President Donald Trump delivers remarks on religious liberty at the Museum of the Bible on Monday, Sept. 8.
WASHINGTON (BP) — In remarks at the Museum of the Bible during a meeting of his Religious Liberty Commission, President Donald Trump touted his administration’s religious liberty victories, vowed to protect prayer in public schools and announced the donation of his personal Bible to the museum.
“For thousands of years, the Bible has shaped civilization, ethics, art and literature, and it’s brought hope, healing and transformation to untold millions and millions of lives,” Trump said.
“The Bible is also an important part of the American story. That’s why I am delighted to announce that just moments ago, I have personally delivered the Trump family Bible given to me by my mother.”
The Bible was used in both of Trump’s presidential inaugurations.
The president spent about 15 minutes personally thanking attendees, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, who introduced Trump at the event; Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick; Ben Carson; Pentecostal Pastor Paula White; Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner; author and talk show host Eric Metaxas; talk show host Phil McGraw; Faith & Freedom Coalition Founder Ralph Reed; and evangelist and Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham.
Trump referred several times to the nation’s upcoming 250-year anniversary celebration.
“As president, I will always defend our nation’s glorious heritage, and we will protect the Judeo-Christian principles of our founding, and we will protect them with vigor,” he said. “We have to bring back religion in America, bring it back stronger than ever before as our country grows stronger and stronger. Our country is now the hottest nation anywhere in the world.”
At least two public school students who fought their own religious liberty battles were in attendance. Trump recognized Hannah Allen of Honey Grove, Texas, who was prevented from praying at lunch for an injured classmate. She was told the prayer would have to be behind a curtain or off school property — not in front of other students.
Trump then called Shea Encinas, 12, to the podium to tell about an experience he had as a fifth grader in a California school.
“I’ve been a Christian my whole life, and Jesus means everything to me,” Encinas said. “When I was in fifth grade, my school forced me to teach my kindergarten buddy about changing his gender using a book called ‘My Shadow Is Pink.’ The book said you can choose your gender based on feelings instead of how God made us. I knew this was not right, but I was afraid of getting in trouble.
“After my family spoke up, the school treated us badly, and kids started bullying me and my brother because of our faith. And the school did nothing to stop it. It hurt a lot. But I kept trusting God. I believe kids like me should be able to live our faith at school without being forced to go against what we believe. I hope no other family has to go through what mine did.”
Trump reiterated his administration’s opposition to transgender ideology and referenced his executive order to remove federal funding from any school that “pushes transgender insanity on our youth.”
Trump also touted the end of the Johnson Amendment, which he opposed in an executive order in his first term and which was officially overturned in a court decision earlier this year.
He told the audience when he first ran for president and asked faith leaders for their support, he was surprised to learn about the Johnson Amendment, which threatened religious leaders with the loss of tax exemption for taking political stands.
“I never heard of that before. And I said, ‘We’re gonna get rid of it.’ And we got rid of it,” Trump said, adding that people of faith are the ones who primarily should be weighing in on political matters.
“We have to give you your voices back, and I’ve given your voices back,” he said. “And that’s one of the reasons that we see upticks now, I think, in religion.”
Other religious liberty matters Trump listed as priorities include ending the “weaponization of law enforcement of religious believers,” school choice and action against anti-Semitic and anti-Christian violence like the Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis last month.
“Our hearts are shattered for the families of those beautiful children,” Trump said. “And I’ve made clear Attorney General Pam Bondi is working really hard that we must get answers about the causes of these repeated attacks. And we’re working very, very hard on that. The Trump administration will have no tolerance for terrorism or political violence. And that includes hate crimes against Christians, Jews or anybody else. We’re not gonna allow it.”
Trump called on Secretary Turner, a Southern Baptist, to pray and to issue a call to pray for the nation in the year leading up to its 250th birthday next summer.
“What if 1 million people prayed for our country every single week between now and next July 4th?” Turner asked. “More specifically, what if believers all across this great nation got together with 10 people — friends, family members, colleagues, work associates — 10 people each week to pray for our country and for our fellow citizens?”
He then prayed for God to bless the country and to bless next year’s celebration.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Laura Erlanson is managing editor of Baptist Press.)
