religious freedom
Little Sisters waging big fight at Supreme Court
By Richard Wolf — March 23, 2016
WASHINGTON — The specific fight is about insurance coverage for birth control, but the broader battle is over religious freedom.
‘All or nothing’ Obamacare objections threaten religious liberty (COMMENTARY)
By Holly Hollman — March 21, 2016
(RNS) Religious liberty is often threatened by government indifference or oversight, but here it is endangered by exaggerated claims and overreaching.
No ‘discriminatory’ tests for Sikh soldier, judge tells the Army
By Cathy Lynn Grossman — March 4, 2016
(RNS) The ruling called the tests "discriminatory" and likely to discourage soldiers from seeking religious accommodations.
Arizona high priestess guilty of ‘sexual healing’
By Danielle Quijada — March 3, 2016
PHOENIX - The Phoenix Goddess Temple offered spiritual and touch-based healing services to "seekers" in exchange for donations. Some of these services included sexual gratification.
Georgia’s religious freedom bill a mixed bag, missed opportunity
By Jonathan Merritt — February 25, 2016
Opponents of the bill argues that these sorts of measures use protection language as a cover for legalizing discrimination of LGBT persons.
Most Americans oppose LGBT discrimination
By Cathy Lynn Grossman — February 18, 2016
(RNS) Religious objections to LGBT rights are no excuse for discrimination, say most Americans in a new survey.
African countries clamp down on churches tied to ‘miracle cures’
By Fredrick Nzwili — February 16, 2016
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) Frustrated with tales of clergy fleecing their followers, some African governments are proposing a raft of new measures.
Obama: ‘La libertad religiosa nos hace fuertes’
By Barack Obama — February 12, 2016
(RNS) Cuando cualquier parte de nuestra familia americana es empujada a sentirse aislada y estigmatizada, se desgarra el tejido mismo de nuestra nación.
Bernie Sanders supported religious liberty in menorah dispute
By Mark A. Kellner — February 10, 2016
(RNS) As mayor of Burlington, Vermont, the Democratic candidate defended the erection of a giant menorah on the steps of city hall in the 1980s.
President Obama: Religious freedom keeps us strong (RNS EXCLUSIVE – COMMENTARY)
By Barack Obama — February 6, 2016
(RNS) An attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths, and when any religious group is targeted, we all have a responsibility to speak up.
History suggests Marrakesh Declaration no guarantee of religious freedom (COMMENTARY)
By Ayman S. Ibrahim — February 1, 2016
(RNS) The Marrakesh Declaration is remarkable. But will it lead to any concrete results?
Wife of Iran-held pastor hopes to rebuild marriage
By Reuters — January 23, 2016
But Naghmeh Abedini is not rushing the reunion.
Pastor who was freed by Iran rests with his family at Billy Graham retreat center
By Emily McFarlan Miller — January 21, 2016
(RNS) Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini arrived in Asheville, N.C., on Thursday afternoon and was greeted by his parents, his sister, and the Rev. Franklin Graham.
Jailed pastor Saeed Abedini among prisoners released by Iran
By David Gibson — January 16, 2016
(RNS) His cause had been vocally championed by U.S. Christians, but recent revelations by Abedini's wife that he had abused her for years may complicate his homecoming.
Supreme Court Justice Scalia: Constitution says government can favor religion
By David Gibson — January 4, 2016
(RNS) In his "sermon," the Supreme Court justice said the principle of religious neutrality has been distorted and “one of the reasons God has been good to us is that we have done him honor.”
