Religion
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New York backs off forcing nuns to participate in assisted suicide as lawsuit proceeds
State agrees to temporary restraining order on law that provides little to no exceptions for religious orders that provide end-of-life care, could threaten their federal funding, after emergency hearing.
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Declining attendance, fewer priests driving Catholic parish closures, consolidations across U.S.
The most severe reductions are happening primarily in the Midwest and Northeast, specifically Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Pennsylvania. Declining enrollment and financial challenges led to the closing of two New Mexico Catholic schools in June as well.
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Catholic churches in Minnesota ending Sunday Mass, citing low attendance, priest shortage
This will bring the total number of parishes down from 65 to 58, and half the diocese's 32 priests will be eligible to retire over the next decade.
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As Trump calls on Americans to pray, DOJ argues against evangelist arrested for public preaching
Feds worry that letting plaintiffs who were never incarcerated sue for civil rights violations could endanger their own cases. Australian province says 'conversion therapy' prayer is criminal, while Quebec wants to ban all public prayer.
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Pilot facing separation suffered religious discrimination on vax exemption request: Air Force says
The Air Force Review Board found that pilot “was discriminated against on the basis of religion" for objection to orders to take the COVID vaccination. On “all fronts, this is a huge win,” pilot's attorney R. Davis Younts said.
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Pope Leo XIV declares two new saints
Carlo Acutis, who was a 15-year-old computer whiz who died of leukemia in 2006, has become the first millennial saint in Catholic history.
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Christian baker punished for refusing lesbian wedding cake asks SCOTUS to close California loophole
"First Amendment rights will vary dramatically by location, even between state and federal courts within California," if SCOTUS doesn't resolve two splits in lower courts. Justice Scalia 1990 opinion should be junked, petition says.
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Alaska Airlines, union face hostile judges for treatment of Christian workers: 'Really bad'
9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals quotes officials belittling religious beliefs of flight attendants who challenged its support for LGBTQ Equality Act before firing them.
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Judge strikes down Minnesota ban on conservative religious colleges in reimbursement program
State Department of Education tried to change law to ban "faith statements" for four years, then Legislature doomed it by failing to add severability clause, Trump nominee says. Christian colleges obviously not state actors, she says.
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America's largest Christian university triumphs over Biden administration's 'coordinated lawfare'
All-Republican Federal Trade Commission says pursuing holdover case "presents consumers very little upside relative to the cost of pursuing it to completion," after court losses for government.
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Wealthy schools finally allow LGBTQ lesson opt-outs, call 'significant burden' with little evidence
Wealthy D.C. suburb admits half its school employees have outdated criminal background checks after trashing inspector general, but still making factual claim SCOTUS rejected as it launches notice and opt-out system for curriculum.
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James Dobson, Focus on the Family founder and presidential adviser, dies at 89
“Dr. Dobson was a pioneer—a man of deep conviction whose voice shaped the way generations view faith, family and culture,” JDFI Senior Vice President of Public Policy Gary Bauer said
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University near White House blamed Jewish students for pro-Palestine harassment: DOJ
Assistant dean of students, campus police told Jewish students to leave as they endured "antisemitic protesters" who shouted "racial slurs" at them, "forced them to flee" and blocked their movement, findings letter says.