Josh S. Tatum

1720 Trinity Lutheran oral argument

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5361120/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″ placement=”top”]The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer on April 19, 2017. The church is challenging Missouri’s exclusion of religious groups from the state’s grant program for playground surfaces. Josh speaks with Dave Roland of the Freedom Center of Missouri about the argument, the justices’ questions, and how the Court’s decision could affect religious organizations across the country.

Dave Roland, Executive Director and cofounder of the Freedom Center of Missouri

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1719 Background on Trinity Lutheran v. Comer

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5340060/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″]The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case in which a church asserts that Missouri’s exclusion of religious organizations from a generally available grant program for playground surfaces violates the Free Exercise protection of the First Amendment and Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.

To discuss the background of the case, Josh interviews Dave Roland, the Director of Litigation and cofounder of the Freedom Center of Missouri.

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1718 Faith communities helping immigrants

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There are many ways that faith communities can help immigrants make their way after they arrive in the United States. In this episode, immigration lawyer Dallin Lykins shares some of these, how the current political debates about immigration affect immigrants’ experiences of American life, how the refugee system works, and where people of faith and lawyers can go to connect with immigrants who need help.

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Group challenges schools chartered by religious colleges

A nonprofit organization in Monroe County, Indiana, has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana challenging a statute that authorizes religious colleges and universities to sponsor charter K–12 schools. The challenge is based on the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The suit asserts that permitting a faith-based institution to review a school’s proposed curriculum and decide whether to authorize a charter violates the federal constitutional principle of separation of church and state. Continue reading “Group challenges schools chartered by religious colleges” →

1717 Sanctuary Movement and Immigration

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Used under Creative Commons license by Nick Youngson at http://NYPhotographic.com through http://picserver.org/i/immigration.html

During a heightened time of debate and anxiety, many faith communities have joined or are considering joining what’s known as the “Sanctuary Movement.” The concept of sanctuary has historical roots, but it isn’t legally supported. Faith communities and other nonprofits should investigate the potential risks they can assume before joining the Sanctuary Movement.

Dallin Lykins of Lewis & Kappes in Indianapolis explains sanctuary, the history of sanctuary, what providing sanctuary means, what it doesn’t mean, and some considerations to keep in mind before becoming a sanctuary congregation. See below for details about Dallin and resources on sanctuary.

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1716 DACA and possible changes to immigration policy

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5276708/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″ placement=”top”]Immigration law affects every employer, including religious organizations.

Dallin Lykins represents clients in matters involving a host of immigration issues.

Dallin Lykins of Lewis & Kappes in Indianapolis explains Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the history of deferred action, what DACA means for millions of people in the United States, and what changes to DACA religious employers can expect from the Trump administration.

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1715 Immigration law basics with Dallin Lykins

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Immigration law affects every employer, including religious organizations. Dallin Lykins of Lewis & Kappes in Indianapolis provides religious and other employers an overview of immigration issues they need to know about.

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1714 Religious Exemptions to Legal Requirements

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5210018/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″]American law has many protections of religious freedom. Among these are various means by which religious people and organizations can seek exemptions from otherwise-applicable legal requirements when those rules would burden their religious beliefs. This episode discusses the development of those exemptions under the First Amendment, the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, and state versions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Continue reading “1714 Religious Exemptions to Legal Requirements” →

1713 Reasons Not to Use Robert’s Rules

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5215396/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″]While I advise to use the current edition of Robert’s Rules and explained several reasons in the last episode, there are also good reasons to use a different parliamentary authority. Here are three: Continue reading “1713 Reasons Not to Use Robert’s Rules” →

1712 5 Reasons to Use Robert’s Rules of Order

[podcast src=”https://html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5188668/height/90/width/450/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/c30000/” height=”90″ width=”450″]Parliamentary experts differ on whether to use Robert’s Rules of Order or a different set of rules for meetings. I recommend Robert’s Rules for many reasons. Here are five: Continue reading “1712 5 Reasons to Use Robert’s Rules of Order” →