Articles by John Litzler
31 - 35 of 35 articles
Governor Abbott’s latest Executive Order provides clarity for churches across Texas
by John Litzler on April 1, 2020 in News
On March 31, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-14 (EO), which says residents of Texas must minimize in-person contact with people outside the same household.
El CARES Act podría brindar alivio financiero a iglesias y organizaciones
by John Litzler on March 30, 2020 in News
El 27 de marzo, la Cámara de representantes de los E.E.U.U. aprobó verbalmente la Ley de Seguridad Económica y Ayuda de Emergencia por el Coronavirus (CARES, por sus siglas en inglés). El paquete de ayuda de $2.2 billones de billones, Propuesta de Ley 3548 del senado, fue aprobado unánimemente por el Senado de los EE.UU. el 24 de marzo. Una gran parte de la ayuda, $349 billones, será para el Programa de Protección de Pagos (PPP, por sus siglas en inglés).
CARES Act could bring financial relief to churches and nonprofits amidst bans on large gatherings
by John Litzler on March 30, 2020 in News
On March 27, the U.S. House of Representatives approved by voice vote the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, which was Senate Bill 3548, was also unanimously passed by the U.S. Senate on March 24. A large portion of that relief, $349 billion, will fund the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Churches not mentioned in Gov. Greg Abbott’s Executive Order barring social gatherings
by John Litzler on March 19, 2020 in News
On Thursday, Texas Gov. Abbott issued Executive Order No. GA-08 (EO). The EO supersedes previous orders and preempts municipal ordinances regarding social/public/mass gatherings.
Our First Freedom: What You Need To Know About Religious Liberty
by Guest Author on March 5, 2018 in CLC
By John Litzler
Religious liberty is a bedrock American freedom, but a number of legal issues related to this freedom are being sorted out in the courts and news media today.
In some ways, the Supreme Court’s landmark 2015 Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States raised more questions than it provided answers. In its opinion the Court concluded that “same-sex couples may exercise the right to marry” and also said “the First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faith.” What happens when these two liberties appear at odds with one another?
One example of this conflict between freedoms occurred in both California and Colorado. In each place, a same-sex couple, exercising their right to marry, sought to hire a baker to create a cake for the couple’s wedding and in each case the baker declined asserting that the baker’s religious beliefs prevented the baker from making a wedding cake for a same-sex marriage.