The Free to be Faithful® Newsletter highlights important and relevant detail on religious liberty issues that impact the rights of Christians. Information from this newsletter can be reproduced for your congregation’s use.
Topics include:
- U.S. Army dropped its investigation against Southern Baptist chaplain Jerry Scott Squires. Chaplain Squires was charged with discrimination against a lesbian soldier who wanted to attend a marriage retreat. The Army said Squires handled the situation in accordance with military policy and guidelines of his denominational authority.
- Two decisions made in summer 2018 by the Supreme Court of Canada against a Christian university’s bid to operate a law school, as law societies claimed that the school’s requirement of students to sign a “Community Covenant” upholding traditional marriage was discriminatory.
- A follow-up on baker Jack Phillips, a Christian and owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who won a Supreme Court case 7–2 in June 2018 guaranteeing his right to refuse to create a cake for a same-sex wedding. Phillips is suing Colorado after the state filed another complaint against him, this time for refusing to create a cake celebrating a man’s gender transition.
- Details from a memorandum by the U.S. Department of Justice following a May 2017 executive order regarding religious liberty protections, including a preamble and basic principles.
- Prayers following Election Day (Nov. 6) and Armistice Day (Nov. 11), an invitation to the 2019 LCMS Life Conference and information on the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty.
If you would like to stay informed on issues related to marriage, life, religious freedom or the establishment of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, please send your name and address to freetobefaithful@lcms.org.
Visit lcms.org/freetobefaithful to learn more about this initiative and the resources it offers.