Make a Difference

After an interfaith prayer service on Jan. 21, 2025, we saw the introduction of House Resolution 59, which seeks to have the U.S. House of Representatives declare Bishop Mariann Budde’s sermon at that service a “distorted message.”

While differing opinions on matters of faith and interpretation of Scripture are to be expected in a free country, we must continue to be clear: it is our role, not that of the government’s, to decide what is true and right in matters of faith. We must let people know our opposition to efforts – such as H.Res. 59 – that undermine these ideals. No one has to agree with Bishop Budde’s message to oppose this resolution, which wrongly indicates that the government should decide what is acceptable in matters of religion.

In March, the Department of Education cut its workforce in half, essentially gutting the ability of the agency to fulfill its obligations to students across the country. The next week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to begin eliminating the Department. These reckless moves threaten aid for low-income students, resources for students with disabilities, and civil rights protections for all students in federally funded schools. As people who value religious liberty, we recognize that public education is the only system that guarantees students the right to practice (or not practice) religion without coercion. Dismantling the Department of Education eliminates critical oversight that protects religious freedom in public schools.

Proposals in Congress would create a national, federal school voucher program and funnel $10 billion per year in taxpayer money to private schools and families who homeschool. 

Public schools educate 90% of children in the United States, and they comprise the only education system in our country that guarantees religious freedom protections to all students. Diverting funds away from public schools harms students, families and communities. As Congress considers the path forward, lawmakers need to hear from people who care about religious freedom in their districts about this issue.

The Texas Legislature attacked faith freedom by letting anyone who can pass a background check be called a “chaplain” and have access to children in the state’s public schools. Texas chaplains spoke out against this government overreach into spiritual matters, but now the idea is spreading to other states.

People across the country are working to stop these misguided programs in their tracks. BJC helped organize a letter from 170+ Texas chaplains in that state, and we are now collecting signatures on a new letter from chaplains nationwide. There is also a petition for people of faith to sign. Learn more below.

Join us in rejecting the damaging political ideology of Christian nationalism, which conflates religious and political authority. It implies that to be a “true” American, you must be a Christian and espouse certain types of political beliefs. Conflating religious authority with political authority approaches idolatry, distorts the faith and can justify oppression of minority groups. 

More than 40,000 Christians have signed the statement since 2019, calling out the dangers of this ideology. We invite you to join this movement by checking out our website devoted to this cause, sharing the statement and using our resources.

BJC supports the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act. In the previous Congress, we were asking people to contact their representative to ask them to cosponsor the bill (H.R. 1351). 

Chí’chil Biłdagoteel, loosely translated as “Oak Flat” in English, is a sacred site for the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other tribal nations. It is currently at risk of being transferred to a foreign mining operation, which plans to use the highly destructive block-cave mining method that will result in the permanent destruction of Oak Flat. BJC sent a letter to the last session of Congress in support of the Save Oak Flat Act (H.R. 1884/S. 915).