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
