religious liberty

The Latest

Department of Health and Human Services at the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building.

Catholic diocese worked with HHS to get priests to COVID patients

Oct 20, 2020

By Matt Hadro

The Diocese of Arlington helped intervene on behalf of a dying COVID patient when he needed a priest to offer him... Read more

Flag of Azerbaijan on military uniform.

Religion central to Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

Oct 13, 2020

By Matt Hadro

Religion is a central factor in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Christian advocates explained in a briefing on the conflict... Read more

Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.

Senators support DC church's suit against discriminatory coronavirus restrictions

Oct 8, 2020

By Matt Hadro

Members of Congress are supporting a Washington, D.C., Baptist church in its court case against the city’s enforcement of its... Read more

The Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Brooklyn, NYC.

Brooklyn bishop: 'Outrageous' NY coronavirus restrictions ignore church successes

Oct 7, 2020

The Bishop of Brooklyn has strongly criticized the re-imposition of strict coronavirus rules on places of worship in New York... Read more

The Colorado State Capitol.

Judge upholds Colorado's coronavirus limits on religious gatherings

Oct 1, 2020

A federal judge on Tuesday denied an injunction sought by a Protestant ministry against Colorado's coronavirus health orders, which limit... Read more

Florida State University.

Catholic Florida State student ousted from student senate alleges religious discrimination

Sep 30, 2020

By Matt Hadro

A federal court heard arguments on Tuesday in the case of Jack Denton, the Catholic student ousted from Florida State... Read more

A Eucharistic procession held in San Francisco urging permission for greater attendance at Mass, Sept. 20, 2020.

San Francisco to allow up to 100 people at indoor worship services

Sep 29, 2020

The office of San Francisco's mayor announced Tuesday that places of worship will be permitted to hold services indoors at... Read more

Catholics in San Francisco walk with the Eucharist in a Sept. 20 procession.

Justice Department says San Francisco worship restrictions 'draconian'

Sep 28, 2020

The U.S. Department of Justice on Sept. 25 warned San Francisco officials that its current restrictions on public worship in... Read more

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Moscow.

Russia seeks to bar foreign-educated religious leaders from teaching, preaching

Sep 26, 2020

Catholic leaders in Russia are expressing concern about a bill that would restrict the ability of Russian religious ministers who... Read more

Uyghurs at a mosque in Kashgar, Xinjiang, China, September 2010.

Xinjiang officials admit large drop in birth rate, attribute it to family planning

Sep 22, 2020

The government of China's Xinjiang autonomous region has acknowledged that birth rates there fell by nearly a third in 2018,... Read more

Kroger Supermarket.

Kroger employees allege religious discrimination over 'rainbow' apron

Sep 22, 2020

By Matt Hadro

The federal government is suing the Kroger Company for discrimination after two employees at an Arkansas store were fired for... Read more

US senators join criticism of Disney for filming Mulan in Xinjiang

Sep 11, 2020

By Christine Rousselle

At least two U.S. Senators have joined the chorus of outrage against The Walt Disney Company after the company revealed... Read more

Trump administration to implement free speech rules for colleges

Sep 10, 2020

The US Education Department on Wednesday promulgated rules which formally implement a March executive order from President Donald Trump seeking... Read more

The flag of Pakistan.

Christian in Pakistan sentenced to death for blasphemy

Sep 9, 2020

A Pakistani court sentenced Asif Pervaiz, a Christian, to death Tuesday on charges of blasphemy.  Read more

Supporters of a religious group march during a rally in support of Khalid Khan, who killed a man accused of blasphemy, in Peshawar, July 31, 2020.

American on trial for blasphemy killed at court hearing in Pakistan

Jul 31, 2020

A U.S. citizen on trial for blasphemy in Pakistan was killed at a court hearing Wednesday, drawing strong objections to... Read more

People praying in Shanghai, China.

Chinese Christians told to replace Christ with Mao or lose government support

Jul 21, 2020

Government authorities in Shanxi, China, have ordered people who receive government assistance to replace religious symbols in their homes, including pictures... Read more

Transgender lawsuit against Catholic hospital cites new US Supreme Court precedent

Jul 20, 2020

A Catholic hospital in Maryland faces a lawsuit from a person who presents as a transgender man because it would... Read more

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey.

Hagia Sophia as mosque has global implications for religious freedom, experts say

Jul 17, 2020

By Matt Hadro

As Christians and world leaders lament Turkey’s reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, some experts warn that the act... Read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China sanctions U.S. religious freedom ambassador over Uyghurs

Jul 13, 2020

Chinese sanctions against Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Sen. Ted Cruz , Sen. Marco Rubio, and Rep. Chris... Read more

Uyghurs at a mosque in Kashgar, Xinjiang, China, September 2010.

US sanctions Chinese officials over abuses of Uyghurs in Xinjiang

Jul 10, 2020

The Trump administration announced Thursday that it is putting travel and asset sanctions on several senior officials of the Chinese... Read more