(SRN NEWS)-( ) A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. The suit, filed by a liberal interfaith group, argued that the commission’s overwhelmingly conservative Christian makeup lacked a legally required balance of viewpoints. U.S. District Judge John Cronan ruled that while federal law requires advisory commissions […]
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RELIGION HEADLINES WED 7-29
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(SRN NEWS)-( ) A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. The suit, filed by a liberal interfaith group, argued that the commission’s overwhelmingly conservative Christian makeup lacked a legally required balance of viewpoints. U.S. District Judge John Cronan ruled that while federal law requires advisory commissions to have a balance of viewpoints, it doesn’t specify how this should be done. He also wrote that the commission is diverse in other ways, such as including both clergy and lay people. The judge says the commission has “adherents of at least five different religions”.
( ) Rabbi Jeffrey Myers is retiring from Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, which he led through the aftermath of the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history. Eleven worshipers from three congregations were killed in the 2018 attack. Myers, who struggled to pray after the tragedy, says he found solace in the Book of Psalms. He plans to return to New Jersey to be near family and focus on personal healing. During his tenure, the rabbi helped the congregation navigate the pandemic, the trial of the gunman and plans for a new building. That building, including a memorial, is expected to open in 2028.
( ) A United Nations committee has selected a major archaeological site in the West Bank as a World Heritage site despite objections from Israel. At issue is what country the small town of Sebastia belongs to. UNESCO is designating it as a part of Palestine, despite the fact that the town has been identified by scholars as ancient Samaria, capital of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. The Israeli government withdrew from UNESCO in 2019, accusing the organization of being biased against it and of downplaying its historical ties to the Holy Land. A government spokesman says “politics has ruined UNESCO and led to mockery of history.”
( ) The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has unanimously elected Asif Mahmood and CeCe Heil chairman and vice chairman for the 2026-2027 term. Mahmood previously served as vice chair and says “Threats to international religious freedom are occurring every day, making the Commission’s mandate to analyze and recommend policy solutions to the U.S. government key to advancing religious freedom abroad.” Commissioners are appointed on a bipartisan basis, three by the President, three by the leadership of the Senate, and three by the leadership of the House.