City of Houston Trying to Seize Church Property

Religious Freedom, ,

The Housing Authority for the City of Houston is trying to use eminent domain to seize the property of two churches.

According various news sources and a lawsuit filed by two Houston area churches, the city is trying to implement an urban renewal program that involves the construction of a library and a 63-unit housing project. In order to complete the project, the city says it must obtain property owned by the Latter Day Deliverance Revival Church, a predominantly African-American congregation located in the neighborhood.

Eminent domain prevents the government from taking personal property without compensation. Traditionally, the government would work with property owners to negotiate a fair price for any property the government wishes to acquire.

In recent years, however, eminent domain powers have been applied more broadly in many contexts, forcing citizens and groups who do not necessarily wish to part with their property to do so in exchange for whatever compensation the courts deem fair. (more…)

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What Your Church Needs to Do in Response to the Supreme Court’s Ruling

Religious Freedom,

Many people are asking what they need to do in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decision last Friday. First and foremost is protect people from the ruling’s most immediate, negative consequences.

Alliance Defending Freedom has produced some excellent material for churches if their First Amendment religious freedoms come under attack.

For starters, Alliance Defending Freedom highlights seven things every church needs in its by-laws. They are:

  1. A Formal Membership Policy
  2. Procedure for Member Discipline/Membership Revocation
  3. Procedure for Rescinding Membership
  4. Job Descriptions and Religious Grounds for Limiting Employment Opportunities
  5. Statement of Religious Belief Regarding Marriage
  6. Identify the Governing Body that is the Sole Authoritative Interpreter of Scripture
  7. Due Diligence Requirement for all Volunteers and Staff Who Work with Children

ADF also offers suggested wording for a statement of faith regarding marriage as well as some of the policies listed above. You can read it here.

Additionally, Alliance Defending Freedom recommends every church adopt a policy governing facility use; this may decrease the possibility of a church or religious organization being forced to open its property for an activity it finds objectionable. You can read ADF’s suggested facility use policy here.

Why is This Important?

It is important for churches to articulate their biblical views of marriage and sexuality as well as the role their staff and volunteers play in the church’s ministry. If a church is sued because, for example, the church refused to make its property available for a same-sex ceremony, a clear statement of faith regarding marriage coupled with a facility use policy can help verify the church is simply seeking to operate according to its sincerely-held religious beliefs.

Just as important as adopting policies, however, is consistently following those policies. 

These resources cannot prevent a church or religious organization from being singled-out for its religious principles, but they may provide additional layers of protection.

You can find these and other resources for free on Alliance Defending Freedom’s website.

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Two-thirds of Arkansans Support New Religious Freedom Law

Religious Freedom, , ,

If you support religious freedom in Arkansas, you are not alone. Nearly two out of three likely voters in Arkansas support the state’s new Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and more than half believe a business-owner (such as a caterer or florist) with religious objections to same-sex marriage “should be allowed to refuse to those services to same-sex couples.”

The findings are the result of a poll commissioned by Talk Business, Hendrix College, and Impact Management Group.

The poll indicates Arkansans strongly support religious liberty; in fact, less than half of Arkansans under 30 expressed that businesses ought to be required to provide “services to same-sex couples.”

What’s striking about the survey are its findings despite its wording. According to the survey’s authors, one key survey question was taken verbatim from a CNN poll conducted last spring. The question reads,

“If a business provides wedding services, such as catering or flowers, should it be allowed to refuse those services to same-sex couples for religious reasons, or be required to provide those services as it would to all other customers?”

The phrases “refuse services to same-sex couples” and “as it would to all other customers” slant the question significantly, missing the point: That this is about the impact of same-sex marriage on religious liberty.

Here is what we mean:

(more…)

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