“On docket: religious freedom vs. drug laws”
See an Oct. 31, 2005, Christian Science Monitor story about the UDV case.
Resources in: English
“Pew Forum: Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita”
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life offers resources for covering the UDV case.
“Employment Division, Oregon Department of Human Resources v. Smith 494 U.S. 872”
Read the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the 1990 peyote case, Employment Division, Oregon Department of Human Resources v. Smith 494 U.S. 872.
“Is peyote legal?”
Read about the legal status of peyote, including the 1993 federal statute that allowed members of the Native American Church to ingest peyote as part of religious ceremonies and state laws granting exemptions for Native Americans’ ceremonial use of peyote. The information is posted by the Peyote Foundation.
First Amendment Center: Free exercise clause
Read the First Amendment Center’s article on the free exercise clause, which includes a discussion of how Employment Division v. Smith, the 1990 peyote case, changed the legal precedent for religious groups whose practices conflict with state law.
First Amendment Center: Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal
Read the First Amendment Center’s resource page on Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal. It includes amicus briefs filed for both sides of the case.
União do Vegetal (UDV) in the United States
The UDV religion in the United States has a website with resources for covering the case, including a FAQ and background links.
“What is a Tenebrae Service?”
Read about Tenebrae services and their recreation of the emotional aspects of the passion story on the Rev. Ken Collins’ web site.
John Chryssavgis
The Rev. John Chryssavgis is author of Light Through Darkness: The Orthodox Tradition. He taught theology at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and serves as theological adviser to the Ecumenical Patriarch on environmental issues. Chryssavgis lives in Maine.