New Lawsuit Challenges NYPD Muslim Spying Program

Jun 19, 2013 by Don Byrd

Written by Don Byrd
A new lawsuit was filed challenging surveillance of Muslim communities by the New York Police Department. The ACLU charges the program amounts to unconstitutional religious profiling that “imposed an unwarranted badge of suspicion and stigma on law-abiding Muslim New Yorkers.”

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Church-state news digest: June 19, 2013

Jun 19, 2013 by BJC Staff Reports

Take a look at today’s church-state headlines from news outlets across the country.

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U.S. Supreme Court to hear legislative prayer case

Jun 18, 2013 by BJC Staff Reports

From BJC staff reports
The practice of opening government meetings with Christian prayer will be examined by the U.S. Supreme Court in its upcoming term. The case of Town of Greece v. Galloway will bring legislative prayer before the Court for the first time in 30 years.

From the June 2013 Report from the Capital

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Anti-Sharia movement changes tactics and gains success

Jun 18, 2013 by Religion News Service

By Omar Sacirbey, Religion News Service, with Lauren Markoe and BJC staff reports
When earlier anti-Sharia bills specifically singled out Islam and Sharia, they also raised concerns that they could affect Catholic canon law or Jewish law. The newer bills in this arena, however, are more vague and mention only foreign laws, with no references to Sharia or Islam.

From the June 2013 Report from the Capital

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The framework of American religious liberty

Jun 18, 2013 by Brent Walker

By J. Brent Walker, BJC Executive Director
Endowed by Our Creator: The Birth of Religious Freedom in America by Michael I. Meyerson is a new and wonderful book that responsibly engages the contentious debate about how the framers understood religion and religious liberty in the formation of our national government.

From the June 2013 Report from the Capital

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Does religious freedom report need more ‘teeth’?

Jun 18, 2013 by Religion News Service

By Lauren Markoe, Religion News Service
Watchdogs say the State Department missed a key opportunity to put teeth into its annual assessment of global religious freedom.

From the June 2013Report from the Capital

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Federal appeals court hears Hobby Lobby case against contraceptive mandate

Jun 18, 2013 by Associated Baptist Press

By Jeff Brumley, Associated Baptist Press, with Bob Allen & BJC staff reports
A federal appeals court heard oral arguments May 23 in retailer Hobby Lobby’s case challenging the health care law’s contraceptive mandate on religious freedom grounds.

From the June 2013 Report from the Capital

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German home-schooling family loses U.S. asylum bid

Jun 18, 2013 by Religion News Service

By Krista Kapralos, Religion News Service
A German family seeking asylum in the U.S. so they can home-school their children lost their appeal in federal court May 14, but their lawyers say they are prepared to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case.

From the June 2013 Report from the Capital

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