Today, May 4, marks the 2017 National Day of Prayer. This year’s theme is For Your Great Name’s Sake! Hear Us…Forgive Us…Heal Us!, inspired by the Scripture verse Daniel 9:19. This year the National Day of Prayer Washington DC Observance moved to an evening event that will be held from 7:30 to 9 pm ET, and can be live streamed on the National Day of Prayer website (see links at bottom of article). An even bigger announcement, however, is that today President Trump issued an executive order that aims to re-enforce the protection of religious freedom—a protection undermined by the previous administration’s HHS mandates that forced employers, regardless of faith convictions, to provide insurance coverage that included anti-life procedures. The HHS mandate was, as is still being, fought in legal battles nationwide.
The new executive order eases IRS restrictions agains political activities by tax-exempt religious organizations, including churches.
“No one should be censoring sermons,” Trump said today as he announced the signing of the new order. “We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced again and we will never stand for religious discrimination.”
That said, many on the frontline of protecting religious freedom, either praise the move or say the new order falls short.
Mark Rienzi, counsel for The Becket Fund, the public interest law firm that has represented the Little Sisters of the Poor in their ongoing fight to be exempted from Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate, says he was encouraged by the “promise of the protection” coming from the White House.
But not all agreed.
“For many years, ADF has been advocating on behalf of pastors and churches who have had their speech chilled as a result of the Johnson Amendment,” notes Michael Farris, president and general counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom. “We have filed dozens of lawsuits on behalf of religious organizations, colleges, and businesses who object to being compelled to pay for abortifacients and other procedures that have the potential to end the life of an unborn child. President Trump’s executive order provides hope, on this National Day of Prayer, that he will move fully toward fulfilling his promise to protect religious freedom for countless Americans. Regrettably, this executive order leaves that promise as yet unfulfilled.”
“Though we appreciate the spirit of today’s gesture,” Farris continues, “vague instructions to federal agencies simply leaves them wiggle room to ignore that gesture, regardless of the spirit in which it was intended. We strongly encourage the president to see his campaign promise through to completion and to ensure that all Americans—no matter where they live or what their occupation is—enjoy the freedom to peacefully live and work consistent with their convictions without fear of government punishment. As the president said today, ‘No American should be forced to choose between the dictates of the federal government and the tenets of their faith.’”
RELATED ARTICLES:
RELATED RESOURCES: