Expressions of belief

Christian photographer Emilee Carpenter of upstate New York is free to continue shooting weddings according to her beliefs, at least for now. U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr. on May 22 barred officials from enforcing New York’s anti-discrimination laws against Carpenter while her lawsuit continues in court.

New York’s nondiscrimination laws bar vendors from withholding services from patrons on the basis of sexual orientation. As a Christian, Carpenter believes marriage is between one man and one woman and felt a religious conviction against photographing a gay wedding. Under the law, Carpenter could lose her business license, receive a $100,000 fine, and spend up to a year in jail for refusing business from same-sex couples.

Carpenter challenged the state’s anti-discrimination law in April 2021, alleging it violated her right to free speech and religious practice. In his order protecting Carpenter from the law while her case plays out, Geraci, an Obama appointee, said he considered her photography services a form of personal expression that merited First Amendment protections.

“While [Carpenter] is not responsible for the wedding events themselves, she is responsible for capturing those events in a manner that conveys her particular artistic and aesthetic sensibilities,” Geraci wrote. “As a result, for First Amendment purposes, Plaintiff’s photography constitutes her expressive activity.”

The nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Carpenter, described the ruling as a significant win. “The U.S. Constitution protects Emilee’s freedom to express her own views as she continues to serve clients of all backgrounds and beliefs,” said ADF senior counsel Bryan Neihart in a statement.

In a similar case, attorneys for Christian cake designer Cathy Miller said May 29 they would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent California officials from forcing her to create cakes for same-sex weddings.

Associated Press / Photo by Jessie Wardarski

Keeping up a shape-note tradition

The Sacred Harp Publishing Co. will publish an updated version of the traditional Sacred Harp songbook in September—the historical shape-note hymnal’s first revision in nearly 35 years.

Sacred Harp singing dates back nearly 200 years as a uniquely American form of a cappella Christian worship, focused on community rather than performance. Participants form an inward-facing square while singing, with a choir member leading from the center. Groups sing for hours on end without instrumental accompaniment by following the songbook’s four-part sheet music and unique “patent notes,” or notes shaped like triangles, ovals, squares, and diamonds.

Released in 1844, The Sacred Harp has since been revised and re-released every few decades. The Sacred Harp Publishing Co. oversees the process of adding new songs while maintaining the volume’s history. The group plans to unveil its newest edition this fall at the United Sacred Harp Musical Association convention in Atlanta, Ga. —C.G.