Well, here's some good news on the recognition of religious freedom in a decision from the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The three judge panel ruled 2-1 that the rights of Jonathan Davy, pursuing studies in Pastoral Ministries at Northwest College in Kirkland, Washington, were violated by the provisions of a 1969 state law. He was stripped of his scholarship under the terms of that law, and the revocation of the scholarship was upheld at trial court level. But now:



This appeal challenges Washington law that denies a state-funded "Promise Scholarship" to students who are qualified for it by virtue of high school grades, family income, and attendance at an accredited college in the state, solely because the student decides to pursue a degree in theology.



Here's the text of the decision.



Also, spurred in part by public disgust at their ruling in the Pledge of Allegiance case, efforts to split the huge Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have been revived.