Millions of Americans are adjusting to the new normal brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. Government officials, trying to stem the spread and effects of the pandemic, have imposed restrictions on large gatherings—including churches and other religious institutions. How should America’s faithful respond? Do these state-mandated restrictions conflict with the First Amendment and religious freedom?
Join First Liberty Institute attorneys for an in-depth look at the legality of state-mandated restrictions and your right to live out your faith.
For more about First Liberty’s response to COVID-19 and resources for understanding how religious liberty is being impacted, visit COVID-19: FLI’s Response.
There’s no play book for protecting religious liberty during a worldwide pandemic. President, CEO, and Chief Counsel of First Liberty Kelly Shackelford sits down with Justin and Jeremy to discuss how First Liberty thought through the impending threat to defend religious liberty for all Americans.
Justin Butterfield is the former Senior Advisor for Conscience and Religious Freedom in the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Jeremy Dys is First Liberty’s Special Counsel for Litigation and Communications.
There’s no play book for protecting religious liberty during a worldwide pandemic. President, CEO, and Chief Counsel of First Liberty Kelly Shackelford sits down with Justin and Jeremy to discuss how First Liberty thought through the impending threat to defend religious liberty for all Americans.
One of the concerns about life after COVID-19 is that, despite trying their best to follow the guidance and rules from the CDC, state, and local government, someone might still contract the coronavirus and try to blame religious organizations for it. Justin and Jeremy sit down with Congressman Mike Johnson (R-LA) to sort through what that means for religious liberty.
Senator Ted Cruz joins Justin and Jeremy on this week’s episode to discuss personal rights during the COVID-19 pandemic and the interplay between religious freedom and authoritarianism. We also discuss Senator Cruz’s thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect America’s approach to our foundational freedoms in the future.
If you would like to subscribe to Senator Cruz’s podcast Verdict, which we discussed during this episode, you may find it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/verdict-with-ted-cruz/
Justin and Jeremy have a conversation with two of America’s leading thinkers Former First Liberty network Attorney and former Acting Attorney General of the US Matt Whitaker joins Justin and Jeremy to discuss protecting your First Amendment rights as houses of worship begin to re-open. In particular, they will dive into current cases in Kentucky and Washington State where governors in both states have issued orders that unlawfully prohibit religious worship.
Justin and Jeremy have a conversation with two of America’s leading thinkers about the role our nation’s houses of worship may play in reopening America again—and what they should consider when they do. First,Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr. president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary joins to discuss the questions churches should ask about returning to in-person services and why churches meet in person anyway. Then, Dr. Charmaine Yoest, a Vice-President with the Heritage Foundation joins to discuss what freedom means and the role religious freedom plays within that American vision for freedom—especially during and after a pandemic.
Additional Resources
This week Rep. Vicki Hartzler (MO) joins Jeremy and Justin to discuss recently passed economic relief legislation and offers her thoughts on what religious liberty has looked like during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, explains what his conversations with President Trump and Vice-President Pence have revealed about the country’s posture toward religious liberty in the time of pandemic. Finally, Jeremy and Justin reveal a long awaited for announcement.
Additional Resources:
First Liberty’s Justin Butterfield and Jeremy Dys on are joined by U.S. Senator. James Lankford of Oklahoma and Kevin Gallagher, Senior Associate at WilmerHale to discuss the latest frontline updates on how to protect religious freedom during the COVID-19 crisis including 2 major victories in Kentucky and Mississippi for drive-in worship services.
Additional Resources
In this episode, Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice joins Justin and Jeremy to discuss how the U.S. DOJ’s “Place to Worship Initiative” is preserving religious freedom, even during the novel coronavirus. Then, one of First Liberty’s former clients, Dr. Eric Walsh, joins the call to give his perspective on public health, ministry, and even religious liberty from his unique perspective as someone with a doctorate in public health, a lay minister, and whose religious liberty that was once invaded by the state.
Justin Butterfield and Jeremy Dys bring you the latest frontline updates on how to protect religious freedom with new government restrictions being imposed during the COVID-19 crisis with special guest Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Next they are joined by Matt Martens – Co-Chair, Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice Group at WilmerHale – to discuss how the COVID-19 Stimulus bill (CARES Act) could help churches and religious organizations.
Bonus Episode
FLI’s legal team has analyzed the COVID-19 orders put into place by each state. Learn how your state has responded by downloading our pdf:
For those of you who participated in our March 27 call with First Liberty and White House officials and would like to know more, and for those of you who missed that call, here is some important information the White House asked us to share with you.
Join First Liberty Institute attorneys, Justin Butterfield and Jeremy Dys, as they examine the legality of state-mandated restrictions and your right to live out your faith. In addition, they will answer your questions regarding religious liberty and the coronavirus.
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