Religious Liberty

Holding and expressing religious beliefs is a fundamental human right guaranteed by the First Amendment. Too often, however, religious groups and individuals in America face discrimination by the government.

CIR believes the government must remain neutral toward religious viewpoints. Religious groups and individuals are entitled to the same protection of the law and the same opportunities to participate in government affairs and programs as everyone else.

When Columbia Union College was denied a grant for education by state bureaucrats solely because it was "too religious," college officials decided to battle for their right to religious freedom in federal court. With the help of CIR, they won a crushing victory in a federal appeals court affirming the right of faith-based entities to receive fair consideration for state aid. Find out more about this landmark case for religous liberty.

U.S. Supreme Court victory upholds religious students' rights

Virginia's 1786 Statute for Religious Freedom is well-known as one of the earliest American declarations of the religious rights of citizens. Ironically, more than 200 years later, Christian students at the University of Virginia were forced to seek redress in the courts after being denied funding for a journal solely because of its Christian viewpoint. Trace their journey to a precedent setting triumph.

CIR co-founder Michael McDonald explains how federal money can co-exist with religious speech without violating the First Amendment.