Supreme Court Strikes Down Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Every church will be affected- City of Boerne v. Flores, 1997 WL 345322 (1997)

[Church Landmarking, The Free Exercise Clause]

Article summary. The Supreme Court struck down the Religious Freedom Restoration Act on the ground that Congress exceeded its authority in enacting the law. The Court's decision will impact virtually every religious organization in America. Some of those impacts are predictable, but others are not. This article explores the practical significance of the Court's decision to churches and other religious organizations.

In 1993 Congress (by an extraordinary unanimous vote) enacted the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). The purpose of RFRA was to reverse a 1990 Supreme Court ruling that greatly limited the first amendment guaranty of religious freedom. The Court's decision will make it much more difficult for churches and religious adherents to challenge a government ...