All articles tagged with #religious freedom
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Damon Landor, a Rastafarian inmate, cannot sue Louisiana prison officials in federal court for forcibly shaving his dreadlocks in violation of a court order; the decision, grounded in procedural legal techniques, marks a departure from recent expansions of religious freedoms and leaves Landor’s related state-law claims intact.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Damon Landor cannot pursue damages under RLUIPA against individual Louisiana prison officials who shaved his dreadlocks, limiting the law’s reach to cases involving state or local actions and not claims against individual officials. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority that RLUIPA does not permit suits against non-consenting officials, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing the decision undermines prisoners’ religious rights. The 2020 incident at Raymond Laborde Correctional Center involved officials handcuffing Landor and shaving his head despite his Nazirite vow and religious objections, with the state noting policy changes to prevent similar issues for Rastafari prisoners.
Police raided the Early Rain Covenant Church in Jiangyou during Sunday service, detaining two leaders and interrogating more than 30 congregants (including children); most were later released after identity checks, highlighting ongoing government pressure on underground churches in China.
This opinion piece argues Hegseth's 'streamlining' of DoD religious designations to favor Christian labels exposes Christian nationalism as incoherent and exclusionary, revealing intra-Christian tensions (notably with Mormons) and a broader threat to religious freedom as the movement defines who counts as 'American'.
The White House issues an executive order directing the CDC and ACIP to review and update the U.S. core childhood vaccine schedule to reflect best practices from peer, developed countries, emphasizing public trust and parental authority; vaccines remain fully covered by private insurance and public programs, and states are guided to align policies with the updated schedule while protecting religious freedom and equal protections.
The European Court ruled against Turkey in a Greek Orthodox clergy rights case, finding that Ankara violated the rights of the Greek Orthodox Church and its clergy, a decision highlighting religious freedom and potentially impacting Turkey–Greece relations and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Thousands gathered on the National Mall for Rededicate 250, a daylong Christian-centered prayer rally tied to the United States' 250th birthday, with Trump and evangelical leaders expected to speak. The event highlighted a ongoing debate over whether the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, drawing pushback from religious-progressive groups who emphasize religious freedom and church-state separation; a Jewish rabbi and other faith leaders attended to represent religious diversity. Organized by Freedom 250 with White House backing, the rally faced scrutiny from Democrats over the nonprofit’s structure and finances, while counterprogramming and protests were planned by secular and faith-based critics.
The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit to seize 14 acres at Mount Cristo Rey, a Catholic shrine near El Paso, to install border barriers and surveillance technology. The Diocese of Las Cruces says the move violates religious freedom and would damage a sacred site visited by thousands yearly; the government says the land is needed to secure the border and has offered about $183,000. Separately, construction of 30-foot border barriers south of the mountain is underway under a $95 million contract, highlighting a broader push to use eminent domain for border security.
A federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California claims Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has adopted a pattern of sending proselytizing religious messages to USDA’s roughly 90,000 employees, highlighted by an Easter note praising Jesus. The suit argues this government-endorsed messaging coerces employees, excludes non-Christians, and violates the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act; it seeks to bar such religious communications and declare them unlawful, with backing from the National Federation of Federal Employees and allied groups.
A 78-year-old retired pastor, Clive Johnston, was convicted of breaching a 100-meter safe access zone outside Causeway Hospital in Coleraine by preaching a sermon, and fined £450. Supporters say the ruling threatens religious liberty and free speech amid abortion buffer zones, while Johnston vows to appeal as international observers voice concerns about censorship in the UK.
A video showing a violent assault on a French Catholic nun in Jerusalem near Mount Zion drew swift condemnation from Israel and France. The attacker, who appears to be Jewish, pushed and later kicked the nun as she lay on the ground; she sustained grazing but no serious injuries. Israeli police arrested a 36-year-old man and pledged zero tolerance to protect people of all faiths. The incident underscores rising hostility toward Christian communities in Jerusalem and broader concerns about religious freedom and harassment, with figures from the Religious Freedom Data Centre suggesting underreported incidents.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military will no longer require all troops to get the flu vaccine, framing it as medical autonomy and religious freedom. Service members can still opt in, and individual services may request to maintain the requirement within 15 days. The move follows the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in 2023 and comes amid a severe flu season; the Pentagon previously reinstated or re-accessed some personnel separated under the COVID-19 mandate, but overall vaccination rates among active-duty troops had been high.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy to decide whether Colorado can exclude Catholic preschools from its universal pre-K program for not enrolling children with same-sex parents, testing how religious freedom interacts with state anti-discrimination laws. Lower courts upheld the state's authority to require compliance, and the Trump administration backs the Catholic schools. The case appears unlikely to overturn Employment Division v. Smith but could clarify when states must grant exemptions in universal programs under RFRA and related doctrine, with Colorado’s program funded by tobacco taxes and aimed at providing 15 hours of preschool weekly.
Pope Leo XIV will become the first pope to visit Algeria (April 13–15), touring the Great Mosque of Algiers, the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa and Annaba to frame the trip as a milestone for interfaith dialogue and Vatican-Algeria ties. The visit comes amid Algeria’s restrictive religious environment and a small Catholic community, and it ties Saint Augustine’s legacy to a broader symbol of reconciliation, while acknowledging the country’s history with Christian communities and the martyrs of Algeria.
Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and other Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for a private Palm Sunday Mass, drawing swift criticism from the Latin Patriarchate and allies such as the United States, France and Italy. Officials cited safety concerns and access limits in the Old City amid security tensions, while Netanyahu said there was no malicious intent and vowed to try to partially reopen the site in the coming days.