Image credit: Pixabay By: William McDonald, Vol. 21 Staff Writer Introduction “Churches exist primarily for the spiritual edification of the adherents of a faith tradition. They are established and operated in accordance with religious precepts. Churches may build sites to house worship, fellowship, community, and teaching. They simultaneously have a secular existence.” These words from … Continue reading (Pastor) RJ Davis on the Court (of Law)
By: Andrew Coyle, Staff Member, Vol. 19 Teachers as “Ministers” In its recent opinion in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrisey-Berru, the U.S. Supreme Court changed the “ministerial exception” of the religion clauses of the First Amendment. The ministerial exception is a judge-made doctrine that a religious organization can use to bar a … Continue reading A Teacher, A Minister: What’s the Difference? (Quite a Lot, Actually)
By: Luke Maher, Staff Member Vol 19 “We will obey God rather than men… We’re going to leave the results to Him”. These are the words of Grace Community Church head pastor John MacArthur. The person sometimes affectionately referred to as Johnny Mac by his followers has made it clear that he does not plan … Continue reading Johnny Mac v. The State of California: A Pastor’s Battle to Feed His Flock Amid COVID-19
By: Haley Tanner Religion in the United States The United States is home to many ethnicities, races, and religions. And our government is often faced with competing interests. It is important for Congress and the courts to hold the government to a high standard when considering restrictions on religion. Two important cases that consider religious … Continue reading Drugs and Religion
By: Kristopher L. Caudle* The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides two fundamental guarantees for all citizens: The government shall not establish an official religion; and the government shall not infringe upon a citizen’s right to freely exercise their chosen religion. However, the Supreme Court continues to recognize areas where there is ample … Continue reading “Play[ing] In the Joints” of the First Amendment: Application of Montana Constitution’s “No Aid” Provision Violates Free Exercise Clause
Trump calls for "retribution" over this weeks SNL opening skit with Alec Baldwin's portrayal of Trump. Trump's demand for retribution was met with a wave of reminders that the First Amendment allows for freedom of speech. A security guard for an LA synagogue shot a transgender woman in the leg when she began live-streaming the … Continue reading Newsflash 02/04 – 02/18
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Meg By Jonathan Zator; Staff Member (Vol. 16) A. An Appetizer A case is a meal, and oral argument is the dessert. This is an apt metaphor for a case about a cake. Oral argument is “the last thing the Court sees and consumes before it either shows its appreciation for … Continue reading Masterpiece Cake Shop: A Recipe for Constitutional Avoidance
By Hillary Li, Staff Member (Vol. 14) “This is a sad day for North Carolina that history will not judge kindly,” Sarah Preston, the acting executive director of the ACLU of North Carolina said in a statement released on June 11, 2015 . That was the day the North Carolina House of Representatives (the “House”) … Continue reading Senate Bill 2 and the Establishment Clause
First Amendment Law Review 