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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- News
Religious Liberty Bill Inches Forward in House After 10 Months
After more than 300 days, a bill to safeguard religious liberty in the marriage debate appears to be gaining momentum in committee. The legislation has attracted 164 co-sponsors since it was referred in June to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Now, with “the majority of the majority’s support,” Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, says…Philip Wegmann -
- News
After 300 Days and 164 Cosponsors, Bill to Protect Religious Liberty Stuck in Congress
After almost a year, a bill designed to safeguard religious liberty has gained significant support but little momentum in the House of Representatives. With 164 cosponsors, the First Amendment Defense Act is a popular piece of legislation in Congress. Still, that popularity hasn’t provided the elevation needed for the bill to advance out of committee,…Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
Disney’s Religious Liberty Hypocrisy Exposed
The Walt Disney Company has long blurred the lines between fantasy and reality, creating alternate universes and new worlds through its theme parks and films. But now, Disney is seeking to completely abandon the encumbrances of reality by perpetuating the most fantastic of myths—that words are meaningless. And by claiming to stand on principle, Disney…James Gottry -
- Opinion
Erick Erickson Talks Religious Liberty Fights: ‘The Left Has Overreached’
Erick Erickson talks to The Daily Signal about religious liberty, Hollywood values, bathroom laws, and why the coziness of big business with big government is causing problems for conservatives.Daily Signal Staff -
- Opinion
The ACLU’s Hypocrisy on Religious Liberty
Following the Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has declared that it will no longer support the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) or state analogues. This is a stunning reversal, considering Religious Freedom Restoration Acts’ history. The federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act was introduced in…Tory McClintock -
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Big Businesses Side With LGBT Activists Against Georgia’s Religious Liberty Bill
Major corporations, including Google and Twitter, are coalescing in opposition to legislation in Georgia that would protect the right of individuals and institutions to practice their religion. Part of the state legislation prevents clergy from being required to perform same-sex marriages if doing so violates their religious beliefs. The state House and Senate last month…Leah Jessen -
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Two States That Are Working to Protect Religious Liberty
With state legislatures entering the busiest time of their legislative calendar, a number of states are considering Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRA) that would protect citizens’ fundamental rights from unreasonable and unnecessary government coercion. West Virginia and Georgia are among the states that have introduced state-level versions of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, which prohibit…Sarah Torre -
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The Hypocrisy of Big Business Attacking Georgia’s Religious Liberty Bill
Last Friday, the Georgia Senate passed a good bill that protects religious freedom in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage. And already special interest groups and big businesses are trying to pressure the governor into refusing to sign the bill unless it is significantly watered down in the House. This is yet…Ryan T. Anderson -
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Why This Local Pharmacist’s Religious Liberty Case Could Go to Supreme Court
Can a state force pharmacists to prescribe abortion-inducing drugs at the expense of their religious beliefs? This is the central issue in a case the Supreme Court may agree to hear in its next term. In 2007, the State of Washington passed a law requiring all pharmacies to deliver “all lawfully prescribed drugs or devices”…Elizabeth Slattery -
- Opinion
What’s Religious Liberty Got to Do With the Common Good?
Few Americans oppose religious liberty in the abstract. But what should happen when a general law or policy aimed at advancing the common good unintentionally burdens people of faith? Historically, Democrats and Republicans alike have supported accommodating or protecting religious citizens. Alas, this one-time consensus seems to be collapsing. Over the past year, owners of…Mark David Hall -
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Tony Perkins on Religious Liberty: ‘We Have Just Begun to Fight’
Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, says the fight over religious liberty is just beginning, and he’s ready to fight. “To borrow a phrase from history, ‘we have just begun to fight,” Perkins tells The Daily Signal. “We will not shrink back, we will not be silent on our most fundamental freedom….David Brody -
- Opinion
Obama’s Worrisome Interpretation of the Constitution Regarding Religious Liberty
Speaking at a Democratic National Committee LGBT fundraiser on Sunday, President Obama observed that “religious freedom doesn’t grant us the freedom to deny our fellow Americans their constitutional rights.” Coming from a former constitutional law professor who is now chief executive of the United States, these remarks are a cause for concern. The sort of…Mark David Hall -
- Opinion
Pope Francis Gives Strong Support to Religious Liberty in America
Yesterday on his flight back to Rome, Pope Francis was asked if he supported government officials who cannot in good conscience issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. His answer: “Conscientious objection must enter into every juridical structure because it is a right.” Although it is unclear if Francis had in mind the recent imprisonment and…Roger Severino -
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Victims of China’s Religious Liberty ‘Crackdown’ Appeal to Obama. But Will He Help?
Earlier this week, as devout American Catholics took to the streets of Washington to celebrate the arrival of Pope Francis, four Chinese human rights activists sat in a small, plain congressional office room on Capitol Hill. There were neither barricades nor the glaring lights of news camera crews at the press conference hosted by China…Madaline Donnelly -
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What Pope Francis Told Obama About Religious Liberty
Pope Francis, with allegiance to Catholic doctrine, spoke out in support of religious liberty to the 11,000 ticketed guests on the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday. In his speech, the pope made clear that religious liberty is an important freedom in the United States. “With countless other people of goodwill, [American Catholics] are likewise…Leah Jessen -
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Lessons Learned From Kim Davis About Religious Liberty and Government Accommodation
“I just want to serve my neighbors quietly without violating my conscience.” With those words, Kim Davis resumed her post as the clerk of Rowan County Monday. Her statement serves as a good reminder of what this case has been all about—finding a way to allow public servants to discharge their duties to God and…Roger Severino -
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Why This Libertarian Supports Gay Marriage and Religious Liberty
Many advocates of same-sex marriage are all for equal rights until it comes to the religious liberty rights of individuals and private business owners who don’t want to participate in same-sex weddings. But as Cato Institute constitutional scholar Ilya Shapiro explains, you can be an advocate for both. I begin our conversation by…Genevieve Wood -
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At Religious Liberty Rally, Victims Share Their Stories
DES MOINES, Iowa—Several Americans who have faced threats to their religious liberty united for a rally last week. “These threats are not imagined. They’re not made up,” rally organizer Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said. “These are real people, leading real lives who found themselves facing persecution simply for living out their faith.” The Odgaards’ Story…Leah Jessen -
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Fund Aims to Help Christian Baker Offset Wedding Cake Losses
Family and friends of a Christian cake designer hope to help him with a fundraising campaign after a Colorado court ruled Thursday that he must create cakes for same-sex weddings despite his religious beliefs. “Cake artist” Jack Phillips has said his bakery, Masterpiece Cakeshop, has lost more than a third of its receipts since he…Ken McIntyre -
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Republican National Committee Urges Congress to Support Legislation Protecting Religious Liberty
The Republican National Committee has passed a resolution calling for Congress to approve the First Amendment Defense Act. The legislation and resolution are in response to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Critics of the ruling say the Supreme Court failed to allow for religious liberty protections…Kate Scanlon