Keeping Church & State Separate
The Baptist Joint Committee is the only faith-based agency devoted solely to religious liberty and the institutional separation of church and state. Since 1936, the BJC has continuously provided reliable leadership on church-state issues as it leads coalitions of groups striving to protect both the free exercise of religion and to defend against its establishment by government. Read more.
Why Religious Liberty?
Baptists value religious freedom and separation of church and state because we suffered the hard lessons of history. The Baptist commitment to religious liberty is centered on our freedom to worship without efforts by the government to advance or restrain religion. God has made us all free – free to say yes, free to say no, and free to make up our own minds about our spiritual destiny. The BJC believes that a threat to anyone’s religious liberty is a threat to everyone‘s liberty. Read more
Why church-state separation?
The separation of church and state is a shorthand metaphor for expressing a deeper truth: religious liberty is best protected when church and state are institutionally separated and neither tries to perform or interfere with the mission and work of the other. It does not require a “segregation” of religion from public life, but it serves both religion clauses in the First Amendment, insisting upon no establishment of religion and ensuring the free exercise of religion. Read more
Masterpiece Cakeshop Owner Files New Complaint over Cake Refusal Dispute
We may be headed toward Masterpiece Cakeshop, Round 2, after the cakemaker filed a new lawsuit accusing state officials of engaging in unconstitutional bullying after he was again charged with violating the state’s public accommodation law.
State Religious Liberty Protections in Danger as School Funding Cases Progress
A follow up case to Trinity Lutheran may not be far off. It could be a school funding dispute in one of the many states that have chosen to protect against government support for religious education.
U.S. Labor Dept. Moves to Facilitate Religious Exemptions from Employment Nondiscrimination Laws
Labor Department staff charged with enforcing employment nondiscrimination rules for federal contracts were instructed Friday to “bear in mind” the religious objections of organizations and closely-held businesses.
A tour through history raises questions for our time
BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler shares a learning experience she had during the summer of 2018.
Amanda Tyler comments on the new Religious Liberty Task Force
We must all advocate for a more complete and inclusive understanding of religious liberty for people of all faith traditions and those who do not adhere to any religion.
New Executive Order undercuts key protections
For the second year in a row, President Donald Trump used the National Day of Prayer to unveil an Executive Order purporting to protect religious liberty that threatens to do the opposite.
