Blog from the Capital

James Dobson on his radio show today (my emphasis): It's probably obvious which of the two major candidates' views are more palatable to those of us who embrace a pro-life, pro-family world view. While I will not endorse either candidate... Don Byrd

Professor Stanley Fish is one of my favorite thinkers and writers. I don't always agree with him, but he rarely fails to live up to the name of his blog, "Think Again". In this week's post, he considers both sides... Don Byrd

The First Amendment Center's Tony Mauro previews the upcoming Supreme Court's session, including the Summum public monument case: Summum is not an establishment-clause case, unlike the Ten Commandments cases the Court has decided in recent years. Instead, the main question... Don Byrd

In a District Court, Minnesota pastor Mac Hammond - who has previously been the subject of this blog for being caught on video endorsing a congressional candidate from the pulpit - is fighting an unrelated IRS inquiry into his church's... Don Byrd

Last week, I posted about VA's new policy requiring state police chaplains to deliver inclusive, non-sectarian prayers when participating in official, state-sponsored events. 6 of the 17 chaplains in the program resigned in protest of that directive, and now clergy... Don Byrd

As part of a series of interviews on different topics, Katie Couric posed to both Vice-Presidential candidates a question about church-state separation. I like the way the question presupposes that the "wall of separation" is "important". Don Byrd

At the Washington Post's On Faith sites, panelists are responding to the question: "Vice presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin will debate this week. What would you ask them about their religious beliefs and why?" Some of these folks... Don Byrd

A group of scientists in Texas are urging the State Board of Education to turn back efforts to inject religion into the science curriculum, when the group meets to update school standards. The Houston Chronicle reports: The group worries that... Don Byrd

One of the more insidious elements of the past weekend's Alliance Defense Fund efforts is proponents' conflation of the issue of candidate endorsement from the pulpit with the issue of speaking out prophetically on the concerns and events of the... Don Byrd

The Alliance Defense Fund has released a list of the 33 churches (pdf) that participated in the "pulpit initiative." An earlier AP story indicates that though many ministers volunteered, ADF selected the group they thought would create the best test... Don Byrd

The Washington Post reports on yesterday's "pulpit initiative": The Rev. Ron Johnson Jr. told worshipers that the Democratic presidential nominee's positions on abortion and gay partnerships exist "in direct opposition to God's truth as He has revealed it in the... Don Byrd

In an op-ed, BJC director Brent Walker details his opposition to the ADF's "pulpit initiative", in which a handful of pastors are purposefully violating the IRS prohibition on campaigning from the pulpit. Their ultimate goal is a repeal of that... Don Byrd

I have a feeling this Sunday's scheduled mass violation of IRS tax-exempt regulations is going to be a bust. Most churches simply don't want their ministers telling them how to vote, and of those that do, most of *them* don't... Don Byrd

The short answer is...no. In today's installment of Barry Lynn v. Erik Stanley in the LATimes, the topic is "What does the Constitution Say?" Rev. Lynn responds to the charge that the prohibition against pulpit endorsements encourages government to micro-manage... Don Byrd

OMB Watch reports that the IRS has agreed to review a complaint about the Alliance Defense Fund's efforts to encourage widespread pulpit endorsements, in search of a test case. The LATimes reports on the scheduled act of pulpit rebellion urged... Don Byrd

American Family Association head Donald Wildmon is trying to get in on all the pulpit campaigning talk these days. He urging pastors to sign a pledge regarding the lead up to November elections. Granted, he is not asking them to... Don Byrd

Thanks to a reader for pointing to this recent story, in which a handful of Virginia state police chaplains preferring to resign their positions than offer non-sectarian ceremonial prayers at official, state-sponsored events that are "respectful of the varied ethnicities,... Don Byrd

The annual "See You at the Pole" event is an organized effort to promote prayer among grade-school students before the school day begins. It should involve only participation that is thoroughly voluntary, and is not official or school-sanctioned in any... Don Byrd

In today's LATimes counterpoint, AU's Barry Lynn and ADF's Erik Stanley debate the issue of tax exemption for churches. Should churches have to pay taxes? Should tax exemption come with federal regulation? Rev. Lynn argues that tax exemption is a... Don Byrd

In an interview over the weekend on Fox News, Baptist Joint Committee director Rev. Brent Walker ripped into this Sunday's planned "pulpit initiative", in which the Alliance Defense Fund is urging clergy to endorse candidates for office, in violation of... Don Byrd