Micah Fries’ Post

My review of Michael Karayanni excellent book "A Multicultural Entrapment: Religion and State Among the Palestinian-Arabs in Israel", in which I try to link the books' main argument to the entanglement between the coercive religious family law in Israel and the constitutional order based on racial supremacy.

In the August 30, 2023 edition of the New York Law Journal Religion Law column, partners Barry Black and Chris Byrnes examine the key differences in religious institutions vis-a-vis other nonprofit organizations and why that matters. In particular, the article dives into key structural and operational considerations ranging from autonomy and governance, employment and tax considerations. A must-read for religious organizations, find the full article here: https://bit.ly/44zUYOU

In our new Legal Spirits episode, Marc and I interview law professor Tom Berg about his new book, "Religious Liberty in a Polarized Age." Will a commitment to religious freedom ease the divisions in the US today, or make them worse? Listen in! https://lnkd.in/eKgiavuK

United States secularism walks a fine line between respecting freedom of (and from) religion while simultaneously respecting moral traditions that lay the groundwork for our most fundamental governing laws. Conflicts subsequently arise over the degree to which state governments are allowed to exert Judeo-Christian influence. In examining the core American tension of establishment, I found myself delving into the Supreme Court's response to the constitutionality of Ten Commandments displays on public property. It is an honor to usher in the New Year by presenting "Establishment Along the Borderline: Supreme Court Jurisprudence on Ten Commandments Displays," my original analysis discussing why the Supreme Court both upheld and struck down public Ten Commandments displays in the same year. Doing so has preserved the foundational bedrock of Thomas Jefferson's "separation of church and state." I would like to give special thanks to the editors and staff of the Bellarmine Law Society Review at Boston College. It was an exceptional opportunity to publish with their esteemed journal for their 13th volume. Law and religion necessarily intersect, so it the responsibility of us all to look to the Constitution for guidance on preserving religious liberty. Enjoy! #constitution #constitutionallaw #supremecourt #scotus #law

Why should British leadership on FoRB (Freedom of Religion or Belief) be enshrined in law? The Henry Jackson Society explores this critical issue in their latest report. Read it here: https://buff.ly/3u6F1mL

Crazy time to leave for airport 4 am. On to Chicago for Parliament of the World's Religions. On a panel with some of my favorite scholars today on religion, politics and the law, we’re talking about the future of faith + democracy. Thanks to Center for Study of Law and Religion Emory University School of Law for the invite to speak! See you in Chicago! #interfaith #democracy #law

"Pursuing religious freedom with the common good in mind means that religious believers must be careful not to focus solely on their own liberties when they seek protections for religious freedom. They must also consider the effects of their demands on others and the larger community." I get to teach this paper tonight in my Law, Religion, and Public Policy course for Trinity Law School. A great discussion re: the balancing of religious needs with the duties owed to the common good. https://lnkd.in/eWfjmicQ

Thrilled to share that my article on 'UCC: Religious Pluralism and its Implications' has been published by the International Journal of Advanced Legal Research (IJALR) in Volume 4, Issue 2. Grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing debate. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/dCaQ7dXZ #legalresearch #UCCDebate" #internationaljournalofadvancelegalresearch

On some levels, this decision in Oklahoma has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with the manner in which the U.S. Constitution is interpreted. Under one interpretative method, there is separation between religion and the government. When considering the Original Public Meaning of the Constitution, however, there is likely no such separation. Interpretative methods matter.

WHY CHURCH AND STATE SHOULD BE SEPARATE - PDF: https://lnkd.in/gRrhgR3P In a Ten Commandments case several years ago, Sandra Day O'Connor said: Reasonable minds can disagree about how to apply the Religion Clauses in a given case. But the goal of the Clauses is clear: to carry out the Founders' plan of preserving religious liberty to the fullest extent possible in a pluralistic society. By enforcing the Clauses, we have kept religion a matter for the individual conscience, not for the prosecutor or bureaucrat. At a time when we see around the world the violent consequences of the assumption of religious authority by government, Americans may count themselves fortunate: Our regard for constitutional boundaries has protected us from similar travails, while allowing private religious exercise to flourish.... Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: Why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?126 President Nichol acted courageously and appropriately to enforce the United States Constitution and maintain the wall of separation between church and state.127 Those who opposed and attacked him want a form of government endorsement of sectarianism that is fundamentally at odds with the Establishment Clause. Not only is such a form of government dangerous, but it is also antithetical to the First Amendment. #SCOTUS #religion #FirstAmendment #FreeExerciseClause #EstablishmentClause #law #goverment #conservative #staredecisis #precedent