The 3 - December 22, 2019

This week in The 3, there are news items concerning the displays of Nativity scenes in two locations in America.  Also, a Texas judge is fighting back after being cited by a state agency for not performing same-sex weddings.  And, a U.K. doctor who is a Christian has survived a challenge to his ability to live out his faith.

Nativity scenes facing challenges

It's an annual occurrence throughout our nation, when religious expressions of Christmas in the public square are removed, including this year, in the cases of Nativity scenes in Delaware and Iowa.  Faithwire.com reports on the attempt to remove a Nativity display from the town circle in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware, which had been "tradition...for nine decades," according to the article.

But, this year, once a church had erected the scene, the city called for its removal.  The Nativity was also not allowed to be displayed on the public boardwalk. A city official stated, according to the words of the article, that "the Boardwalk is public property, and reiterated that city policy prohibits nativity scene from placement on the Boardwalk or any other public property because of its religious nature."  But, as Faithwire points out:

According to the First Liberty Institute, a religious rights law firm, the City of Rehoboth Beach’s policy goes against long-standing US Supreme Court opinions that even government-sponsored nativity displays are lawful in holiday displays when accompanied by secular and religious components, and that religious discrimination is unlawful.

First Liberty has written a letter urging the city to reconsider.

Meanwhile, in Centerville, Iowa, according to Christian Headlines.com, the City Council rejected a Nativity scene that "was placed on the Appanoose County Courthouse lawn in Centerville Nov. 18 but was moved to a private lot Dec. 9 following a complaint, according to KCCI."  The article reports on a recent Council meeting, in which, "Most of the residents who were present wanted the Nativity placed back on the courthouse lawn..."

A petition drive was launched by Tony Angran, pastor of the Solid Rock Church of God, to request that the Nativity be returned to the courthouse property. On the church's Facebook page, the pastor said, "I am personally appalled that the very reason for the season be taken out of the very heart of this city and moved elsewhere..."  According to Christian Headlines, the television station reported that over a thousand people had signed the petition.

Texas judge who declined to sanction same-sex marriage sues state agency

Dianne Hensley is a judge in Waco, Texas who has taken a strong stand for traditional marriage, according to an article at the Texas Tribune website, which reports that after the Obergefell ruling...

...Hensley refused to officiate any weddings. But in August 2016, she decided to resume officiating weddings between men and women, and said she would “politely refer” same-sex couples who sought her services to others in the area.

In November, Hensley received a warning from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct regarding her practice. She has retaliated by suing the commission; the article says that, "Hensley claims the investigation and warning 'substantially burdened the free exercise of her religion, with no compelling justification.' She seeks damages of $10,000."

The article also reports that:

Hensley, who claims the state violated the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is seeking a declaratory judgment from the court decreeing that any justice of the peace may refuse to officiate a same-sex wedding “if the commands of their religious faith forbid them to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies.”

First Liberty is representing Judge Hensley, and her attorney is a former state solicitor general.

U.K. doctor can continue to pray, discuss faith

A Christian doctor in the United Kingdom who was facing the possibility of being reprimanded for expressing his faith has been "vindicated," according to the LifeSiteNews.com website.  The site traces the actions of the General Medical Council against Dr. Richard Scott, beginning in June 2019, when "the GMC wrote to [Scott]...that it had received 'some information' from the National Secular Society (NSS) and would begin a fitness to practise investigation into him."  The article continues:

The NSS, targeting Dr Scott to get him de-registered, had lodged a complaint expressing “concern” that he was “continuing to pray and promote Christianity during consultations in an attempt to convert patients”, and cited an anonymous complainant.

The GMC investigated for three months, and recently announced that the doctor had done nothing improper.  In its statement, it said: "there is no convincing evidence that Dr Scott imposes his personal religious beliefs upon potentially vulnerable patients," adding:

There is no evidence that [Dr Scott] discusses faith in situations where the patient has stated that they do not wish to discuss these matters or that he has continued to discuss faith after a patient has indicated that they do not welcome such a discussion.

The article did say that, "For the future, the GMC has advised Dr Scott to document any discussions of faith that he has with his patients and that prayer must only be offered within the guidelines of the GMC’s explanatory guidance on personal beliefs and medical practice."