Show notes:
In the first segment, our panelists discuss the Kentucky Education Opportunity Account Program which is funded entirely by private donations. The state offers a tax credit to private donors for their contributions to non-profit account-granting organizations (AGOs). The AGOs, in turn, fund families’ accounts with those donations. On June 7, 2021, the Council for Better Education (CBE), a group representing Kentucky public school districts, filed a lawsuit challenging the program’s constitutionality under the Kentucky Constitution. The lawsuit echoes common arguments used in legal attacks on school choice programs.
In the second segment of the show, we discuss the cessation of the Blaine Amendments. No reasonable person would prevent someone in need from accessing available help just because that help comes from a faith-based organization. But until recently, that was the case across the country, thanks to discriminatory state laws called Blaine Amendments, which prevented religious organizations from participating in widely available public programs on equal terms with all other organizations.
In the third segment, our focus turns to the court case, 303 Creative v. Elenis. Lorie Smith is an artist who runs her own design studio, 303 Creative. Lorie enjoys working with people from all walks of life, but, like most artists, can’t promote every message. Lorie’s decisions about which projects to design are based on what message she’s being asked to express, not who requests it. After realizing that Colorado was censoring her—and seeing Colorado use this same law to punish Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips—Lorie challenged the law to protect her freedom and her art studio.
Don’t forget to subscribe on Youtube for more content about Faith & Politics!
About the Show: Faith & Politics is a show dedicated to discussing issues surrounding the intersection of Church, State and politics and the examination of whether you are allowing your faith to shape your politics or your politics starting to shape your faith. What do you do when God and government come face to face?
Panelists: Dr. Lawrence Brown, Senior Pastor of Queensboro SDA Church and Assistant Director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Dr. Timothy Golden, Professor of Philosophy Walla Walla University; Todd McFarland, Deputy General Counsel for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Tim Schultz, President of 1st Amendment Partnership—a Washington-based nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting religious freedom for Americans of all faiths.
About Us: North American Division Public Affairs & Religious Liberty (PARL) is a ministry dedicated to proclaiming and defending the God-given gift of religious freedom which is integral to our identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Learn more about PARL at www.religiousliberty.info.
Panelists
Dr. Lawrence Brown
Dr. Timothy Golden
Todd McFarland
Comments are closed