Free Republic

Americans cherish religious freedom. And the COVID-19 crisis has reminded people of faith, especially how much they value this critical First Amendment right. For me, a Christian, the past eight months of lockdowns have underscored the importance of in-person worship or, rather, the importance of fellowship in nurturing one’s spiritual life. As David Mathis, a pastor and executive editor of Desiring God, says, “Worshipping Jesus together may be the single most important thing we do. It plays an indispensable role in rekindling our spiritual fire and keeping it burning. Corporate worship brings together God’s word, prayer, and fellowship, and so...

Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with a California church challenging Governor Gavin Newsom's restrictions on indoor worship services amid the spike in coronavirus infections, ordering a federal district court to revisit an earlier ruling against the religious institution. In a brief unsigned order with no noted dissents, the high court tossed out an order from the federal trial court in the Central District of California, which had upheld Newsom's restrictions. The justices sent the dispute back to the lower court for further consideration in light of its decision last week in a similar challenge to New York...

Felony Vandalism charges have been filed against five people, in connection with last month’s destruction of a statue in San Rafael, California.SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Marin County prosecutors have filed felony vandalism charges against five people after a mob destroyed a statue of St. Junípero Serra at Mission San Rafael Arcángel last month. If convicted, the vandals could be sentenced to up to three years in prison and fined up to $50,000. Separately, the California Highway Patrol made an arrest in connection with the July 4 toppling of the Serra statue at Sacramento’s Capitol Park. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, whose archdiocese...

We should demand that our pastors mark the Nativity with pomp and refuse to support churches whose leaders cower behind the lie that church is nonessential. The Supreme Court’s ruling last Wednesday against discriminatory targeting of religious groups with COVID-19 restrictions marked a significant victory in the ongoing battle to preserve religious liberty. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, hostile stakeholders in public office have assaulted the first freedom through superciliously labeling religious services “nonessential.” Christians in much of the country now find themselves in the demeaning and intolerable position of being allowed to worship only in the manner and...

The United States Supreme Court rebuked Democrat New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for lockdowns imposed on houses of worship, but Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom is ignoring the high court’s lifting of restrictions in New York and is doubling down on his coronavirus lockdowns on religious gatherings. Newsom has informed the court that his actions are justified by the increase in virus cases and the “perils” of indoor gatherings where people sing or chant. “California is experiencing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases, creating an even greater public health need for restrictions on prolonged communal gatherings in indoor places,” California...

A video has emerged showing Democrat Senate candidate Rev. Raphael Warnock mocking churchgoers for wanting to defend themselves with guns. The video shows Warnock speaking against the Safe Carry Protection Act, which Georgia lawmakers enacted in 2014. The act expanded the number of places law-abiding citizens could carry guns for self-defense in the hopes of reducing the number of gun-free zones, thereby reducing the number of soft targets available to criminals and/or demented attackers. The video, posted by the NRA, shows Warnock saying, “Somebody decided that they had a bright idea to pass a piece of legislation that will allow...

A U.K. tequila bar owner has filed an application to register his business as a church to avoid coronavirus lockdown rules. In a Facebook post on Friday, James Aspell wrote (language warning) he is changing the name of his Nottingham bar, now called “400 Rabbits Tequila and Mezcal Cocktail Bar,” as “The Church of the 400 Rabbits.” “With places of worship allowed to open in all tiers we thought fuck it lets start a religion!” he announced. “Can’t be that hard can it! ‘The Church of the 400 Rabbits’ launching as soon as we get the green light!” “Congregation daily...

Gov. Andy Beshear has had his COVID restrictions on religion rebuffed by a judge once already.November 24, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky is standing firm along with other Kentucky bishops in keeping Catholic churches open in the face of Governor Andy Beshear’s non-binding request that houses of worship close during a tightening of gathering restrictions lasting through Dec. 13. Kurtz, who likewise rejected the governor’s request to close houses of worship for two weeks in August, told WDRB News that he and other state bishops “will not be suspending public liturgies, but encourage all to act...

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is downplaying the significance of a Supreme Court decision blocking him enforcing stringent attendance limits on religious institutions in Covid hot spots. “That Supreme Court ruling on the religious gatherings is more illustrative of the Supreme Court than anything else,” Cuomo said on a Thanksgiving morning briefing call. “It’s irrelevant from any practical impact.”

Alas, we have a victory for religious freedom in the COVID lockdown era. The Supreme Court recently ruled that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo illegally targeted churches in his COVID lockdown order—and Justice Amy Coney Barrett was the deciding vote. In the 5-4 decision, the Court ruled Cuomo’s edict violated First Amendment rights (via NYT): The Supreme Court late Wednesday night barred restrictions on religious services in New York that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo had imposed to combat the coronavirus. The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s three liberal members in...

BREAKING: Supreme Court votes 5-4 to grant Catholic Diocese and orthodox Jews' request to block Gov. Cuomo's attendance limits at houses of worship in New York. Chief Justice Roberts joins the three liberal justices in dissent.

At least two people were killed and others seriously wounded Sunday night in a stabbing rampage at a church here. Police said there were no services going on at the time. They said "unhoused" people had been brought inside to get them out of the cold. San Jose police tweeted around 8:47 p.m. that officers were responding to the Grace Baptist Church. It's near the San Jose State campus, CBS San Francisco reports. They then tweeted that at least two victims had died. Mayor Sam Liccardo said police had a suspect was in custody but police later said that wasn't...

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 18, 2020 / 04:01 pm MT (CNA).- As some states and cities reinstate restrictions meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus, a survey has found that Americans believe places of worship should not be subject to harsher regulations than are businesses. The Becket Fund released Nov. 17 its second annual Religious Freedom Index, a study tracking Americans’ perspectives on religious freedom. The index examines six categories of American thought on religious liberty: Religious Pluralism, Religion and Policy, Religious Sharing, Religion in Society, Church and State, and Religion in Action. A majority of respondents in their...

While the United States was reeling last week from an utterly chaotic election, the Vatican decided it was the right moment to publish its long-awaited report into disgraced former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The mammoth document is a nauseating account of clerical coverup, cowardice, and complicity that prioritizes subtle finger-pointing and deflection over real accountability. Those expecting an explanation of how a serially accused predator was catapulted through the church hierarchy despite serious allegations and rumors of assault and indecent behavior will be left not merely disappointed but disillusioned.Equally unsatisfactory is its failure to disclose the extent to which this highly...

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP/VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE and AMERICA: Government, Family, Military, Business, Education, Churches, and the Media. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 JOHN 5:14 Religion Forum threads labeled "Prayer" are closed to debate of any kind.

Denver Newsroom, Nov 18, 2020 / 03:40 pm MT (CNA).- Two church buildings— one Baptist, one Catholic— were damaged by fires in apparent arson attacks Sunday morning in Brewster, a town in central Washington. Sacred Heart Catholic Church suffered some fire damage near the sanctuary from an incendiary device dropped through a broken window early Nov. 15. New Testament Baptist Church, located a block away, suffered more serious fire damage to its interior the same morning. Investigators have deemed the fire at Sacred Heart to be intentional, police say. The police have not yet made the same pronouncement about the...

California's Grace Community Church announced that Los Angeles County health officials have cleared the congregation of causing a COVID outbreak this summer. "We are glad to announce that we received a notice from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Thursday, November 12, saying that we have been cleared of COVID-19 outbreak," the church said on its website. "After a thorough investigation, Public Health officials have decided to rescind all outbreak-related requirements and restrictions on Grace Community Church."The Los Angeles Times targeted Pastor MacArthur's church in a recent article, condemning his congregation for causing a coronavirus "outbreak". According...

As COVID-19 infection rates have begun surging once again throughout much of the state, the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania has issued a statement suspending in-person church services until next year. The statement, issued by Bishop Audrey Scanlan on Nov. 14, stated that COVID-19 infection rates “are as high- and higher- now than ever and they show no sign of decreasing. Pennsylvania’s rates of infection are now four times what they were from our summer’s lowest ebb, and two of the counties in our diocese are among the top ten counties for virus transmission in the Commonwealth.” 59 of Pennsylvania’s...

Church said restrictions targeting houses of worship violate the First AmendmentThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is turning to the Supreme Court over coronavirus restrictions that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo imposed that include limits on how many congregants can gather for religious services. The emergency court filing, submitted Thursday, compares the prohibitions houses of worship face with the relative freedom afforded to many businesses under an order that Cuomo issued in October, in which he designated color-coded zones with varying degrees of limitations. “While this Executive Order effectively closes churches and other houses of worship, all businesses deemed 'essential'...

Nov. 12 (UPI) -- As the COVID-19 pandemic surges again in the United States, churches are fighting state and local orders that cap attendance at services at lower numbers than allowed at nonreligious places and events, such as stores and protests. Governors and other officials who issue the orders say the restrictions are necessary to minimize the spread of coronavirus. But religious institutions across the United States have filed numerous court challenges since the spring arguing that the different capacity limits and social distancing requirements for them are unconstitutional. U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., has introduced a bill that would...