Supreme Court Unanimously Protects Religous Freedom + Today’s Digest

Our daily rundown of the articles from around the web that we feel our readers would enjoy and appreciate. We hope to highlight the best of what’s around.

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Supreme Court rules against Boston in Christian flag case

Associated Press

The Supreme Court has regularly analyzed whether government entities can discriminate against religious points of view in order to avoid establishment clause concerns. But the court has consistently ruled by strong margins that religious points of view are protected to the same degree as other points of view. The most recent case, decided 9-0, found that the City of Boston can’t allow citizens to display flags for personal ideas on city property, while not allowing religious flags.

Religious Liberty Situation Worse Not Better in China

Massimo Introvigne – Bitter Winter

The managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions examines the new USCIRF report on China that shows increased persecution against Uyghur Muslims, Christians, and groups labeled “xie jiao,” meaning cults, by Chinese authorities.

Easy as ABC? No, but studying this Mormon pioneer alphabet is now easier

Kaitlyn Bancroft – Salt Lake Tribune

Two professors in Illinois have released a considerable amount of work on the “Deseret alphabet” a language used occasionally in pioneer Utah. The work includes copies of documents that use the language, a translator, and a font that can be used to type in the language.

Naomi Judd: Press reports covered the dark nights of her life, but not the Sunday mornings

Terry Mattingly – Get Religion

A long-time staple of media coverage, Naomi Judd’s recent admission to the Country Music Hall of Fame, gave an occasion for media critic Terry Mattingly to examine what coverage was given to Judd’s faith. But despite it’s major impact on her life, and it’s role in helping her through some of the most prominent media stories, little coverage was ever given to her faith.

‘Subversive Habits’ tells the compelling and long-overlooked history of Black Catholic nuns

David Crary – America

Shannen Dee Williams has decided to devote her life to telling the story of the Black Catholic nuns. The small group has often been overlooked to the point that when Williams first saw a photo with she thought, “How did I not know black nuns existed?” Her book, subversive habits, comes out this month.

On Key

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Sean Penn models … civility?

Actor and activist Sean Penn can certainly never be faulted for the passion or sincerity of his convictions. Much the same could be said for entertainment commentator Sean Hannity. But civility is hardly a word often associated with either. So I wanted to point out an important conversation between the two Seans that occurred last night on Fox News. Hannity had learned that Penn was filming a documentary in Ukraine when the conflict began. And reached out for an interview, and while Penn started the interview by telling Hannity that he didn’t trust him. But Penn eventually discusses how as an American he has a luxury “to indulge my lack of trust, which it becomes a petty thing.” But that witnessing the resistance of the Ukrainian people he noted that they didn’t have that luxury. The two merely agreed to disagree about the role President Biden has played in the conflict, and focused instead on their shared commitment to the good of the people of Ukraine. While it might be sad that a simple civil conversation is worthy of note, the reality is that this level of discourse is something which we would do well to aspire to more often. Perhaps it’s good we are gaining the perspective to see it.

New Database Shows Church Strength

Amid frequent claims that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in decline, a partial database of the Church’s landholdings released today shows impressive strength. The database would make the Church the fifth largest private property holder in the United States. The holdings show that the Church’s land connects well with its mission. The holdings include land for temples and meetinghouses, land for agricultural projects to support the Church’s welfare, land to help sustain city areas around temples, and land used as part of the Church’s stewardship of tithing funds. The news should be welcome for Latter-day Saints knowing their faith’s long-term is secure.

More Apostolic Warnings Against Racism

Dallin H. Oaks, the second senior-most leader of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke Tuesday at Ensign College with Clark Gilbert, the Commissioner of the Church’s educational system. Oaks said: “In condemning and working against racism, we encourage our students, our teachers, and all our members to avoid extreme or polarizing positions and teachings that undermine the U.S. Constitution and other core institutions. … [The Constitution’s] inspired principles, including the freedoms of speech and religion and its authorized amendments, have allowed subsequent generations to continue to improve and strengthen the rights of all of its citizens. … A gospel-centered approach to combating racism empowers all parties to support, apply and teach the power and light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The remarks come just days after a race-based hate crime that killed ten people in New York, and during a time when the Church has been put under a prophetic injunction to “lead out in abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice.” Oaks had previously said, “Of course, Black lives matter! That is an eternal truth.” The remarks centered around proclaiming truth with love, and seem to suggest that Latter-day Saints should not just end racism in their own lives, but work in trying to persuade those who disagree. The remarks also addressed LGBT+ issues. Oaks re-emphasized the fairness for all approach he’s spoken of on many occasions, while Gilbert added, “Individuals or groups who do not treat our LGBTQ members with empathy and charity are not aligned with the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ.” While the remarks themselves don’t offer anything new to a faith that has been emphasizing these very issues recently, they come at a remarkably poignant time, when we could each use encouragement to be trying to persuade others who do not share our commitment to end racism.