Do parents have a right to protect their pre-K and elementary school children from one-sided transgender ideological class sessions? So far, in Maryland, the state doesn’t think so in the case Mahmoud v. McKnight. The plaintiffs are from a variety of faiths including Islam, Catholicism, and Orthodox Christianity. These parents have set a low bar, […]
The Center continues to advocate before state legislatures for bills that would guarantee that faith-based student organizations at public colleges and universities can require their student officers and leaders to have the same faith as the organizations and adhere to personal conduct standards. The Center submitted written testimony to members of the Missouri House Emerging […]
Wyoming became the 29th state to enact a state version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). State laws such as this one became vital after the U.S. Supreme Court limited the application of the federal RFRA to only federal, and not state, law. Wyoming’s RFRA enables those who believe their “exercise of religion has […]
In February, Christian Legal Society filed an amici curiae brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin case. At issue is the New Jersey Attorney General’s abusive use of state subpoenas to harass small, nonprofit and religious pro-life organizations. These “investigations” are without reasonable cause, chill their […]
Christian Legal Society recently submitted a letter with more than 50 prominent signatories to the leadership of the 119th Congress requesting they preserve the full protections enshrined in the landmark Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). If the first month of the new Trump administration is any indicator, the new congress is going to be very […]
How should the state decide whether a nonprofit is religious enough to qualify for tax exempt status? In Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, the state told Catholic Charities (CCB) it did not qualify for the state’s unemployment tax exemption. Why? They claim that CCB services can be taxed because a) […]
Can a faith-based ministry hire only staff who share the core tenets of that faith and behave in accordance with those beliefs? The state of Washington has said no. In Ferguson v. Yakima Union Gospel Mission (YUGM), Washington’s Attorney General has wielded the religious exemption standards in violation of the First Amendment. This is yet […]
Anthony Schmitt is a Christian minister who, for over 10 years, voluntarily taught a prison ministry class, Quest, at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud from 2012 to 2023. Quest teaches men how to live lives of authentic manhood as modeled by Jesus Christ and directed by the Word of God. Mr. Schmitt was forced to […]
In fall 2022, the Montgomery County Board of Education (“Board”) announced over 20 new “inclusivity” books for its pre-K through eighth grade classrooms—books that champion pride parades, gender transitioning, and pronoun preferences for children. At the same time, the Board assured concerned parents they would be notified when the books were read and could opt […]
The Center filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Native Americans whose sacred mountain the federal government plans to obliterate by mining without the necessary consideration of their free exercise of religion rights. The brief, drafted pro bono by the Religious Liberty Clinic at Stanford Law School, asks the Court to hear […]
Christian Legal Society offers legal assistance for those in need through CLS’ network of Christian Legal Aid clinics and Christian Attorneys’ directory. CLS’ Center for Law & Religious Freedom is also available to address issues related to the infringement of religious freedom.