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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Christian Church will decide next week whether the change to Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act is enough to keep its 2017 convention in Indianapolis.
The Indianapolis-based church, also known as Disciples of Christ, initially reacted to Gov. Mike Pence’s signing of the act by announcing it would seek a new location for the general assembly, which takes place every other year and draws about 6,000 people.
On Thursday, Pence approved a revision to the law clarifying that it is not an authorization to refuse service, housing, products or jobs to someone based on sexual orientation.
“The General Board will be meeting next week for its regularly scheduled meeting, and the 2017 location will be on the agenda,” spokeswoman Cherilyn Williams said Friday morning. The meeting is scheduled for April 11-13.
She added that the board had been unable to schedule a conference call this week because of special services and Easter.
The organization is a mainline Protestant Christian group that has been headquartered in Indianapolis for nearly 100 years.
The church had urged Pence to veto the act and mentioned the possibility of moving the convention in a March 25 letter.
The AFSCME public employees union has canceled a women's convention in Indianapolis set for October.
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