District of Columbia

WASHINGTON – The constraint is on the government, not citizens when it comes to church-state issues according to the Constitution, stated Dr. Richard Land, who was honored with a national religious liberty award earlier this week at the Canadian embassy.

"I'm always fond of pointing out to people that when you look at our First Amendment to the Constitution, which is in large part there because Baptists insisted that it be there in order for them to vote to ratify the Constitution, all of the restrictions are on the government, not on citizens," said Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, at the 10th annual Religious Liberty Dinner on Thursday.

He continued, "It says Congress shall make no laws establishing a religion nor interfere with the free exercise thereof. It doesn't say that we as people of faith cannot bring our faith conviction into the public square." more >>

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius addressed Georgetown University graduates at an awards ceremony Friday despite opposition from conservative Catholics over her invitation.

Although Sebelius did not directly address the controversy surrounding the birth control mandate she helped craft, she cited John F. Kennedy's famous 1960 speech on the separation of church and state.

"In that talk to Protestant ministers, Kennedy talked about his vision of religion and the public square, and said he believed in an America, and I quote, 'where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials – and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against us all," she recalled. more >>

The impact that evangelical leader and Prison Fellowship Ministries founder Charles W. "Chuck" Colson left on the lives of his family, friends and the Christian world was celebrated during a public memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral on Wednesday.

Thousands, including politicians and notable Christian leaders, filled the pews of the historic church to pay tribute to Colson, who was remembered by loved ones as a dedicated "champion" of the Christian faith and an extraordinary man who glorified God in everything he did, whether it was through loving his family or sharing the love of Jesus to prisoners.

His daughter, Emily Colson, said the memorial was a celebration for a life "well-lived." She testified that Colson always put God first and his family next. Still, he was "fully present" for his family, calling her once a day to talk and always clearing his schedule to spend time with his 21-year-old grandson Max, who is diagnosed with autism. more >>

The Archdiocese of Washington, led by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, slammed Georgetown University on Tuesday for not withdrawing its invitation to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at an awards ceremony.

In particular, the archdiocese rejected Georgetown University President John J. DeGioia's defense, issued Monday, for inviting Sebelius, who helped craft the controversial birth control mandate. The mandate, which will require employers, including many Catholic schools and hospitals, to provide health insurance that covers contraception, sterilization and some abortifacient drugs, has been criticized by Catholic institutions as well as pro-life and religious freedom advocates.

"Given the dramatic impact this mandate will have on Georgetown and all Catholic institutions, it is understandable that Catholics across the country would find shocking the choice of Secretary Sebelius, the architect of the mandate, to receive such special recognition at a Catholic university," the archdiocese said in a statement. "It is also understandable that Catholics would view this as a challenge to the bishops." more >>

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said Tuesday in a statement issued to the Health and Human Services (HHS) that prospective changes in the contraception mandate, offered by the Obama administration as a form of compromise after a massive backlash, are still "morally objectionable."

The mandate, part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, requires employers – including most religious nonprofits such as hospitals and colleges (although not churches) – to provide health insurance that includes birth control for workers. The plan sparked protests from faith leaders and the public, and the Obama administration duly started working on a compromise in February, meant to "accommodate" religious institutions. Under the new rules, rather than requiring religiously affiliated charities and universities to pay for contraceptives, the cost would be shifted to health insurance companies, Obama said in February.

But after scrutinizing the proposed changes, titled the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), lawyers representing the USCCB said this week that religious employers and other stakeholders would still have their employee health insurance plans and premiums "used for services they find morally objectionable." The USSCB is the main Catholic Church body in the United States. more >>

The issue of same-sex marriage in American politics is reaching a boiling point and President Barack Obama is set to sit down for an interview with ABC News Wednesday afternoon, where it is believed he will be asked to clarify his administration's position on the topic.

"Robin Roberts, co-host of Good Morning America, will conduct an 'exclusive, wide-ranging interview' with President Barack Obama at the White House today. A source at ABC confirms to POLITICO that Roberts will ask Obama about his views on same-sex marriage, an issue that has dogged his campaign this week," Politico revealed.

The interview comes only days after two major Obama officials said they are on board with same-sex marriage. more >>