Grace Church Of Devoted Followers Case Study

Grace’s school performance suggests that she is capable of learning. This is confirmed by her scores on Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, and Processing Speed scores from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition. The Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Achievement further demonstrates these abilities with scores in the average range for Letter-Word Identification, Reading Fluency, Calculation, Writing Fluency and Writing Samples.

By applying the Coercion Test, the court will find that the school board did coerce their impressionable students to attend biased board meetings and to partake in Christian prayer. “The constitution guarantees that government may not coerce anyone to support or participate in religion or its exercise, or otherwise act in a way which establishes a religion or religious faith.” Lee, 505 U.S at 585. The Coercion Test protects school-aged children from

The case of Wallace v. Jaffree calls into question the constitutionality of an Alabama statute that authorized teachers to lead a one-minute period of silence for “meditation or voluntary” prayer in all public schools. Ishmael Jaffree, the parent of three students in the Mobile County Public School system filed a complaint that two of his three children had been “subjected to various acts of religious indoctrination,” as a result of Alabama statute 16-1-20.1 and asked for an injunction prohibiting Mobile County schools from “maintaining or allowing the maintenance of regular religious prayer services.” The purpose of Jaffree’s complaint was to prohibit the devotional services occurring in his children’s school and the consequent mockery of his children that occurred when they refused to recite the prayers to “Almighty God” (Stevens, 40). This type of law in Alabama public schools was not the first of its kind. Prior to statute 6-11-20.1, Alabama passed law 16-1-20 authorizing one minute of silence in public schools for meditation. After the authorization of statute 16-1-20.1 came 16-1-20.2, which allowed teachers to lead “willing students” in a prayer (Stevens, 40).

Decision: In 1985, the principal and superintendent of Westside High School (a secondary school in Omaha, Nebraska) cited the Establishment Clause as a reason for denying the request of Bridget Mergens to form a Christian club that would have the same privileges and meet on the same terms and conditions as other Westside student groups, except that it would have no faculty sponsor. Ms. Mergens took the case to court, and won at first. She lost on appeal at the 8th Circuit Court, and then later won in a 8-1 decision from the Supreme Court

A couple of the families were Jewish, another family was atheist, one parent was Unitarian and the last parent was of an ethical culture society. The Parents were to believe that the school was violating the first amendment of the constitution and this was not right; that according to Thomas Jefferson there should be a separation of state and church. Never before had the public school board been argued against with prayer like issues ( Haas, pg 7-20).

S. Court granted review of the case. Milford Central School’s arguments are that Good News Club is in violation of the Establishment Clause because the organizations purpose is religion and the students, especially the elementary students, would not be able to distinguish the religion instruction from the school instruction. In addition, the school has a “limited public forum” and cannot accept every application or open its doors every time an organization wants it to ("Find Law", 2015). The school related their argument to previous cases, such as, Engel v. Vitale Lee v. Weisman Sante Fe (school prayer), Peck v. Upsher County Board (no bibles in elementary schools), and Widmar v. Vincent (younger students are impressionable). Good News Club’s argument is that the school allows non-related organizations to “use the facilities based on expressive activities.” The club has a neutral viewpoint and is specific on the subject matter of promoting moral values. The club does not violate the Establishment Clause because they are neutral, viewpoint is private and not a reflection of the school, and the club is not endorsed by the school. Additionally, the club is promoting the community to put themselves above others and that is discriminated against its religious speech. The previous cases that the club uses to support their argument are Lambs Chapel v. Moriches School District (religious viewpoint but not religious purpose), Rosenberger b. Rector and

Schempp 374 US 203 (1963), 2015). The Schempp family were Unitarians, so they objected to some ideas in the Bible. They had the option to excuse their children from the Bible reading, but then their children would have missed out on some of the morning announcements. (Supreme Court Cases, 2015) So as to not hinder their children?s learning opportunities, the Schempp family brought their issue to the State appeals court. Later, the State appeals court took the side of the Schempp family and stated the Abington School District violated the Establishment Clause, which is a clause in the First Amendment that prohibits the government from establishing a religion. (Supreme Court Cases, 2015) When the issue was brought to the Supreme Court in 1963, the question was simple, did the Pennsylvania law and Abington 's policy violate the religious freedom of their students that is protected by the 1st and 14th Amendments (Chicago-Kent College of Law, 2015)?

Yoder, the Supreme Court thought about a conflict between Amish religious feelings and state academic necessities. Three families having a place with two Amish groups - the Old Amish religion and the Conservative Amish Mennonite Church- - declined to send their youngsters to government funded school past the eighth grade. In spite of the fact that state law required all kids to go to class until age 16, the guardians of Frieda Yoder, Barbara Miller, and Vernon Yutzy demanded that their religion denied them from enabling their kids to go to secondary school. The Amish felt that presenting their kids to the standard, "common" qualities instructed there, for example, rivalry and realism, would undermine the religious lessons vital to their elective way of life and world view. They favored rather to set up their kids at home for the farming and residential interests that anticipated them as grown-ups in the Amish people group. Accordingly they looked for exclusion from state law under the Free Exercise

In the case of Yusef v. Wisconsin Department of Education, the court decided in majority opinion, 9-0, in favor of the Respondent. The Freeman’s Christian Academy is not in violation of neither the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment nor the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI. Without the physical implementation of segregation amongst the students of color, their beliefs of segregation cannot be formally punished. There is a difference between advocation and employment, and because it cannot be proven that the funds received by the voucher system are used to promote the separation of people on the basis of religion and race, a rule set by the case, Lemon v. Kurtzmann, the Freeman's Christian Academy is lawful in receiving federal financial

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” (U.S. Const. amend. I). The Establishment Clause which derives from “Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion” was added to secure that state and church would be separate. In the 1971 the landmark case Lemon v. Kurtzman was heard by the Supreme Court and questioned “Do statutes that provide state funding for non-public, non-secular schools violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?”

Gary United Methodist Church is a small congregation of less than fifty members with an average worship attendance of ten or less. The congregational leaders, known as the administrative council, are looking for ways to increase attendance, which has been dwindling over the last few decades, and find new ways to engage in mission work in their small northern Minnesota community of less than 3,000. A decrease in employment opportunities over the last thirty years and the shutdown of two major employers in the town have led to the mass exiting of families with children. The town has several properties that are either condemned or dilapidated. Recently their schools combined with a neighboring town to offset the lack of enrollment and suspend the closing of both sets of schools.

Christ Tabernacle values Jesus, people, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. The institution believes in the Holy Bible, Trinity, and salvation. To connect with people, the CT uses Jesus as a message and the Holy Spirit as a guide. To connect with God and Jesus, the church utilizes prayer. Christ Tabernacle’s approach in worship is something modern and up-to-date. It incorporates new released songs to share the word of God. The institution does not rely on a traditional setting of a church to serve God and help people. Instead, the sermon is infused with live music and dancing that make the old members reconnect with God and the new members be comfortable in seeking Him and Jesus.

I hope you are all well and thriving continuously in the Lord. As you may know, my wife and I are planning to move to London, England this winter, Lord willing before the summer to work with the Stratford church of Christ. We are excited and are grateful for all the encouragement and prayers that have been lifted in His Name for this work and our success in fulfilling the Great Commission. We also thank God for the Highland congregation in your example of servitude and love for Christ and lost souls.

Should Tony continue as the pastor – given the circumstances that have occurred, past and present? Can the damage to his reputation be repaired? Has he disqualified himself?

Since the day I was born my parents took my sister and me to church ever Sunday. I grew up in a loving Christian home and was encouraged at an age where I could fully understand, to purse a relationship with Jesus. I accepted Christ into my heart when I was in the second grade and was baptized in the fourth grade at age 10. Growing up I have always been super involved in Church. I have a heart for people and love serving. Since 3rd grade until now, my senior year of high school I have been on the leadership team with my youth group. I can not imagine my life without Jesus as the center. I have been pushed to step out of my comfort zone and because of that I have grown in several different ways. For example, I am an extrovert and enjoy getting new people, but never liked public speaking as I felt nervous and intimidated. By the many adult leaders, and pastors coming along side of me and encouraging me to step of on my comfort zone I now highly enjoy speaking and spreading the truth about The Lord in big groups of people. I am so thankful for the many God loving people that have come in my life and helped stretch me. Jesus is my entire life and I am nothing without him.