Missouri Reverses Policy, Allows State Grants for Religious Groups
Christian leaders have applauded Governor Eric Greitens of Missouri after he reversed a policy of discrimination against religious groups by allowing them to be eligible for certain state grants.
"We commend Governor Greitens for reversing a policy of discrimination against religious groups applying for neutral and widely-available grants to do important work for the state of Missouri," said Ashley McGuire, senior fellow with The Catholic Association, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency.
However, it is still uncertain whether the governor's move will have an effect on a religious freedom case that the U.S. Supreme Court was hearing this week.
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The case concerns a playground in a preschool owned by the Trinity Lutheran Church that is used by both members and non-members of the church.
The church earlier applied for a grant through a state program that provides materials to resurface playgrounds.
However, the playground was ruled ineligible for the state grant because the church, which runs the preschool, is a religious group, which is barred from receiving taxpayer funds under the state's constitution.
The church argues that "the safety of all children matters, whether they attend a religious school or a nonreligious school."
"The state of Missouri denied the Trinity Lutheran Child Learning Center's access to a public program that would have made their playground safer – and did so on the basis of religious status, a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedent," according to senior counsel David Cortman of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing the church before the Court.
The church's opponents insist, however, that the state's constitution bars churches from receiving taxpayer funds.
Last week, Greitens made known his stance on the matter by stating that churches and religious groups are now eligible for public grants from the state's department of natural resources for purposes such as improving recreational facilities and field trips.
"Before we came into office, government bureaucrats were under orders to deny grants to people of faith who wanted to do things like make community playgrounds for kids," Greitens said. "That's just wrong."
"We have hundreds of outstanding religious organizations all over the state of Missouri who are doing great work on behalf of kids and families every single day. We should be encouraging that work. So, today we are changing that prejudiced policy," he said.
