There has been a lot in the news about religious freedom over the last year.

• Citing the First Amendment to the Constitution, the UCC sued the State of North Carolina for infringing upon the religious rights of clergy to marry couples they deemed were suited for a loving lifetime commitment.
• The State of Indiana, responding to a backlash by business groups and people of faith, reversed a state "religious freedom restoration act" that would have allowed business owners to use religious objections to discriminate against customers.
• Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder, recently signed legislation to allow state-sanctioned and state-funded religious discrimination against same sex couples seeking to adopt children.

    There are many other examples, but these three help us to frame the assignment. We need to know more about what the First Amendment says and what it does not say; we need to explore from whence these "religious freedom restoration acts" come; and we need an overview of how to apply all our new knowledge.

     Here is a link to an excellent website that describes the First Amendment to the Constitution and its "freedom of religion" clause - and many additional documents to help us understand it in a variety of contexts:
 https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment 

          The "religious freedom restoration acts" about which we hear so much these days are based upon a federal law from 1993. Here is the original law and a variety of supporting resources:
 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/hr1308 

          So, how do we apply all our new knowledge in our local contexts? Rev. Emily Joye McGaughy-Reynolds from First UCC in Battle Creek called my attention to the Rev. Emily Heath article noted below; and a recent Battle Creek newsletter printed the helpful chart that follows based upon  Heath's article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-emily-c-heath/how-to-determine-if-your-religious-liberty-is-being-threatened-in-10-questions_b_1845413.html  

How to Tell If Your Religious Liberties Are Being Violated

       So, this is an independent study course offered in the hope that we can be more clear about our own faith, when we might be denying someone else's religious freedom, and when ours are being threatened. The final exam is open-book and the course grade will be pass/fail!

Campbell Lovett

*  ETS students whose program requirements include four workshops for graduation can satisfy two of those workshops by taking one Summer Study Workshop.

*  CEU's - For professionals who require CEU credit through continuing education, check with your organization to see if these workshops can qualify. One CEU is equal to ten contract hours with seminary professors who hold doctoral degrees.