42 Arkansas Faith Leaders Call on General Assembly to Support Religious Freedom by Rejecting Ten Commandments Displays in Public Schools and Buildings

For Immediate Release:

March 31, 2025

Media Contacts:

Lincoln Le, 954-701-1363, West End Strategy Team for Interfaith Alliance, [email protected]

Little Rock, AR – A group of more 42 Arkansas faith leaders are calling on the Arkansas General Assembly to vote against SB433, which  would require the display of a government-selected version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom of all  elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools and  in every other public building or facility maintained with taxpayer funds.

The Arkansas Senate has passed the bill, but the House now has the opportunity to stand up for religious freedom and reject it. The letter was organized by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, and Interfaith Alliance. 

“A government  mandate that the Ten Commandments be displayed in all government buildings demeans religious freedom,” the letter states. “The government oversteps its authority when it dictates an official state-approved version of any religious text. The government must respect the rights of individuals and faith communities to make decisions about the sacred texts that inform our religious understandings and practices.”

“As a Christian, I understand the Ten Commandments as holy and worthy of contemplation and I take them very seriously,” said Rev. Brittany Stillwell, Associate Pastor with Students and Families at Second Baptist Church, Downtown, in Little Rock. “They do not, however, belong in schools and other public spaces as a kitschy symbol of a shallow faith. I don’t want the students I pastor to become desensitized to the holiness and reverence they are due. Religious liberty protects scripture from the whims of the government so that it might remain the elevated word from God we hold so dear.” 

Rev. Stillwell delivered the letter to all members of the Arkansas House today.  

“Growing up, I spent Easter weekends at my family’s homestead in Bearden. My Arkansas aunts, uncles and cousins played a crucial role in my spiritual formation and never needed the government to define for them Christian teachings or practices,” said Rev. Jennifer Hawks, Director of Advocacy at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. “When the state writes a cliff’s notes version of a religious text and mandates its use, we all lose. The state should not waste time trying to usurp our families and religious institutions. Leave religious instruction to us and don’t turn public schools into Sunday Schools.”

“Faith isn’t something the government can force on kids in a classroom,” said Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty). “And in America, we don’t need the government playing preacher. Arkansas lawmakers need to do the right thing and leave faith where it belongs: with the people.” 

‍You can read the full letter here. Rev. Stillwell and Rev. Hawks are available for interviews.

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BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) is an 89-year-old religiously based organization working to defend faith freedom for all and protect the institutional separation of church and state in the historic Baptist tradition. BJC is the home of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.  For more information visit bjconline.org. 

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a global community that bears witness to the Gospel in partnership with Christians across the nation and around the world. CBF is a network of churches, individuals and partners inviting each other into deeper community, equipping each other for ministry and seeking the transformation of God’s world. Our understanding of Baptist faith and practice is expressed by our emphasis on freedom in biblical interpretation and congregational governance, the participation of women and men in all aspects of church leadership and Christian ministry, and religious liberty for all people. For more information visit cbf.net. 

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.

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