Resolution 85-5: Resolution Regarding First Amendment Freedom of Religion

Whereas our society has grown increasingly hostile to expression of sincere religious observance in public spaces, and

Whereas the current doctrine of the separation of church and state represents a clear misunderstanding of the Establishment Clause, which is intended to prevent the state from establishing an official church, not to drive all religious sentiment whatever from any public space or governmental function, and

Whereas we are called to live out our faith publicly as well as privately (Matt 10:32-33, Lk 12:8-9, Ps 119:46, Mk 16:15, Matt 5:14-16), and

Whereas the Bremerton School District discriminated unjustly against Joseph Kennedy’s sincere religious practice in firing him for the simple act of engaging in prayer after football games, and

Whereas the Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed that Joseph Kennedy was acting within his rights, and has reversed the prior decision against Mr. Kennedy, and

Whereas the Lemon test has consistently been used as a cudgel to discriminate against legitimate religious observance and has herein been dismissed as a relevant standard, and

Whereas the dissent offered in this opinion makes it clear that any outward religious observance on the part of teachers or other government employees somehow constitutes “coercion” in the name of a particular religion, and

Whereas situations as public and notorious as the Kennedy case are rare, this same dynamic of coercion and pressure to privatize religious expression takes many workplaces and public fora, all over this country, every day, now therefore, be it:

Resolved that the 85th General Synod of the Bible Presbyterian Church, meeting August 4-8, 2022, in Grand Island, New York, expresses its gratitude to God for the action of the Supreme Court of the United States in its defense of sincere, public religious practice in these United States, and

Resolved that churches ought to recognize the likely hostility their congregants will face, should they live publicly Christian lives and ought to support those congregants, particularly when they should come under persecution and pressure to move such practices into the private sphere, and

Resolved that Christians everywhere, and particularly those in positions of authority and trust in our communities should be encouraged to live out their faith unapologetically in the public square, not being ashamed of our great Savior, Jesus Christ.