Religious Liberty

We fight to uphold the dual protections enshrined in the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty: the right to free religious expression, and the promise that the government must not endorse one set of religious beliefs over others.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...

The ACLU works to guarantee that all people are free to follow and practice their faith -- or no faith at all -- without government influence or interference and that the government remains neutral regarding matters of religion and belief.

We fight to uphold the dual protections enshrined in the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty: the right to free religious expression, and the promise that the government must not endorse one set of religious beliefs over others.

Today we also work to combat so-called "religious exemption" laws that seek to allow people to discriminate against and deny services to others, particularly LGBTQ people.

The Latest

Press Release
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U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Review North Carolina County’s Coercive Prayer Practice

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court announced today it will not review a ruling that found the county commissioners of Rowan County, North Carolina, violated the Constitution by coercing members of the public to join in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced beliefs specific to one religion.
Issue Areas: Religious Liberty
Court Cases: Religious Liberty
News & Commentary
Rowan County, prayer, ACLU

Rowan County Commissioners Vote to Appeal Coercive Prayer Case to the U.S. Supreme Court

Rowan County commissioners voted unanimously to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court ruling that found that the commissioners violated the Constitution when they opened public meetings by coercing public participation in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced one religion.
News & Commentary
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A major victory for religious liberty in Rowan County and beyond

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled with a decisive majority that Rowan County’s commissioners violated the Constitution when they routinely opened public meetings by coercing public participation in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced beliefs specific to one religion.
Press Release
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Appeals Court Rules Rowan County Prayer Practice Violated Constitution

RICHMOND, Va. – The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today ruled 10-5 that the commissioners of Rowan County violated the Constitution when they opened public meetings by coercing public participation in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced beliefs specific to one religion.
Issue Areas: Religious Liberty
Court Case
Mar 13, 2013

Religious Liberty

The ACLU successfully represented three Rowan County residents in a challenge to their county commissioners’ practice of opening meetings by coercing the public to join them in prayers that overwhelmingly advance beliefs specific to one religion.