The U.S. Supreme Court last week agreed to hear a case about the legal protections afforded religious organizations from anti-discrimination laws when it comes to hiring their own clergy and employees. Employment is just one area where churches sometimes are treated differently than secular organizations in civil courts. There are property disputes, for example. Zoning issues. An employer's responsibility for an employee's actions. The Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life examines all this in a new report.
The First Amendment guarantees religious liberty - in effect, it bestows a unique legal status on religious organizations. But does that mean some decisions by religious organizations are beyond the reach of civil laws? Should they be? We're not talking about criminal prosecution, but about how broad a role government should have to direct, control or influence religious institutions.
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