On June 8, New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order No. 52, Defining Antisemitism (full text), which instructs New York City Agencies to “consider as appropriate, the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism … as well as
Howard M. Friedman
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Trump Issues Message to Christians Celebrating Pentecost
The White House today posted a Presidential Message on Pentecost, 2025 (Full text). The Message reads in part:Today, I join in prayer with Christians joyfully celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—one of the most sacred…
USCCB Releases 2024 Report on Sexual Abuse by Clergy
Ministerial Exception Doctrine Applies to Title VII Claim of Business Prof at Christian University
In Schmidt v. University of Northwestern- St. Paul, (D MN, June 5, 2025), a Minnesota federal district court held that the ministerial exception doctrine bars the court from deciding plaintiff’s Title VII claim but sought further briefing on whether…
EEOC Sues Over Denial of Dress Code Religious Accommodation for Apostolic Christian Employee
The EEOC announced this week that it has filed a Title VII lawsuit against CEMEX Construction Materials Florida, LLC, alleging that it failed to grant a religious accommodation to an Apostolic Christian employee. The employee wanted to wear a skirt…
Supreme Court: Wisconsin’s Religious Nonprofit Exemption from Unemployment Comp. Tax Must Include Catholic Charities
In Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission, (Sup. Ct., June 5, 2025), the U.S. Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor, unanimously held that Wisconsin violated the First Amendment’s religion clauses when it…
Texas Supreme Court: AG May Begin Proceedings to Close Down Catholic Refugee Agency for Harboring Illegal Migrants
In Paxton v. Annunciation House, Inc., (TX Sup. Ct., May 30, 2025), the Texas Supreme Court held that a state trial court was in error in refusing to allow the state Attorney General to file a quo warranto action…
Washington Bishops Sue Challenging Expanded Child Abuse Reporting Law
Last week, the Catholic bishops in Washington state filed suit challenging the constitutionality of a recently adopted amendment to the state’s mandatory child abuse reporting law. The amendment requires clergy to report child abuse or neglect when they have reasonable…
9th Circuit Hears Oral Arguments Over Religious Exemptions from Washington Antidiscrimination Law
On June 3, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments (video of full arguments) in Union Gospel Mission of Yakima Washington v. Brown. In the case, a Washington federal district court granted a preliminary injunction…
Jury Must Decide Reason for Evangelists’ Exclusion from Pride Event
In Cocchini v. City of Franklin, Tennessee, (MD TN, June 3, 2025), in an opinion covering three consolidated cases, a Tennessee federal district court held that because disputed questions of fact remain, the cases must go to trial rather…