An Alabama town is giving non-violent offenders a choice between going to jail or going to church. But critics, pointing to church-state laws, say the program is not really optional.

The "jail or church" program is called "Operation Restore Our Community," or ROC, and will begin next week, local TV station WKRG reports.

How the program works is simple: offenders found guilty of misdemeanors will either pay their debt to society by paying fines and going to jail, or going to church every Sunday for a year. If offenders choose church, they will have to check in with pastors and police weekly. At the end of the year, their case is dismissed. more >>

An Alabama superintendent is reversing a decade-old policy that allowed every home football game to start with a prayer.

Superintendent John Mullins of Arab City Schools in Arab, Ala., banned prayer before high school football games after receiving a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The Wisconsin-based group is representing an Arab City parent who wants to remain anonymous. The parent claims the prayer policy violates First Amendment rights. more >>

A federal judge temporarily blocked Alabama's most recent and controversial immigration law days before its Sept. 1 implementation to allow more time to consider the many lawsuits that seek to block the legislation.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Blackburn did not rule for or against the constitutional merits of the bill Monday that allows state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws. Still, Blackburn's temporary stay gives illegal immigrants and their supporters more time for legal challenges to be heard.

In a statement emailed to The Christian Post, Attorney Augusta Dowd stated, "We have advised our clients that this order prevents the Act from being enforced until at least September 29, 2011." more >>

Mexico and 15 other countries are filing briefs against an Alabama law which requires public school, pre-employment and increased law enforcement checks to find undocumented immigrants in the state, arguing that the law could lead to violation of the human rights of foreign nationals.

The controversial Alabama immigration law has attracted Obama administration opposition and raised the concerns of Hispanic evangelicals and other church leaders, who are calling for immigration reform to be “fair” in order to allow Latinos to contribute the country as well as fulfill the Bible's commands.

The Mexican embassy filed an amicus brief, in coordination with the governments of several Central and South American countries, to urge the U.S. federal district court in Alabama to respect the fundamental rights of their foreign nationals despite their immigration status. more >>

Alabama Christian leaders have filed a lawsuit this week to stop the state from enacting the “nation’s most merciless” anti-immigration law, claiming it would prohibit Christians from living out their faith and the mandates of Scripture.

Plaintiffs in the suit filed Monday include leaders of the Episcopalian, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in Alabama, who represent 338,000 of the state’s faithful.

The ecumenical group insists the new immigration law, effective September 1, could ensnare Christian leaders who unknowingly administer religious sacraments, such as Holy Communion, to illegal immigrants. more >>

She is legally blind, but still reads her Bible every day by using a machine that enlarges the text.

As new royalty, Felma Schrimshire, also known as Ms. Andalusia Manor, took home the crown at the 2011 Ms. Alabama Nursing Home pageant held at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover this week.

She won the judges and the crowd over 74 other contestants. more >>