Church State

Some 60 churches may be left homeless as a ban that prohibits worship services at New York City public schools takes effect on Sunday. While churchgoers continue to fight the ban, some are also crying foul over the lack of support from megachurches.

New York's megachurches have been mostly silent on the issue since the Supreme Court refused to hear the case of a Bronx congregation that tried to secure access to a public school auditorium for Sunday services. Some New York City church leaders wonder why the large churches have not done anything to help.

Pastor Bill Devlin of Manhattan Bible Church has helped lead the Right to Worship protests since the beginning. He told The Christian Post that a steering committee made up of 10 pastors affected by the ban came to him and asked, "Where are these pastors who have these huge churches? They have been absolutely silent." more >>

The Florida Senate passed a bill on Wednesday allowing student-led prayer or other inspirational messages at public school events, drawing mixed reaction from residents.

Sponsored by Sen. Gary Siplin (D-Orlando), the legislation known as CS/SB 98 will permit individual school boards to adopt a policy allowing students to deliver "inspirational messages" at functions like assemblies, with sole discretion given to the students.

Administrators are not allowed to monitor or participate in the delivery or the creation of the messages, giving school districts no opportunity to review the content. more >>

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced a bill this week that would limit a controversial decision by the Obama administration mandating health coverage for contraceptive services. He spoke about that bill in a Thursday interview with The Christian Post.

The ruling requires employers to provide free contraceptive services, including abortifacients, in their health insurance coverage. There is an exemption for religious organizations, but it is written so narrowly that most religious organizations, such as schools, hospitals and public service organizations, would not qualify. Rubio's bill would expand the exemption for religious groups.

CP: Your bill, The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, S.B. 2043, expands the religious exemption, but does not get rid of the mandate altogether, correct? more >>

A large majority of Americans consider it appropriate for public schools to be allowed to rent to churches and other community groups, according to a new study by LifeWay Research.

While those opposed to churches having access to schools willing to rent their space say doing so would violate a part of the Constitution addressing separation of church and state, 65 percent of those polled by the research group think differently.

LifeWay Research released the study as the deadline for banning use of New York City schools by churches is scheduled for Feb. 12. Up to 160 congregations that have used school buildings for worship services in the last year will be directly affected by the ban, which can be reversed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The mayor has not taken any action. more >>

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has introduced a bill that would allow all religious employers an exemption to a requirement that health care coverage include contraceptive services.

President Barack Obama has been sharply rebuked from both sides of the political spectrum for his administration's decision to require employers to carry the coverage.

"One of Barack Obama's great attractions as a presidential candidate was his sensitivity to the feelings and intellectual concerns of religious believers," wrote liberal columnist E. J. Dionne in a Jan. 29 editorial for The Washington Post. "That is why it is so remarkable that he utterly botched the admittedly difficult question of how contraceptive services should be treated under the new health care law." more >>

Some 3,500 people marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall Park Sunday in protest of the ban on churches renting New York City's public schools on the weekends.

Council Member Fernando Cabrera, who is also a pastor, led the march, along with religious leaders and elected officials from the area, in efforts to urge Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of Education to reverse the policy that will – beginning on Feb. 12 – evict churches meeting at public schools.

Cabrera told The Christian Post that the ban will force about 68 churches that hold weekly services to relocate. It will also affect another 100 churches that rent space on and off throughout the city. more >>