Church & State articles from March 2009

Church & State archives from March 2009

Justice Scalia challenges privacy rights at conference.(IN THE CAPITAL)(Antonin Scalia)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Justice Antonin Scalia, during a conference comparing American and Jewish legal traditions, has reiterated his belief that there is no constitutional right to privacy. "The vast majority of your fights are not constitutional," he said Jan....

'Moment of silence' advances religion, says court.(AROUND THE STATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A federal court has struck down an Illinois state law requiring students in public schools to participate in a daily "moment of silence." Ruling the law unconstitutional Jan. 21, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman called it "a subtle...

Archdiocese may owe taxes to San Francisco.(AROUND THE STATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... San Francisco tax authorities hope to collect up to $15 million in property transfer taxes from the Catholic archdiocese, making this the second-largest tax bill of its kind in the city's history. The archdiocese is moving ownership of 111...

'Just for Jesus' student field trip sparks debate.(AROUND THE STATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A heated discussion over school support for a field trip to a religious rally erupted during a recent school board meeting in Louisiana. In determining whether to approve the field trip, the Ouachita Parish School Board heard testimony...

Faith-based initiative 2.0: civil rights and civil liberties leaders ate disappointed by Obama 'faith-based' rollout.(Barack Obama)(Cover story)
March 1, 2009... Veteran Washington journalist Helen Thomas had a question for White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. "Does the president believe in separation of church and state?" she asked, during the Feb. 5 media briefing at 1600 Pennsylvania...

States of strife: seeking new fronts in the 'culture war,' the religious right is turning its focus to state legislatures.
March 1, 2009... Times are tough for the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. George W. Bush has flown off to Texas, and a Democrat sits in the White House. Equally alarming from the Religious Right's perspective, Democrats control both the Senate and...

School voucher volley: frustrated by a lukewarm reception from Congress, advocates of tax aid to religious schools pass collection plates in the states.
March 1, 2009... When Georgia state Sen. Eric Johnson announced his intention to introduce a private-school voucher bill in the legislature, reaction was swift. Johnson's proposal, Sen. Robert Brown (D-Macon) predicted, would spark a "nuclear fight." ...

Class warfare: religious right legislators are trying different tactics to inject religion into public schools.
March 1, 2009... Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern said she has a calling--a calling to return America to its roots as a "Christian nation." "I'm not the typical legislator," Kern said, according to a report last year in the Norman Transcript. "The Lord...

Obama's disappointing directive: 'faith-based' initiative needs overhaul.(EDITORIALS)(Barack Obama)
March 1, 2009... Church-state separation advocates were heartened when presidential candidate Barack Obama talked about reforming the "faith-based" initiative during a major speech last July in Zanesville, Ohio. "Now, make no mistake," Obama said, "as...

Senate silliness: religion funding amendment defeated.(EDITORIALS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Americans United was gratified by an important Senate victory on church-state separation Feb. 5. While debating the economic recovery package, senators rejected an amendment designed to undermine religious liberty protections in federal law....

Senate rejects effort to add religion aid to stimulus package.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)
March 1, 2009... The U.S. Senate on Feb. 5 rejected an attempt to add tax funding for renovation of religious structures at colleges and universities to the economic recovery bill. The issue came to a vote after U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), an ally of...

Republicans select new chair after rebuffing religious right choice.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Michael Steele)
March 1, 2009... The Republican National Committee in late January selected a new party chair, rejecting the candidate most favored by Religious Right groups but picking one who still has ties to that movement. Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor...

Court rules against IRS in Minnesota case over church audit.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Internal Revenue Service)
March 1, 2009... The Internal Revenue Service continues to experience setbacks in its efforts to audit a Minnesota church accused of financial improprieties and pulpit-based politicking. U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery ruled recently that the Living...

Senate vote on DeMint amendment.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Jim DeMint)
March 1, 2009... On Feb. 5, the U.S. Senate voted on Sen. Jim DeMint's proposal to allow federal funding for renovation of college and university buildings used for worship. The measure, proposed as an amendment to the economic recovery package, failed 54-43....

Religious right groups push new version of 'Parental Rights Amendment'.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)
March 1, 2009... A number of Religious Right groups have joined forces to promote a new constitutional amendment that will purportedly protect "parental rights" but that critics say is a stalking horse for religious school vouchers. The "Parental Rights...

Tennessee sheriff uses web site to peddle 'Christian nation' view.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Tim Gobble)
March 1, 2009... The sheriff of Bradley County, Tenn., has been using his official government Web site to promote an essay arguing that the United States was founded to be a "Christian nation." Sheriff Tim Gobble's essay, posted at www.bradleysheriff.com...

Priest's prayer stirs up conflict in Kansas House Of Representatives.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Brian Schieber)
March 1, 2009... A Roman Catholic priest angered some members of the Kansas House of Representatives in January by delivering a guest invocation that attacked reproductive rights. The Rev. Brian Schieber, pastor of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic...

Officials in Newton, N.J., agreed to stop reciting the Lord's Prayer.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(New Jersey)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Officials in Newton, N.J., agreed to stop reciting the Lord's Prayer before city council meetings after receiving a complaint from a resident. The practice had been occurring since 1952. Some council members made it clear they were dropping...

Mormon-led push to ban same-sex marriage in Wyoming fails.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)
March 1, 2009... A tag-team effort by the Religious Right and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) to add an amendment to the Wyoming Constitution banning same-sex marriage failed last month. House Joint Resolution 17, which would have...

Colson says alliance of Catholics and evangelicals will continue its work.(PEOPLE & EVENTS)(Charles W. Colson )
March 1, 2009... Religious Right activist Charles W. Colson says the alliance between conservative evangelical Protestants and traditionalist Roman Catholics will continue, despite the recent death of one of the architects of the partnership. The Rev....

'Released time' religion class halted by court.(AROUND THE STATES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... An Indiana public school must stop its "released time" Bible course until a lawsuit over its constitutionality is decided, according to U.S. Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey. Indiana allows schools to set aside 120 minutes of "released...

NYC Catholic schools may convert to public charters.(AROUND THE STATES)(New York City)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A plan to convert four Roman Catholic schools into public charter schools was recently unveiled by New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio of the Diocese of Brooklyn. By leasing the buildings, city officials say...

Ohio City Council debates Darwin Day resolution.(AROUND THE STATES)(Charles Darwin)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A city resolution that would have declared Feb. 12, 2009, as "Darwin Day" came down to a battle between evolutionists and creationists in Whitehall, Ohio. Councilwoman Jacquelyn Thompson originally suggested the resolution in honor of...

Bolivian constitution mentions earth deity.(AROUND THE WORLD)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Bolivia has eliminated any mention of the Roman Catholic Church in its new constitution, and instead recognizes the Christian God and Pachamama, the Andean earth deity. The constitution, approved by referendum Jan. 25, recognizes religious...

Faith-based folly: Obama's executive order leaves much to be desired.(PERSPECTIVE)(Barack Obama )
March 1, 2009... Thursday, Feb. 5, was not an ordinary day at Americans United. It was a day that could have been an historic and positive one for the separation of church and state. Indeed, it started by having the president of the United States affirming his...