First Amendment
The ’Splainer: What is the Free Speech Fairness Act?
By Kimberly Winston — February 6, 2017
(RNS) Legislation introduced in Congress aims to 'restore' religious liberty in the pulpit. Will it? Let us 'Splain ...
5 faith facts on Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch
By Kimberly Winston — January 31, 2017
(RNS) Gorsuch reminds many of the late Antonin Scalia in thinking if not in style.
Humanists seek ban on evangelical gift boxes in schools
By Kimberly Winston — November 16, 2016
(RNS) The will argue in court that the Christian charity's alliance with a Denver public school district is a violation of the separation of church and state.
Children on Christian or Secular swings?
By Martin E. Marty — October 25, 2016
The Founders solved the religion problem by not solving the religious problem, which is why we still have to debate it each year.
After School Satan? Church-state group plays devil’s advocate in public schools
By Sally Morrow — October 18, 2016
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (RNS) Lucien Greaves wants After School Satan to mirror the success of Christian after-school clubs. But atheists can be just as leery of his creed. So what is Satanism anyway?
Preserving the public middle ground on religious liberty, LGBT issues
By Jennifer A. Marshall — September 2, 2016
(RNS) Some say that when it comes to LGBT issues, there is no middle ground. Not true, says Jennifer A. Marshall: 'the United States was made for this.'
Atheist group sues Kansas City, Mo., over Baptist convention
By guest — July 26, 2016
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to block the city from spending taxpayer dollars to support the event.
The First Amendment Defense Act is actually bad for religious freedom
By Barry Lynn — July 12, 2016
WASHINGTON (RNS) The FADA is just the latest example of a troubling pattern of corruption of the noble concept of the freedom of religion and belief.
Texas sheriff sued for placing crosses on patrol cars
By Aysha Khan — March 3, 2016
(RNS) A First Amendment watchdog group is suing a Texas sheriff for placing Christian cross decals on several county patrol vehicles.
Justice Scalia’s final year highlighted his views on religion and the First Amendment (COMMENTARY)
By Tobin Grant — February 15, 2016
(RNS) The First Amendment, according to Scalia, meant that government could not establish a national church; it did not mean that government should be secular.
Satanists to counter Nativity scene with ‘snaketivity’
By Justin A. Hinkley — December 3, 2015
LANSING, Mich. — To counter a live Nativity scene planned next weekend on the Michigan state Capitol lawn, a Satanic group plans to resurrect its own "snaketivity" display begun last year.
‘God bless the military’ sign can stay — for now
By Kimberly Winston — October 12, 2015
(RNS) If the sign is not removed or relocated, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation will call for the erection of nine more signs including "Vishnu blesses the Military."
East-West Travelblog: A wake-up call in Washington
By Kimberly Winston — August 21, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) As a religion reporter, I figure I know what secularism is. But Akram Elias made me see it anew in an almost throw-away line in a presentation he gave on federalism I thought would surely be a snoozefest. Joke's on me!
Did Gov. Bobby Jindal censor Westboro Baptist’s free speech?
By Sara Weissman — July 29, 2015
(RNS) In response to the Louisiana governor's order barring Westboro protesters from the funerals of two shooting victims, church leader Benjamin Phelps said in a YouTube video that “God sent the shooter.”
