Recently, Texas Governor Greg Abbott met with various religious leaders across the state via a teleconference advocating for Texas churches to declare October 15 “School Choice Sunday,” and urged them to promote “school choice” from the pulpit. Regardless of one’s view on the legislative proposal, a call from a government authority to intervene in Sunday worship goes beyond what any church body should accept or condone.
It is out of bounds for any representative of the government to co-opt a Sunday morning time of worship. A government’s request for churches to join a legislative agenda violates the conscience concerning religious liberty and the separation of church and state. Churches that too closely entwine with political affairs hamper both their Christian witness and citizenship responsibilities. Texas Baptists remain committed to the separation of church and state. Government should not interfere with the free exercise of religion, and no religion should depend on public tax dollars for support.
We encourage all citizens, including church members, to be informed on the various proposals before the state, and we also encourage all churches to protect their autonomy from interference by the state.
As the current and former Executive Directors of the Executive Board of the BGCT and joined by the current and former presidents of the convention, we offer our prayers and encouragement to Baptists in Texas and all citizens of goodwill to honor the separation of church and state while seeking the flourishing of all people made in the image of their Creator.
Executive Directors
Julio Guarneri (executive director-elect) *
David Hardage
Randel Everett
Charles Wade *
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William M. Pinson Jr.
Presidents
Ronny Marriott
Julio Guarneri *
Michael Evans
Danny Reeves
René Maciel
Kathy Hillman
Jerry Carlisle
Victor Rodriguez
David Lowrie
Joy Fenner
Steve Vernon
Michael Bell
Albert Reyes
Ken Hall
Clyde Glazener
Charles Wade*
Richard Maples
Joel Gregory
* Served as BGCT president prior to becoming executive director.
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