Ideas

Christian, Muslim, and Jewish Leaders: California, Please Protect Religious Liberty

We call on the State Assembly to abandon Senate Bill 1146.

Christianity Today August 9, 2016

A coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish leaders assembled by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission has released the following:

The California Assembly has proposed legislation that is harmful to the free exercise of religion in higher education. In particular, the legislation disadvantages low-income minority students who want an education at private religious colleges. Though it purports to eliminate discrimination, Senate Bill 1146 results in its own form of discrimination by stigmatizing and coercively punishing religious beliefs that disagree on contested matters related to human sexuality. If SB 1146 were to pass, it would deny students’ ability to participate in state grant programs—programs that exist to help low-income students, and which are overwhelmingly used by racial minorities—at schools that are found in violation of the bill. Moreover, it would severely restrict the ability of religious education institutions to set expectations of belief and conduct that align with the institution’s religious tenets.

While we do not all agree on religious matters, we all agree that the government has no place in discriminating against poor religious minorities or in pitting a religious education institution’s faith-based identity against its American identity. This legislation puts into principle that majoritarian beliefs are more deserving of legal protection, and that minority viewpoints are deserving of government harassment. Legislation of this nature threatens the integrity not only of religious institutions, but of any viewpoint wishing to exercise basic American freedoms, not least of which is the freedom of conscience.

We, the undersigned, do not necessarily agree with one another’s religious views, but we agree on the necessity of the liberty to exercise these views. At the root of the American experiment is the idea that conscience and religious conviction come before the demands of the state. Some of us disagree with the sexual ethics of orthodox Jews, Christians, and Muslims giving rise to this legislation, but we are unified in our resistance to the government setting up its own system of orthodoxy. As the American founding father Benjamin Franklin once said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” No less is this true than on matters of religious liberty. Where the state can encroach on one religion’s free exercise, it can just as easily trample on any other religion’s free exercise. We therefore join in solidarity across religious lines to speak against Senate Bill 1146.

We call on the California Assembly to abandon Senate Bill 1146. To ensure the future of the free exercise of religion in higher education in California and across America, we respectfully call on the supporters of Senate Bill 1146 to immediately withdraw their support of this bill, with the commitment to disavow similar intrusions in the future. Opposition to this bill is not grounded in the protection of religious liberty only, nor for the special pleading of one religion in particular, but for the protection of American society and American democracy. Such protection requires a civil society welcoming of religious diversity.

The future of a free America requires the full participation of religion in public life. Religious higher education cultivates both the mind and the soul. Senate Bill 1146 endangers the integrity of religious education institutions and discourages them from acting according to their conscience for fear of government retribution. As Americans with a rich legacy of freedoms afforded to us by the laws of nature and of nature’s God, and enshrined in the Constitution, we can do better. As we renew our commitment to religious pluralism in the public square, we should embrace debate, welcome dissent, and encourage civility as we work together for the sake of the common good and of a country we are all unreservedly blessed to call our home.

Russell Moore President Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Barry Corey President Biola University

Rick Warren Pastor and Founder Saddleback Church

Douglas Laycock Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law University of Virginia

Robert P. George McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Princeton University

Hamza Yusuf Hanson President Zaytuna College

Richard Stearns President World Vision US

Michael McConnell Director Stanford Constitutional Law Center

Jim Daly President Focus on the Family

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik Director Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought Yeshiva University

Shirley V. Hoogstra President Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

Frank R. Wolf Former Member of US Congress Distinguished Senior Fellow, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, Jerry and Susie Wilson Chair in Religious Freedom, Baylor University

R. Albert Mohler Jr. President The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Yuval Levin Fellow The Ethics and Public Policy Center

Leith Anderson President National Association of Evangelicals

Alan E. Sears President, CEO, General Counsel Alliance Defending Freedom

Helen Alvare Professor of Law Scalia Law School at George Mason University

John Inazu Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion Washington University in St. Louis

Samuel Rodriguez President National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Steven D. Smith Warren Distinguished Professor of Law University of San Diego

Ron Sider Senior Distinguished Professor of Theology, Holistic Ministry and Public Policy Palmer Seminary at Eastern University

Jo Anne Lyon General Superintendent Emerita The Wesleyan Church

Faizul Khan Imam and Founder Islamic Society of Washington Area

Michael Wear Founder Public Square Strategies

Paul Ague President San Diego Christian College

Daniel L. Akin President Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Anthony W. Allen President Hannibal-­LaGrange University

Jason K. Allen President Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and College

Ryan T. Anderson William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow The Heritage Foundation

Bruce Riley Ashford Provost/Professor of Theology and Culture Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

John Ashmen President Association of Gospel Rescue Missions

Mark L. Bailey President Sr. Professor of Bible Exposition Dallas Theological Seminary

Gregory S. Baylor Director Center for Religious Schools Alliance Defending Freedom

Michael J. Beals President Vanguard University

Jim Belcher President Providence Christian College

Phillip Bethancourt Executive Vice President Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

David Blankenhorn President Better Angels

Dan Boone President Trevecca Nazarene University

John C. Bowling President Olivet Nazarene University

John F. Bradosky Presiding Bishop North American Lutheran Church

Rick Brewer President Louisiana College

Bob Brower President Point Loma Nazarene University

Jennifer S. Bryson Independent Scholar

Galen Carey Vice President of Government Relations National Association of Evangelicals

Stanley Carlson­-Thies Founder and Senior Director Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance

Matt Carter Pastor of Preaching and Vision The Austin Stone Community Church

Derry Connolly President John Paul the Great Catholic University

Barry Creamer President Criswell College

Michael Cromartie Vice President Ethics and Public Policy Center

Kevin A. Culbertson Professor of Business; Chair of Business Department; MBA Program Chair John Paul the Great Catholic University

Jerry C. Davis President College of the Ozarks

Mark DeMoss President DeMoss Public Relations

David S. Dockery President Trinity International University/Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Jason G. Duesing Provost Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and College

Ronald L. Ellis President California Baptist Seminary

Erick-Woods Erickson Editor The Resurgent

Kevin Ezell President North American Mission Board

William Edmund Fahey President and Fellow Thomas More College of Liberal Arts

Thomas F. Farr President Religious Freedom Institute and Director, Religious Freedom Project Georgetown University

Matthew J. Franck Director Simon Center on Religion and the Constitution Witherspoon Institute

David French Staff Writer National Review

Richard W. Garnett Paul J. Schierl/Fort Howard Corporation Professor of Law University of Notre Dame

Timothy George Dean Beeson Divinity School of Samford University

Tim Goeglein Vice President Focus on the Family

Sandra C. Gray President Asbury University

Thomas P. Harmon Professor of Theology and Culture John Paul the Great Catholic University

George A. Harne President Northeast Catholic College

Jack W. Haye President Patrick Henry College

Jairy C. Hunter, Jr. President Charleston Southern University

William H. Jones President Columbia International University

Hyepin Im President and CEO Korean Churches for Community Development

Jeff Iorg President Gateway Seminary

John Jackson President William Jessup University

Jeffrey Jeremiah Stated Clerk Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Jerry A. Johnson President and CEO National Religious Broadcasters

Jeffrey K. Jue Provost and Executive Vice President Westminster Theological Seminary

William J. Katip President Grace College and Seminary

Jonathan Keller President California Family Council

Chuck Kelley President New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Thomas S. Kidd Distinguished Professor of History Baylor University

John A. Kincaid Professor of Theology and Scripture John Paul the Great Catholic University

Daniel Kroeze Professor of Biblical Studies Kuyper College

R. Alton Lacey President Missouri Baptist University

Richard Land President Southern Evangelical Seminary

Steve Lemke Provost and Professor of Philosophy and Ethics New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Stephen D. Livesay President Bryan College

Bryan Loritts Pastor Abundant Life Christian Fellowship

Erwin W. Lutzer Pastor Emeritus The Moody Church, Chicago

Jennifer Marshall Vice President, Institute for Family, Community, and Opportunity The Heritage Foundation

Brett McCracken Managing Editor, Biola Magazine Biola University

Gerald R. McDermott Anglican Chair of Divinity History and Doctrine Beeson Divinity School

Michael F. McLean President Thomas Aquinas College

Steve Miller University Counsel Colorado Christian University

Greg Mitchell Co-­Chair International Religious Freedom Roundtable

J. P. Moreland Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Biola University

Richard J. Mouw Professor of Faith and Public Life Fuller Theological Seminary

Jeff Myers President Summit Ministries

David Nammo Executive Director and CEO Christian Legal Society

Marvin Olasky Editor-in-Chief WORLD

Samuel W. “Dub” Oliver President Union University

Daniel Patterson Chief of Staff Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Paige Patterson President Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Daniel Philpott Professor of Political Science University of Notre Dame

Matthew Pinson President Welch College

Charles W. Pollard President John Brown University

Ramesh Ponnuru Senior Editor National Review

Karen Swallow Prior Professor of English Liberty University

Dennis Rainey CEO FamilyLife

Patrick J. Reilly President The Cardinal Newman Society

R. R. Reno Editor First Things

Eugene F. Rivers III Founder and President Seymour Institute

Alan Robinson National Director Brethren in Christ Church, US

Rocky Rocholl President Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

Gabriel Salguero President National Latino Evangelical Coalition

Richard Samuelson Associate Professor California State University, San Bernardino

Christof Sauer Director International Institute for Religious Freedom

Thomas Schirrmacher Moderator of Intrafaith and Interfaith Relations World Evangelical Alliance

Timothy Samuel Shah Associate Director Religious Freedom Project Georgetown University

Robert Sloan President Houston Baptist University

Kevin L. Smith Executive Director Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware

Timothy L. Smith President University of Mobile

Roger L. Spradlin Senior Pastor Valley Baptist Church of Bakersfield, Calif.

Randy Stinson Senior Vice President for Academic Administration and Provost The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

John Stonestreet President Colson Center for Christian Worldview

Tony Suarez Executive Vice President National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

C. Pat Taylor President Southwest Baptist University

Justin Taylor Executive Vice President for Book Publishing and Publisher for Books Crossway

Peter W. Teague President Lancaster Bible College

Mark Tooley President Institute on Religion and Democracy

Jim Towey President Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, Fla.

A. B. Vines Bishop New Seasons Church

Robert K. Vischer Dean and Mengler Chair in Law University of St. Thomas School of Law

Kristen K. Waggoner Senior Vice President of U.S. Legal Advocacy Alliance Defending Freedom

Andrew T. Walker Director of Policy Studies Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Jon Wallace President Palmer Seminary at Eastern University

Edward Whelan President Ethics and Public Policy Center

Evans P. Whitaker President Anderson University

Thomas White President Cedarville University

David Wesley Whitlock President Oklahoma Baptist University

Luder G. Whitlock, Jr. President Emeritus Reformed Theological Seminary

Fermin A. Whittaker Executive Director, California Southern Baptist Convention California Baptist University

William M. Wilson President Oral Roberts University

George O. Wood General Superintendent Assemblies of God

Adam C. Wright President Dallas Baptist University

Afshin Ziafat Lead Pastor Providence Church

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