Monthly Newsletter — May 2009 E-Update

May 15, 2009

Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput receives Becket Fund's Canterbury medal

Archbishop Chaput receives
the Canterbury Medal

Thursday, May 7, Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput spoke on the role of religion in American life. "If we stick religion in the closet like a dangerously eccentric in-law," he stated, "American public life can't work as its Founders and Framers intended."

His remarks were made at the annual dinner of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, during which he accepted the Canterbury Medal, an award given yearly to honor those who have "most resolutely refused to render to Caesar that which is God's."

Past Canterbury Medalists include Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel, Gov. and Mrs. Mitt Romney, and former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon. "We are especially proud to add Archbishop Chaput to this distinguished list," says Becket Fund president Kevin "Seamus" Hasson. "He is neither shy nor soft-spoken when he believes religious liberty in general or his Roman Catholic faith are in jeopardy. It is we who are honored by his acceptance of our medal."

The Archbishop's book, Render Unto Caesar, as well as his prominent interventions in the public square have made important contributions to religious liberty and the national political discourse.

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New Hampshire Governor praised for "taking religious liberty seriously"

May 14, 2009, the Governor of New Hampshire, John Lynch, refused to sign the legislature's same-sex marriage bill unless the legislature added more robust protections for religious liberty.

"We're glad to see the governor taking the conflict between same-sex marriage and religious liberty seriously," said Eric Rassbach, National Litigation Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. "Giving legal recognition to same-sex marriages promises to unleash a host of legal and financial penalties on those who conscientiously object to it, unless states make the effort to enact robust legal protections. Governor Lynch is to be applauded for recognizing and responding to this issue."

Governor Lynch's conscience protections go significantly further than those set forth in states such as Vermont and Connecticut. Lynch's proposal would in some instances also protect individuals as well as institutions, though it would not protect small business owners such as the New Mexico photographer who faces a fine for refusing, in accord with her religious beliefs, to photograph a same-sex union.

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Eric Rassbach debates Michael Newdow on the Pledge of Allegiance

Eric Rassbach,
National Litigation
Director

On April 16, 2009, Eric Rassbach, National Litigation Director of the Becket Fund, faced Dr. Michael Newdow in a debate on the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. The debate took place at Stanford University Law School.

Dr. Newdow has challenged the constitutionality of "under God" in the Pledge on multiple occasions. In December 2007, Becket Fund president Kevin J. "Seamus" Hasson argued against Dr. Newdow in the 9th Circuit. A decision is still pending.

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Church cleared for demolition: Building goes so Church can survive

On May 13, 2009, a District of Columbia official cleared the way for the Third Church of Christ Scientist to demolish its bunker-like "Brutalist" building three blocks north of the White House. The District's Historic Preservation Review Board had landmarked the building, claiming that it is an important example of "low bar Brutalism," a mid-20th century school of French architecture that typically involves large expanses of windowless concrete. The Becket Fund is jointly representing the church with Roman Storzer of Storzer & Greene.

"We're happy the District has finally recognized that it should not kill churches in the name of historic preservation," said Eric Rassbach, National Litigation Director at The Becket Fund. "Although this does not resolve all of the issues in the lawsuit, it is an important statement that the people inside the building are more important than the building itself."

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Debate on challenges posed by recent U.N. resolutions on "Defamation of religions"

On May 12, 2009, Angela Wu, International Law Director participated in a discussion with Nonie Darwish, noted American writer and public speaker, on the challenges posed by the recent rise of the U.N. resolutions on "defamation of religions," which seek to prohibit blasphemy as defined in Sharia. The debate was part of a symposium that seeks to explore the relationship between Sharia and the West.

The Becket Fund has been a leading advocate against the resolutions and "defamation of religions" concept, and has delivered several interventions before the Human Rights Council (click here for a 2006 intervention, and here for an intervention from the current session) and issued a brief on this topic as well as having testified before various governmental bodies, non-governmental bodies and the press.

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International religious liberty symposium postponed

En español

Due to the outbreak of the H1N1 virus that has spread in many countries around the world, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has decided to postpone the international symposium "Voices: The Lay State and Religious Liberty" which was to have taken place in Mexico City on May 22 and 23.

New dates for this conference of extraordinary importance for Mexico and the Americas will soon be announced.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is organizing the symposium with the sponsorship of the Knights of Columbus and under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Mexico City.

For more information: http://www.voices-symposium.org/