church and state
Trump at prayer breakfast says US ‘strengthened by the power of prayer’
By Adelle M. Banks — February 8, 2018
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Trump also praised first responders, tireless teachers and hard-working parents in a shift from his speech to the annual event last year, in which he boasted of his reality show ratings and vowed to 'totally destroy' the Johnson Amendment.
Hurricane-damaged houses of worship can receive FEMA aid
By Adelle M. Banks — January 3, 2018
WASHINGTON (RNS) — President Trump tweeted last year that Texas churches should be 'entitled to reimbursement from FEMA' for aiding Hurricane Harvey victims. State officials followed up and asked him to change the policy.
Bill that would allow churches to receive FEMA aid advances in Congress
By Chris Mathews — November 30, 2017
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The Disaster Recovery Reform Act received strong support from both sides of the aisle despite concerns that using taxpayer funds to rebuild houses of worship would violate the separation of church and state.
Satanic Temple billboard protesting corporal punishment rankles Texas town
By Bobby Ross Jr. — November 2, 2017
(RNS) — Free speech or not, many in the tiny town of Three Rivers expressed outrage at the sign.
Save the clergy parsonage allowance!
By Jeffrey Salkin — October 10, 2017
Why shouldn't religion be taxed? It's a philosophical issue.
Proposed budget bill would add teeth to Trump’s Johnson Amendment order
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 17, 2017
(RNS) — The U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted last week to keep language in the proposed budget bill that would add teeth to President Trump's May 4 executive order asking the IRS not to enforce the Johnson Amendment.
Court: N.C. commissioners’ prayer practice violated Constitution
By guest — July 14, 2017
(AP) The question in the Rowan County case was whether it makes a difference that the prayers were given by the commissioners themselves and whether their invitation for the audience to join them in prayer was coercive.
Kenya to add chaplains to public high schools to improve discipline
By Fredrick Nzwili — July 7, 2017
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) Religious leaders cheered the government's decision, saying it will promote good morals.
Supreme Court rules for Missouri church in ‘playground’ case
By Lauren Markoe — June 26, 2017
(RNS) Missouri wrongly denied the church 'an otherwise available public benefit on account of its religious status,' Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
US top court set to rule on religious rights; travel ban looms
By Reuters — June 25, 2017
WASHINGTON (Reuters) The ruling in Trinity Lutheran v. Comer potentially could narrow the separation of church and state.
Trump’s religious liberty executive order: Don’t fall for it, church
By F. Romall Smalls — May 24, 2017
(RNS) The president trusts that power comes from human sources, and he would like the church to depend on them. I do not, writes F. Romall Smalls.
Trump’s religious liberty order slammed as ‘pretty much nothing’
By David Gibson — May 4, 2017
(RNS) ‘Ivanka and Jared won. We lost,’ as one Christian conservative said.
Alabama Senate gives megachurch the right to form its own police force
By Lauren Markoe — April 13, 2017
(RNS) Briarwood Presbyterian Church may be the first church in the country to be allowed to form its own police force, invested with the powers of 'regular' police.
Mother’s fight to stop Bible class in public school resurrects a troubled history with religion
By Linda K. Wertheimer — March 24, 2017
(RNS) I hope she wins.
Church-state separationist Barry Lynn to retire
By Adelle M. Banks — March 15, 2017
(RNS) Over a quarter century, his name was often synonymous with liberal advocacy for secularism in the public square.
