The national conversation regarding religious freedom right now is largely focused on the question of public, in person gatherings for worship services. This public conversation and its nuances have been relatively well covered. And yet, it is important to recognize that this is not the only element of the institutional religious freedom discussion that needs to be had at the moment.
Right now, my colleagues and I are carefully monitoring the implementation for various provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and anticipating areas of future legislation designed to address COVID-19 to ensure institutional religious freedom-- the religious exercise of faith-based organizations, both churches and faith-based services, in distinction from the religious exercise of individuals who want to worship together with others-- is upheld and protected.
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