Religious Expression

2018 Report on
World Religious Freedom 
From India Comes the Worst Surprise
ROME, November 25, 2018 -- The foundation of pontifical right Aid to the Church in Need has verified a general worsening of the lack of freedom.

Asia Bibi is Free!!!
Praise God!
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, October 31, 2018 -- The Pakistan Supreme Court Wednesday overturned the death sentence of Asia Bibi, a Roman Catholic woman convicted of blasphemy in 2010, after reserving judgment on the verdict earlier this month.

Catholic, Brett Kavanaugh
Nominated to US Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, DC, July 9, 2018 -- President Donald Trump announced Monday night he is nominating Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy created when Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement June 27.

Court Rejects
Washington Archdiocese's
Advent Metro Ad
WASHINGTON, DC, December 11, 2017 -- A federal court has denied relief to the Archdiocese of Washington, in its request for an injunction that would have allowed it to run bus ads encouraging riders to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Baker Argues for Cake and Conscience
at Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, DC, December 5, 2017  -- A Colorado baker’s right to express himself through artwork – edible artwork– lies at the center of today’s Supreme Court arguments, say lawyers for Masterpiece Cakeshop owner, Jack Phillips.

'Anti-Catholic Bigotry' Concerns as
Judicial Nominee Questioned about Faith
WASHINGTON, DC, September 7, 2017 -- A Catholic nominee to a federal circuit court faced hostile questions about her faith from U.S. senators on Wednesday, prompting outrage from Catholic leaders.

Indonesian Christian Governor
On Trial for Blasphemy
JAKARTA, December 7, 2016  -- The Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama ["Ahok"] will be taken to trial on December 13 by the North Jakarta District Court for the case of alleged blasphemy against him, and that last month caused mass demonstrations by his opponents and supporters in Indonesia. 

 Why Religious Leaders Asked Obama
to Condemn his Civil Rights Chair's Rhetoric
WASHINGTON, DC, October 12, 2016 -- A coalition of religious and civic leaders has denounced a report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights which said appeals to religious freedom are usually just discrimination-in-disguise.

US Bishops Throw Support Behind
Conscience Protections on Marriage
WASHINGTON, DC, July 14, 2016 -- Two leading U.S. bishops have spoken out in favor of a proposed law which would ensure federal religious freedom protections to individuals and faith-based organizations who disagree with same-sex marriage.

Beware 'Polite Persecution'
Archbishop Warns
WASHINGTON, DC, June 22, 2016 -- With relics of two English martyrs currently touring the U.S., the Archbishop of Baltimore implored Catholics to follow their example by defending religious freedom. 

Ahead of Supreme Court Marriage Decision
States Act to Protect Religious Freedom
WASHINGTON, DC, June 16, 2015 -- As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to deliver a ruling that could lead to sweeping changes in the definition of marriage nationwide, two states have enacted new legal protections for those with religious objections to recognizing same-sex ‘marriages.’

How the Supreme Court's
Hijab Decision
Helps Faith in the Workplace
WASHINGTON, DC, Jun 3, 2015 -- Many religious believers will benefit from the Supreme Court’s Monday decision that a clothing store wrongly discriminated against a prospective employee whose Muslim beliefs required her to wear a hijab, one legal expert has said.

As Storm Brews,
San Francisco Archbishop Strikes Back
At School Guideline Critics
SAN FRANCISCO, February 20, 2015 -- Politicians have targeted San Francisco Catholic schools’ teacher standards, but Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone says they are a matter of Catholic mission and common sense.

The Irony in Anti-discrimination –
Why Catholic Bishops
Won't Back ENDA
WASHINGTON, DC, February 5, 2015 -- Even with religious freedom provisions added, LGBT discrimination laws are unlikely to draw support from Catholic bishops because they could in fact lead to discrimination against religious groups, analysts explained.