Justices Urged to Protect Religious Schools and Parental Educational Freedom November 4, 2026 The United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, a consequential religious liberty case examining whether states may condition participation in publicly funded educational programs on religious schools surrendering practices rooted in their sincerely held beliefs. The Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University played an im

DETROIT, MI — October 28, 2026 — What does it mean to be faithful to the Constitution when personal convictions, political pressures, or desired outcomes point in another direction? That question stood at the center of a keynote address delivered by former federal judge William Wagner at a Federalist Society event hosted by Wayne State University Law School. Wagner, Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at Spring Arbor University's Wagner Faith & Freedom Center, challenged

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Honorable William Wagner (Ret.), Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law and Distinguished Chair of the Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University, participated in a Federalist Society debate at Michigan State University College of Law examining judicial independence, political pressure, and the rule of law. The debate addressed whether America's judiciary remains genuinely independent of political influence and whether p

CALEDONIA, Mich. — At the Focus on Life 2026 Annual Benefit Dinner, Professor William Wagner emphasized that vulnerable human life requires both moral courage and sacrificial compassion. Wagner, WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at Spring Arbor University, delivered the keynote “When Healing Becomes Killing: The Sanctity of Human Life, the Conscience of a Nation, and the Future of American Liberty.” Drawing upon Scripture and America’s constitutional foundations,

LANSING, MI — As America commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Honorable William Wagner (Ret.), Distinguished Chair for Faith and Freedom at Spring Arbor University, challenged Americans to reaffirm the enduring truths upon which the nation was founded. Speaking at the 2026 Day Under the Dome event, held at the Michigan History Museum and Library in Lansing, Wagner delivered an address examining the relationship between truth, human dignit

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — Professor William Wagner, Distinguished Chair of the Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University, joined Katherine Bussard, Executive Director and CEO of Salt & Light Global, in submitting written testimony to the Michigan Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services concerning Senate Bill 1124, legislation addressing medical care for homeless and runaway youth. The testimony raises concerns about the bill’s potential effect on parental ri

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — Spring Arbor University marked Constitution Day 2026 with a keynote address by the Hon. William Wagner (Ret.), WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at SAU. A packed room of faculty, staff, students, and visitors from throughout the State of Michigan gathered for Wagner’s address, “We Hold These Truths: The Declaration, the Constitution, and the Future of American Liberty.” Wagner explored the relationship between the Declaration of Independence a

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Wagner Faith & Freedom Center, in partnership with Spring Arbor University, recently helped host an educational excursion to Washington, D.C., bringing together SAU faculty, staff, and friends for an immersive experience exploring American history, constitutional government, and the nation’s Christian heritage. A highlight of the trip came when the group welcomed U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-05) for a special visit and conversation. Congressman Walberg par

Coalition Urges Supreme Court to Protect Parents from Government Policies That Displace Their Authority Over the Care and Upbringing of Their Children SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — September 15, 2026 — The Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University today joined a major coalition of national organizations and leaders in filing an amicus curiae brief before the Supreme Court of the United States defending the fundamental constitutional right of parents to direct the care

"We Hold These Truths" event will explore the Declaration, the Constitution, and the future of American liberty The Wagner Faith & Freedom Center will host its Constitution Day 2026 event on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 12:00 noon in the Aspen Room of the Dining Commons on the Spring Arbor University campus. This year's program, themed "We Hold These Truths: The Declaration, the Constitution, and the Future of American Liberty," marks the 250th anniversary of the Declarat

WORLD legal correspondent Jenny Rough reports on the Supreme Court ruling that states may reserve girls' and women's sports for females, interviewing the Hon. William Wagner, WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom. Listen Here https://wng.org/podcasts/a-league-of-their-own-1782942774 World News Interview

Washington D.C. — The Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University applauds today’s landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States upholding the constitutionality of laws enacted by West Virginia and Idaho preserving girls’ and women’s athletic competition for biological females. In a decisive affirmation of both Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, the Court held that states may reserve female athletic teams for biological women and girls in ord

By Hon. William Wagner Religious liberty is among the most fundamental of all human rights. It is not granted by government but arises from the inherent dignity of every person. Governments exist to secure these rights, not to restrict them. When state power is used to suppress religious expression or burden faith-based organizations, freedom itself is placed at risk. Recent reports regarding proposed amendments to India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) raise ser

A Christian college student is receiving legal support from First Liberty Institute after allegedly losing her part-time job following conversations about her religious beliefs. Paige, who worked at a local coffee shop while pursuing her education, says she was questioned by coworkers after they learned she attended a Christian college. According to reports, Paige answered questions about her faith honestly and respectfully. Just days later, she received a text message from m

This was, without a doubt, the most impressive academic event I have had the pleasure of attending in my nearly 30 years of legal academia. - Dr. Augusto Zimmermann, Dean and Professor of Law at Alphacrucis University College in Sydney From June 2 to 5, the Wagner Faith & Freedom Center hosted the inaugural International Christian Professors Forum, bringing together Christian scholars, educators, judges, and thought leaders from around the world for four days of rich conversa

The Wagner Center joined a coalition of 44 other amici in a U.S. Supreme Court brief defending the right to host a home prayer group. Professor Wagner thanked Advancing American Freedom for writing the brief in Grand v. University Heights. In this case, Daniel Grand, an Orthodox Jew, challenges University Heights, Ohio’s use of its zoning laws to prevent him from hosting a prayer group in his own home. As an Orthodox Jew, Mr. Grand’s religious practice requires prayer with a

WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith and Freedom at Spring Arbor University, William Wagner, submitted official public comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning the agency’s proposed rule addressing “Medical Aid in Dying” (MAID) within the context of federally funded hospice care. The comments were submitted in response to CMS-1851-P; RIN 0938-AV78, published at 91 Fed. Reg. 17338. The submission urges CMS and the Department of Health and Human S

Consequential Questions Confronting Church and State This week, the Hon. William Wagner (Ret.), WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom, held a Global Online Public Square Briefing, designed to address pressing cultural, constitutional, moral, and public policy issues through the lens of a biblical and constitutional worldview. The global online briefing focused on consequential questions confronting both church and state today: the morality of war and the constitutional

This week in Lansing, the Hon. William Wagner (Ret.), Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, delivered a keynote address before the Religious Liberty Section of the State Bar of Michigan addressing the growing movement to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Michigan and the profound constitutional, moral, and cultural implications surrounding the issue. Speaking from both a constitutional and biblical worldview perspective, Wagner warned that the recently proposed Michig

Dr. Augusto Zimmerman was interviewed on one of Australia's leading Christian radio programs. He talks about the importance of Christian education in Australia and the upcoming International Christian Professors Forum to be hosted by Spring Arbor University. Listen to the full interview HERE.