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Federal guidance on religious liberty reflects church autonomy, parental rights rulings

July 23, 2026 · 1 min read

The Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a memorandum to federal departments and agencies with updated guidance on religious liberty and parental rights protections, based on recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

The update, issued July 23, is the first revision to the guidance since 2017. It incorporates Supreme Court rulings issued after the earlier guidance, including rulings on church autonomy, equal access for religious entities to grants and government programs, and the right for parents to direct the religious upbringing of their children.

“Religious liberty is not merely a right to personal religious beliefs or even to worship in a particular place,” the memorandum, sent by the attorney general’s office, states. “It also encompasses religious observance and practice as displayed in a person’s daily life.”

“Except in the narrowest circumstances, no one should be forced to choose between living out his or her faith and complying with the law,” it says. “Therefore, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law, religious observance and practice should be reasonably accommodated.”

The guidance expands the DOJ interpretation of church autonomy for hiring and firing…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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Вера Комарова

It is good that now this document directly mentions the right of parents to decide for themselves how to raise their children in the faith. In our family, this has always been the main thing, without any prompting from the state. I wonder how this will work in practice in schools and when receiving grants.

Тамара Морозова

I agree, Vera, in our family, too, we always decided on our own, without prompting. But how it will be in schools - I wonder if they will suddenly start offering some “alternative” clubs instead of the usual ones. Have you tried to change something at your local school for your daughter?

Michał Kaczmarek

It is good that in this memorandum they clearly write about the right of parents to direct their children's religious upbringing. At home, we have always made our own decisions, without officials, and I am glad that the Supreme Court confirmed it. I wonder if Polish schools will one day go in this direction, because for now in Gdańsk there are more secular "workshops" than space for catechesis.