The Religious Liberty Commission, an advisory panel formed by President Donald Trump, is nearing the completion of its final report. During a recent meeting in April, commissioners outlined a series of recommendations that reflect conservative Christian perspectives on religious freedom. These include expanding religious expression in public schools, increasing opportunities for faith-based organizations to receive public funding, and allowing religious exemptions in areas such as labor law, healthcare, and education.
One commissioner proposed awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Another called for Department of Justice intervention on behalf of Amish parents challenging New York vaccine requirements and Catholic nuns contesting a state mandate to accommodate hospice patients' gender identities. The commission's chair, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, advocated for a federal hotline with an automated recording stating, 'There is no separation of church and state.'
The commission has faced criticism for its lack of diverse viewpoints. A lawsuit filed by a progressive interreligious coalition argues that the panel fails to comply with federal law requiring balanced representation. The coalition notes that most commissioners are conservative Christian clerics and commentators, with only one Orthodox Jewish rabbi. Critics claim the commission threatens the constitutional separation of church and state, a principle Patrick has repeatedly denounced as 'a lie.'
Patrick has called for prayer and Ten Commandments postings in public schools, stating, 'These organizations that are pushed by some ideology and pushed by someone's bank account who wants to remove God from our country? We need to push back.' Other commissioners recommended restoring full benefits for military personnel discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines, requiring schools and workplaces to post notices of religious rights, and enabling faith-based groups like Catholic Charities to receive federal money without compromising traditional teachings.
Bishop Robert Barron also urged humane treatment for Catholic immigrants in detention and access to sacraments, as well as protections against immigration enforcement in sanctuaries. Kelly Shackelford of the First Liberty Institute called for governments to pay legal fees if they lose religious liberty cases, arguing this would empower citizens against state challenges.
The commission has largely operated in harmony, except for the ousting of Commissioner Carrie Prejean Boller in February after a contentious hearing on antisemitism. Chair Patrick accused her of attempting to 'hijack' the hearing. Witnesses at commission hearings described conflicts with workplace regulations over gender, abortion, and vaccines, while Jewish witnesses spoke of harassment at campus protests.
Critics, including the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush of the Interfaith Alliance, argue that the commission has ignored issues like anti-Muslim efforts and right-wing antisemitism. The Trump administration is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the commission's composition, citing legal technicalities.
Another Trump-created entity, the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, reported discrimination against Christians under the Biden administration, though progressive groups dismissed the report as advocacy. Several commission members are scheduled to participate in a May 17 prayer event for the nation's 250th birthday.
