Press Release

Religion, the Supreme Court, and the 2012 Election Join Becket Fund’s Mark Rienzi for a panel discussion at the Newseum on ‘What is at Stake?’

Media Contact

Ryan Colby 202-349-7219 media@becketlaw.org

Date: POSTPONED due to Hurricane Sandy, New Date TBA

Location: Newseum, Knight Conference Center

Mark Rienzi, Senior Counsel at Becket, joins expert court watchers for a lively dialogue on the significance, if any, of the religious affiliation of the justices, and how the outcome of the presidential election could affect the composition of what is now a closely-divided court.

What are the key First Amendment “no establishment” and “free exercise” issues that are likely to be affected by changes on the court?

Becket recently won a 9-0 victory in Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC, which The Wall Street Journal called one of “the most important religious liberty cases in a half century.” The government lost 9-0 as the Court unanimously rejected its narrow view of religious liberty as “extreme,” “untenable” and “remarkable.” Given the unanimous agreement on the ministerial exception, how will this affect future decisions on religious liberty?

Panelists:

  • Mark Rienzi, Senior Counsel, Becket Fund Law
  • Jacques Berlinerblau, Professor of Jewish civilization, Georgetown University
  • Melissa Rogers, Director, Wake Forest University Divinity School’s Center for Religion and Public Affairs
  • David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

A reception sponsored by the American Jewish Committee and the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum will follow the program. Read more about this event here.

The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Please RSVP to Ashlie Hampton at ahampton@freedomforum.org.

 

Becket Law is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. Becket has an 18-year history of defending religious liberty for people of all faiths. Its attorneys have been recognized as experts in the field of church-state law.

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For more information, or to arrange an interview with one of the attorneys, please contact Melinda Skea at media@becketlaw.org or call 202.349.7224.