William C. Duncan
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The economy seems to be falling off a cliff. Is America’s commitment to religion doing the same?
The report provides careful and detailed analysis on the decline of “religiosity” – measured by affiliation with churches, church attendance, and other factors – in the United States.
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Religious Freedom 101: War and consequences, as U.S. embraces its ideals of protecting beliefs
During a massive conflict with the Nazi government in Germany (which practiced state-enforced oppression and prejudice), the United States began to embrace its own religious traditions of openness, tolerance and freedom.
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Meet the nuns behind the Supreme Court case
Whether we as individuals identify as religious or not, we are all better off because the Little Sisters of the Poor do what they do. There is nothing wrong with crafting our laws and court decisions in recognition of that…
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Pandemic is a stress test for government and society
Much of what we are learning through the pandemic experience can be positive, but we must also let these kinds of lessons sink in and change how the government functions going forward.
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Pastors being arrested. Mayors shutting down churches. What does the law say about all of this?
In the fluid pandemic situation, religious freedom is being tossed around both as an excuse for continuing public gatherings and as a focus of derision from those who are using the crisis to argue that religious people are the problem.
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SCOTUS to hear arguments by phone – and can a state go too far to protect religious liberty?
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to conduct oral arguments by phone next month. This effort to adjust to ongoing pandemic conditions will be a first for the court.
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Potential SCOTUS case could protect supporters of unpopular causes from retribution
This is an important case with the potential to clarify whether a state can, like Alabama tried to do in the 1950s, create a climate where supporters of private associations are at risk of being harassed or intimidated because of…
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Religious Freedom 101: From Washington to WWII, the ups and downs
While the roughly 140-year period between the enactment of the First Amendment and World War II was often a dark and difficult time for the aspiration of religious freedom, all of this persecution set the stage for a crucial upsurge…
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Tax benefit in bill will help religious charities mitigate coronavirus crisis
The coronavirus aid bill recently passed by Congress and signed by President Trump includes some important provisions that reflect the importance of religious and other private charitable endeavors at times of great need.
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Can the government order churches to close without violating the First Amendment?
Questions are being asked, however, about the extent of the state’s ability to direct churches to close in the event of an emergency like the current worldwide pandemic.