abroad. Speaking at the conservative Values Voter Summit in Washington, Pompeo said that more than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries that place significant limitations on religious freedom. He singled out Iran…Fred Lucas -
Christian Cake Baker Turns the Tables, Sues Colorado for Anti-Religious Bias
Jack Phillips owns Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, and is himself a master baker. He’s in trouble with the state of Colorado for declining to create a custom cake for an event because doing so would violate his religious beliefs. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Phillips has already taken a similar case all the…Thomas Jipping -
Colorado Targets Christian Baker Again Despite Supreme Court’s Cake Ruling
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission is going after Christian baker Jack Phillips again, although the Masterpiece Cakeshop owner won a resounding 7-2 decision in June before the U.S. Supreme Court. The state commission moved against Phillips after a lawyer asked him to design and bake a custom cake celebrating a gender transition, pink on the…Fred Lucas -
The Flawed Red Hen Analogy Shows Liberals Still Don’t Understand Christian Baker Case
After a Lexington, Virginia, restaurant, the Red Hen, refused service to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday, commentators on the left immediately seized upon a false analogy. They likened that incident to the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, the case of the Christian baker in Colorado who refused to craft a custom cake for…Monica Burke -
I Represent Christian Baker Jack Phillips. Believe Me, He’s a Good Man.
They say to walk a mile in someone’s shoes before judging them. When it comes to cake artist Jack Phillips, the man at the center of the wedding cake case that the Supreme Court just decided, you’re better off spending a day in his shop. Phillips’ case—Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission—asked the high…Jim Campbell -
Why the Supreme Court’s Ruling for a Christian Baker Was Not ‘Narrow’
It’s always tempting to minimize the hurt of a loss by trying to downplay its scope. That’s what the left has been doing since last week’s Supreme Court decision in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, which was decided 7-2 in favor of Jack Phillips, the Christian owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop. Mainstream media outlets like The New…Emilie Kao -
Supreme Court Ruling for Christian Baker Upholds First Amendment as the Founders Intended
In Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the Supreme Court upheld Jack Phillips’ constitutional—and natural—right to freely exercise his faith. This important 7-2 decision dealt a blow to the inquisitorial and intolerant secularism that targeted the Constitution’s free exercise clause for radical redefinition. As I argued in a 20-state brief to the court, the…Ken Paxton -
Exclusive: Christian Baker Hopes to Create Without ‘Fear of Punishment From the Government’
Colorado baker Jack Phillips can’t wait to resume his custom wedding cake business now that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of his religious freedom. “I’m just hoping to get back to that as soon as we can,” Phillips said Tuesday in a telephone interview with The Daily Signal. “We just have to look…Ken McIntyre -
Religious Liberty Is Not Being Used to Impose Religion. Here’s the Proof.
For better or worse, the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. has probably influenced your view of religious freedom. In that decision, the court ruled that the government could not force the Green family, the owners of Hobby Lobby, to pay for potentially abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plan…Rachel Busick -
Obama Mandate Threatened My College’s Right to Exist. Here’s How Religious Liberty Won.
It was my time as a student at Wheaton College that helped me decide to become a lawyer. I never imagined that I’d have to spend six years of my legal career defending Wheaton’s right to exist. Thankfully, that six-year fight came to an end last week. The struggle began in 2011 when the Obama administration tried…Diana Verm -
First Amendment Protects Unpopular Views, Like Those Held by a Christian Baker
The story is all too familiar by now: A same-sex couple asks a religious baker to custom create a wedding cake. The baker politely apologizes, but the resulting lawsuit shuts down the bakery. But this time, the story has a different ending—for now. Cathy Miller runs a bakery in Bakersfield, California, called Tastries Bakery. Because…Stephanie Taub -
Trump Should Withdraw Radical Nominee Who Would Oppose Religious Liberty
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission may seem like an unlikely threat to religious liberty and the institution of marriage. After all, the federal agency was created to combat workplace discrimination by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But sadly, the agency created to fight discrimination now threatens to discriminate itself. One nominee to the commission’s…Sen. Mike Lee -
The Supreme Court Quietly Gives Religious Liberty a Big Win
Religious liberty and freedom of conscience won big at the Supreme Court last week, just in time for Religious Freedom Day on Jan. 16. The justices declined last week to hear a legal challenge against a Mississippi law that protects citizens, small businesses, government employees, and charities from official discrimination by government if they believe…Monica Burke -
Religious Liberty Is Eroding in Canada. Here’s What Americans Should Learn.
Outside of watching the occasional hockey game or purchase of maple syrup, most Americans pay little attention to Canada. We may know of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s colorful socks, but little of how unpopular he is among his constituency. We may discuss the single-payer health care system, but are unfamiliar with the government’s disrespect for…Emilie Kao -
The Christian Baker Need Not Have Ended Up at the Supreme Court
On Dec. 5, the Supreme Court heard the case of Jack Phillips, the Christian baker who can’t in good conscience design and create wedding cakes that celebrate same-sex marriages. The justices now will decide whether states, consistent with the First Amendment, can force citizens to express support for same-sex marriage through their artistic products. But…Ryan T. Anderson