In the first segment, our panelists discuss a religious freedom controversy involving Deion Sanders, the football coach at the University of Colorado. Within just three months of joining the program, Sanders faced allegations of praying with players, sparking concerns from faith-related organizations. The Freedom from Religion Foundation questioned his references to Christianity during school events, while the university received claims of violating Sanders’ religious rights. This situation reflects a broader debate on the intersection of faith and public institutions, invoking recent Supreme Court rulings on religious expression by school employees.
In the second segment of the show, we explore the court case Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District. This case centers on a decade-long struggle where the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) faced discrimination within the San Jose Unified School District in California. After a teacher targeted FCA’s religious beliefs, leading to harassment and the club’s removal from campus, FCA sought legal recourse. The Ninth Circuit Court initially ruled in FCA’s favor in August 2022, but the case was reheard in January 2023, shedding light on the ongoing battle to protect religious student groups.
Let us know your thoughts about Faith and Politics in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe for more content about Faith and Politics!
About the Show:
Faith and 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:
Rushern Baker President and CEO of the Baker Strategy Group and University of Maryland Professor Public Policy; Dr. Lawrence Brown, Senior Pastor of the Queensboro Seventh-day Adventist Church; Melissa Reid, Washington Liaison for the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; and Tim Schultz, President of 1st Amendment Partnership-An 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
Rushern Baker
Dr. Lawrence Brown
Melissa Reid
No responses yet