D.C. church wins right to gather

Members of Capitol Hill Baptist Church on Friday won the right to worship outdoors together, at least for now. Rain canceled their plans for Sunday, but the church said it plans to gather its congregants in the city the next weekend.

What changed? Capitol Hill Baptist sued D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser after she denied its request to worship outside wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines. Judge Trevor N. McFadden ruled the congregation could meet outdoors within city limits while its case moves forward. Capitol Hill Baptist had met in a field outside another church in northern Virginia since mid-June. McFadden said the church would likely succeed in its argument that Bowser’s restriction violated its rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The case hinges on the mayor having welcomed thousands of protesters to the city while capping how many people could worship outdoors together.

Dig deeper: Read Steve West’s analysis of the case in Liberties.