In May 2025, Texas Senate Bill 10 (SB10) was introduced, mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Critics, including religious studies scholars, argue that the bill infringes on religious freedom by promoting a specific religious viewpoint in public education. They highlight theological complexities and the potential violation of constitutional protections, emphasizingContinue reading “🕊️ Interfaith Friday #29: Texas Senate Bill 10 Sparks Debate on Religious Freedom”
Tag Archives: religious freedom
🕊️ Interfaith Friday #28: Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Faces Criticism
On May 1, 2025, President Donald Trump established a Religious Liberty Commission aimed at investigating and promoting policies to protect religious freedom in the U.S. Critics argue that the commission caters predominantly to White evangelicals and Christian nationalists, potentially undermining the religious liberty of minority faiths and secular citizens. Experts express concern over the commission’sContinue reading “🕊️ Interfaith Friday #28: Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Faces Criticism”
🕊️ Interfaith Friday #27: Federal Judge Blocks Immigration Raids in Houses of Worship
In February 2025, a federal judge in Maryland issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration’s policy allowing immigration raids in certain houses of worship. The ruling specifically protects six Quaker meeting houses, a Sikh temple in Sacramento, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship congregations. The judge emphasized that the policy violated First Amendment rights and otherContinue reading “🕊️ Interfaith Friday #27: Federal Judge Blocks Immigration Raids in Houses of Worship”
Interfaith Friday #22: Reproductive Rights and Religious Freedom
Religious voices are often portrayed as anti-choice, but progressive Jewish, Christian, and Unitarian leaders are speaking up in favor of reproductive justice. At the same time, secular feminist groups are working side by side with clergy to ensure that abortion access remains legal and safe. It’s not just a political battle — it’s a moralContinue reading “Interfaith Friday #22: Reproductive Rights and Religious Freedom”
Interfaith Friday #9: Freedom to Dissent: Religious Objections to Christian Nationalism on Independence Day
This Independence Day, many Americans will celebrate freedom. But for religious minorities and progressive faith communities, July 4, 2025, carries a more somber tone. As Christian nationalism continues to rise—asserting that the U.S. is and should remain a Christian nation—those who follow other religions (or none at all) are increasingly marginalized. Public school curricula areContinue reading “Interfaith Friday #9: Freedom to Dissent: Religious Objections to Christian Nationalism on Independence Day”
Interfaith Friday #6: Prison Ministry and Faith-Based Rehabilitation Under Threat
A new round of prison privatization laws has led to the cutting of funding for faith-based rehabilitation programs that don’t conform to state-approved Christian doctrine. Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and interfaith prison ministries are being restricted from offering counseling or ceremonies unless they use state-approved materials. “I’ve been offering Buddhist meditation sessions to inmates for 12Continue reading “Interfaith Friday #6: Prison Ministry and Faith-Based Rehabilitation Under Threat”
Interfaith Friday #3: Immigration and the Right to Worship: Faith Under Fire at the Border
Under new 2025 immigration enforcement directives, several religious leaders who offered sanctuary or aid to undocumented immigrants are now facing legal threats. The crackdown not only targets migrants—it criminalizes the compassion extended by clergy and laypeople alike. Sister Maria Elena, a Catholic nun in Arizona, was recently fined for sheltering a family facing deportation. “IContinue reading “Interfaith Friday #3: Immigration and the Right to Worship: Faith Under Fire at the Border”