Open Letter to Congressional Leaders: No (IN)Equality Act!

May 8, 2019

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House

H-232, The Capitol

Washington DC, 20515

The Honorable Steny Hoyer

Majority Leader

H-107, The Capitol

Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Kevin McCarthy

Minority Leader

H-204, The Capitol

Washington DC, 20515

The Honorable Jim Clyburn

Majority Whip

H-329, The Capitol

Washington DC, 20515

The Honorable Steve Scalise

Minority Whip

H-307, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Michael Pence

President of the Senate

S-212, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Mitch McConnell

Majority Leader

S-230, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Charles Schumer

Minority Leader

S-221, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable John Thune

Majority Whip

S-208, The Capitol

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Richard Durbin

Minority Whip

711 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

An Open Letter from Evangelical and Christian leaders on H.R. 5, the Equality Act

Dear Congressional Leaders:

As those tasked with the leadership of the church, and as those seeking to humbly convey

Biblical truth for the benefit of every man, woman, and child in society, we the undersigned

cannot remain silent concerning a dangerous bill pending in Congress known as the Equality Act

(H.R. 5). Not only is it incompatible with God’s Word (the Bible) and the historic teaching of the

church, but the Equality Act is also riddled with threats to religious liberty and the sanctity of

human life. For these reasons, we must state that we adamantly oppose this proposed legislation.

First, the ideology enshrined in the Equality Act—which falsely equates one’s sexual conduct

with immutable characteristics like skin color and ethnicity—is a falsehood that openly

contradicts the scriptural mandates we were given for our good (1 Thess. 4:3-8). We cannot

remain silent and allow this lie to harm countless men, women, and children—whether in this or

any other legislation. Passage of this coercive measure would lay the groundwork for this lie to

enter classrooms across the nation, as public educators could be compelled to teach it to their

students. No family would be safe from the long reach of the Equality Act.

Second, the Equality Act would gut religious freedom protections—even the freedom currently

enjoyed by houses of worship. Under its changes to the employment nondiscrimination

provisions in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, some houses of worship would be barred from

ensuring their leaders and other employees abide by their beliefs about marriage, sexual

behavior, and the distinction between the sexes. Women who identify as men would have to be

accepted as men and therefore potentially eligible to serve in positions reserved for men (such as

a Catholic Priest or Jewish Rabbi). Religious employers that fall under Title VII may be forced

to offer insurance coverage for medical procedures (such as hormone therapy or surgery related

to “gender transition”) that violate biblical teaching. Finally, the Equality Act would expressly do

away with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act’s application to its provisions, thereby

precluding any religious freedom claims which clergy or others might bring. Under such

restrictions, the pathway for the gospel would slowly be closed off.

The Equality Act would also harm faith-based adoption providers and other charities. Faith-based

organizations and others play a vital role in the adoption and foster care system and generally

receive funding under Title IV of the Social Security Act to perform their essential work. There

are over 440,000 children in foster care, and more than 100,000 of them are available for

adoption. The numbers are only getting higher; nearly 90,000 children a year enter the foster care

system due to the opioid crisis alone. The Equality Act would force faith-based organizations to

choose between continuing their life-affirming work or violating the tenets of their faith, the very

faith that drives them to care for society’s most vulnerable.

Third, the Equality Act is unacceptable because it is anti-life and creates a right to demand

abortion from health care providers. The termination of human life in the womb is unacceptable

to any biblically and historically faithful Christian. The responsibility to care for the “least of

these” (Matt. 25:40) is a fundamental responsibility of Christ’s church, and any proposal that undermines a culture of life must be rejected.

As Evangelical and Christian leaders humbly attempting to be faithful to God’s Word and historic biblical doctrine, we must clearly state our opposition to the Equality Act and any similar measures. Simply put, this bill will harm men, women, and children, and stifle freedom. It must

be stopped.

Sincerely,

Arthur Schaper