Legal Spirits

Ever since President Ronald Reagan popularized the phrase in the 1980s, American leaders have referred to the United States as the “shining city on a hill.” Reagan adapted the phrase from John Winthrop, the 17th century governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, who himself took it from the Gospel of Matthew. But the message has… The post Legal Spirits 064: A City Upon a Hill appeared first on LAW AND RELIGION FORUM.

In September 2023, in violation of an order from the International Court of Justice, Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed the region of Nagorno-Karabakh of its 120,000 Christian Armenian inhabitants. In this episode, human-rights attorney Karnig Kerkonian describes the events of a year ago and efforts to hold Azerbaijan responsible in international forums. He also explains the role… The post Legal Spirits 063: Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, One Year Later appeared first on LAW AND RELIGION FORUM.

When the Cedar Grove School District in New Jersey surveyed students about their religious identities and other sensitive matters, St. John’s Law Professor Patricia Montana went into action. She and other parents sued the district for violating student privacy laws, including the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, a federal statute. Last month, the US Department… The post Legal Spirits 062: Can a Public School Ask Kids to State Their Religion? appeared first on LAW AND RELIGION FORUM.

Last month, in a much-watched case, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that a new Catholic charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause–and, alternatively, that denying St. Isidore a charter does not violate the school’s rights under the Free Exercise Clause. In this episode, Center Director Mark Movsesian… The post Legal Spirits 061: Is a Catholic Charter School Constitutional? appeared first on LAW AND RELIGION FORUM.