This text was first revealed within the State of Religion publication. Signal as much as obtain the publication in your inbox every Monday evening.
In the event you’re a Disney+ subscriber like me, then you definitely’re conscious the Star Wars universe is continuous to develop. At present, the streaming service is releasing a brand new episode of “The Ebook of Boba Fett” every week, and it has plans to provide a number of extra “Star Wars”-related TV reveals and flicks over the subsequent few years.
All these developments are attainable, no less than partly, due to the franchise’s enduring reputation. Within the U.S. and all over the world, the seemingly ever-growing neighborhood of “Star Wars” followers watch and rewatch the unique films, learn related books and typically even combine elements of a galaxy far, distant into their non secular lives.
Sure, you learn that accurately. Star Wars has impressed non secular exercise. For instance, the Temple of the Jedi Order invitations members to acknowledge “the pressure” at work in their very own lives and use it for good.
That will sound whacky to you, however, in 2015, the U.S. authorities acknowledged Jediism as a global ministry and granted its request for tax-exempt standing. The motion, which pulls inspiration from the mythology of the “Star Wars” movies, has had much less luck in the UK. In 2016, the Charity Fee for England and Wales refused to grant charitable standing to the Temple of the Jedi Order as a result of commissioners decided it was not primarily centered on charitable functions.
A information to coverage battles affecting faith-based foster care
Final week, I revealed an extended article on faith-based foster care companies that might have been even longer. Close to the tip of the writing course of, I eliminated a complete part about policymaking out of concern that it didn’t match nicely in a lawsuit-focused story.
On this week’s publication, I’m giving that deleted part a second shot at life.
Right here’s a information to the foster care-related coverage battles which can be taking part in out similtaneously the authorized battles I explored final week.
Congress
Congress is contemplating the way forward for publicly funded faith-based companies as a part of a broader debate about homosexual rights. There are at present two payments in entrance of federal lawmakers that will add LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections to civil rights regulation and each would alter current funding guidelines.
Below the Equality Act, which handed the U.S. Home of Representatives in February 2021, foster care companies could be ineligible to obtain public funding in the event that they discriminate on the premise of intercourse, sexual orientation or gender. In different phrases, federally funded companies couldn't refuse to put youngsters with homosexual couples, even when they've a spiritual objection to same-sex marriage.
Below the Equity for All Act, which is sponsored by Utah Rep. Chris Stewart, faith-based companies would stay eligible for federal funding. The invoice proposes an oblique funding mannequin the place authorities cash goes on to potential foster dad and mom they usually, in flip, deliver it to the company of their selection.
The Biden administration
Along with calling on Congress to cross the Equality Act, President Joe Biden has gotten concerned in foster-care clashes by adjusting how the federal government handles requests for non secular exemptions to nondiscrimination guidelines.
In November, the Division of Well being and Human Providers revoked waivers supplied to faith-based companies by the Trump administration. Present officers stated they have been nonetheless open to accommodating non secular organizations, however that they'd evaluate exemption requests on a case-by-case foundation.
Though notable, that call wasn’t as important because it might sound at first look, based on Alex Luchenitser, affiliate vice chairman and affiliate authorized director of People United for Separation of Church and State. The Biden administration, just like the Trump and Obama administrations earlier than it, has a blanket coverage of not implementing nondiscrimination guidelines towards faith-based companies.
“Though the Biden administration withdrew the waivers, there’s a discover of nonenforcement that has not been waived,” he stated.
Nonetheless, November’s announcement sparked an outcry from extra conservative religion teams, in addition to Republican leaders.
State legislatures
In final week’s story, I described a brand new lawsuit in Tennessee that facilities on a state regulation boosting non secular freedom protections for faith-based companies. The regulation was handed in 2020 as a part of a wave of payments aiming to make sure that LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections don’t intervene with the work of non secular organizations.
As we speak, round eight states permit publicly funded faith-based companies to show away couples who don’t meet religion-related standards. Each Indiana and Arizona are debating comparable coverage proposals this 12 months, however, for probably the most half, it looks like state legislatures have turned their consideration to different points, Luchenitser stated.
“It looks like a lot of the states inclined to cross the sort of laws have already enacted it. Possibly there gained’t be extra coming,” he stated.
Contemporary off the press
- Within the warfare over faith-based foster care companies, is an finish lastly in sight?
- How Arizona’s new anti-discrimination invoice goals to guard homosexual rights and faith
- “Faith and the 2022 Winter Olympics” from the “Interfaith Voices” podcast
What I’m studying ...
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Brookings, Oregon, like most church buildings, sees feeding the hungry as an expression of religion. However, not like most church buildings, its free meals program has gotten St. Timothy’s in hassle with the regulation. The congregation is working afoul of a brand new city ordinance limiting free-meal applications to 2 days per week. St. Timothy’s and its Episcopal diocese not too long ago filed a lawsuit claiming that this coverage violates the church’s non secular train rights, NPR reported final week.
The game of basketball has deeply non secular roots. It was created at a Christian faculty by a Presbyterian pastor. And its hyperlinks to religion don’t finish there, based on Paul Putz, a historian of sports activities and Christianity. In an ideal piece for Christianity As we speak, Putz outlines how Black church buildings helped form the NBA into what it's right this moment, in addition to the methods they proceed to encourage gamers’ social justice activism.
The twister that ripped by Mayfield, Kentucky, in December left dozens of destroyed or broken buildings in its wake. Historic church buildings are among the many buildings, which signifies that a number of Mayfield congregations now face an necessary selection: Do they rebuild their area precisely because it was or take a leap of religion and attempt one thing new? My pal Bobby Ross wrote in regards to the scenario for The Related Press.
Odds and ends
President Joe Biden’s choose for the place of U.S. particular envoy to observe and fight antisemitism, Deborah Lipstadt, lastly obtained a affirmation listening to within the Senate Overseas Relations Committee. The committee’s Republican members had delayed the listening to for months because of issues about Lipstadt’s political opinions. After current assaults on synagogues and particular person Jews, a coalition of Jewish organizations efficiently urged them to cease dragging their ft.
The Heart for Social Justice and Reconciliation is a internet hosting a digital occasion on Feb. 15 about faith’s function within the voting rights debate and different social justice points. This system is likely one of the heart’s Black Historical past Month choices.