Religious Liberty, The Supreme Court, RFRA, And RLUIPA

Using the Hobby Lobby and Holt v. Hobbs Supreme Court decisions as a starting point, the panel will discuss the challenges of valuing religion in law, addressing such questions as: Do court decisions in cases such as Hobby Lobby and Holt v. Hobbs serve or undermine religious pluralism? When are religious exemptions to laws that apply generally to everyone warranted? How ought religious liberty be weighed against other rights (e.g., equal protection of the laws—LGBT rights)? How do the Supreme Court Justices' opinions reflect the broader societal arguments about what counts as “religious exercise” and whether or how religion is valued in public spaces? Panelists: Matthew Scherer, George Mason University Winnifred Sullivan, Indiana University Mark Silk, Trinity College Barbara A. McGraw, Saint Mary’s This audio was recorded at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion on Sunday, November 22.