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Archive: J. Brent Walker
Religion irrelevant to one's fitness to serve
Religion should only disqualify someone from active military service if the religious beliefs and practices would substantially impair the performance of one's duties in the military.
By J. Brent Walker | November 10, 2009; 12:59 PM ET | Comments (1)
Holder Must Withdraw the Memo
The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty is proud to have played a part in the drafting of a recent letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, asking that he review and withdraw this memo that espouses a misguided application of RFRA.
By J. Brent Walker | September 22, 2009; 05:16 PM ET | Comments (1)
How to Pray at School
There are so many ways to do religion in public schools right. "See You at the Pole," when properly done, is one of the best.
By J. Brent Walker | September 21, 2009; 04:38 PM ET | Comments (174)
Religion in Public Schools: Academic, Not Devotional
Teaching about religion is constitutional and even desirable; so much so that it's worth the risk and trouble trying.
By J. Brent Walker | September 1, 2009; 11:12 AM ET | Comments (2)
Factors inform but shouldn't determine decisions
A justice's faith, gender and ethnicity--and life experience generally--will influence his or her view of the world and the law. But these should not dictate a justice's decisions.
By J. Brent Walker | July 14, 2009; 03:18 PM ET | Comments (0)
Try Excused Absences
Mayor Bloomberg is wrong in saying that the City of New York does not have to accommodate all faiths. But he's right in saying that, given our vast religious pluralism, schools cannot close for "every single holiday."
By J. Brent Walker | July 8, 2009; 12:14 PM ET | Comments (0)
State Neutrality vs. State Hostility
Church-state separation can result in a separation that is more antagonistic to religion. Although the institutions of church and state are separate, the state is not neutral toward religion but, in many cases, hostile to it.
By J. Brent Walker | June 25, 2009; 03:21 PM ET | Comments (1)
Theocracy is Incompatible With Religious Liberty
History and contemporary realities show us that a theocracy's unrestrained friendliness to one religion violates religious liberty as much as a secular state's untempered hostility to all religion.
By J. Brent Walker | June 17, 2009; 08:38 AM ET | Comments (4)
Exemptions Can be Good, but Devil in the Details
New Hampshire's exemptions for religious organizations, associations and societies provide some comfort to those who worry that extending marriage rights to same sex couples will necessarily harm their religious liberty.
By J. Brent Walker | June 9, 2009; 03:57 PM ET | Comments (4)
Religion Safer in Hands of the People
I have long contended that Congress' official designation and the President's predictable proclamation of a National Day of Prayer is misguided. It is not government's job to tell the American people what, where or when to pray.
By J. Brent Walker | May 5, 2009; 03:12 PM ET | Comments (4)
Every Christian is a Priest to Each Other
For a Baptist Christian, scriptural interpretation should begin and end with the individual reading of the text through the lens of Jesus and with the Holy Spirit's guidance. However, this always should be done in the context and the nurture of the community.
By J. Brent Walker | February 23, 2009; 07:17 AM ET | Comments (13)
Discrimination Turns Back the Clock
Allowing religious organizations to discriminate in the private sector is an appropriate accommodation of religion. To subsidize religious discrimination with tax dollars is arguably unconstitutional.
By J. Brent Walker | February 11, 2009; 07:40 AM ET | Comments (4)
Obama Should Seek Divine Blessings the Way He Sees Fit
The religious aspects of the inaugural celebration not only do not offend the Establishment Clause, but arguably serve the President-elect's rights under the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.
By J. Brent Walker | January 20, 2009; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (2)
Not Occasions for Government to Push Piety
There is nothing wrong with the American people getting together to pray on a designated day, even public officials. In fact every day should be a day of national prayer. The church-state rub comes when the government declares it to be such and exhorts citizens to engage in a religious exercise.
By J. Brent Walker | November 19, 2008; 03:04 AM ET | Comments (3)
Just Be Yourself
You should avoid resorting to divisive religious language that would suggest God blesses your position and the other candidate's view is ungodly.
By J. Brent Walker | August 27, 2008; 07:30 AM ET | Comments (4)
Separation of Church and State and Hiring
If a church wants to promote religion in its social service programs, it should use its own money. If it does not want to (and, therefore, qualify for federal funding), why does it need to impose a religious test in hiring?
By J. Brent Walker | August 20, 2008; 02:02 AM ET | Comments (8)
Questions of Church-State Separation
The Bill of Rights contains two religion clauses that protect the Free Exercise and No Establishment rights of all Americans. How would you deal with the tension between these two Constitutional guarantees?
By J. Brent Walker | August 17, 2008; 03:18 PM ET | Comments (6)
Motivation, Expectations Matter in Church Dilemma
In the spirit of the no religious test clause in Article VI of the Constitution, we should give our candidates for president (and other offices) a lot of leeway in determining where they worship and who their spiritual leaders will be.
By J. Brent Walker | June 8, 2008; 10:06 PM ET | Comments (10)
Secularism, Properly Understood, Is Not a Bad Word
Has this year’s presidential campaign become too religious? I don’t think so. Are secular ideas getting short shrift? That depends on what your definition of “secular” is.
By J. Brent Walker | February 11, 2008; 09:16 AM ET | Comments (39)
Huckabee's Mischief
An amendment seeking to ensconce God’s law guts protections for religious freedom and establishes a theocracy or something close to it. This would fundamentally alter America as we know it.
By J. Brent Walker | January 24, 2008; 08:07 AM ET | Comments (31)
Who Needs Government Observances?
Private citizens and religious organizations are perfectly free to celebrate Christmas openly, visibly and in most public places!
By J. Brent Walker | December 20, 2007; 09:19 AM ET | Comments (17)
Romney Too Quick to Debunk Church-State Separation
I wish Governor Romney had affirmed the rights and full citizenship standing of nonbelievers.
By J. Brent Walker | December 6, 2007; 12:59 PM ET | Comments (54)
Thanks to Those Who Paved the Way
Even though our liberty is a gift from God — not the result of an act of concession of the state — we have chosen to tailor our political institutions to protect that liberty.
By J. Brent Walker | November 26, 2007; 07:58 AM ET | Comments (24)
All Religions Not Created Equal
A watered-down, lowest-common denominator view of religion to support the idea that one religion is about as good as the next is a mistake.
By J. Brent Walker | October 18, 2007; 12:28 PM ET | Comments (78)
Important vs. All-important
The U.S. may be a Christian nation sociologically, but not constitutionally.
By J. Brent Walker | October 5, 2007; 01:11 PM ET | Comments (45)
The Church Down the Street
The Supreme Court has been clear that religious beliefs don’t have to be popular, logical, consistent or reasonable to receive First Amendment protection
By J. Brent Walker | September 24, 2007; 09:45 AM ET | Comments (601)
Religious Liberty for Me and Thee
Our goal should be the greatest amount of religious freedom and zero tolerance for violence in the name of religion.
By J. Brent Walker | September 13, 2007; 08:55 AM ET | Comments (200)
