Curt Smith: Some proposed language for a religious bill of rights

Successful primaries produce more than the party’s preferred candidate. They are also idea incubators when the debate is robust and informed, allowing the successful candidate to advance approved approaches.

One idea from the GOP gubernatorial primary that deserves to advance was espoused by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, namely involving the faith community more intentionally in meeting our pressing human needs. She focused on mental health, but our state’s robust faith communities can and should provide an even wider array of services and goods.

To advance that conversation, and to help reassure faith leaders their distinctives would be respected and protected, here is a modest proposal: a bill of rights that could be legislated and/or adopted as an executive order.

The language below, while more aspirational than legal, would reassure church, temple and synagogue leaders as well as faith-based community service organizations that they can engage with state and local government in good faith.

It is offered in the spirit of sparking a conversation about how we can tap into the latent talent and capacity of our neglected faith communities.

This is a draft executive order for the new Indiana governor to issue upon taking office, welcoming the faith community to be full partners in our state’s progress without fear of disrespect or diminution by the executive branch. Similar language could be legislated, and at least one House committee chair has expressed interest in this approach.

“WHEREAS, Indiana has enjoyed a rich, vibrant, diverse faith community since before our admission into the Union, whose past, present and ongoing contributions to our quality of life are immeasurable, and

“WHEREAS, the Indiana State Constitution recognizes an even wider array of religious rights than the U.S. Constitution enumerates to worship, hold matters of belief and conscience, and be free of governmental preference for one creed over another, and

“WHEREAS, a new Executive Branch is being sworn in to serve all Hoosiers and all Hoosier churches, temples, synagogues, houses of worship, faith communities, religious societies and pious individuals,

“THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED that all state Executive Branch matters will be conducted with the upmost respect and accommodation for the role of the faith community across our state, including

“No requirement to deny tenets of their faiths or sincerely held religious beliefs will be required to participate in state programs, including to offer social services on a nonsectarian basis, and

“Maximum consideration will be given to the needs of faith communities in health emergencies, relying on religious societies to determine unique needs in such trying circumstances, and

“Faith communities will enjoy equal standing with all Hoosier entities in partnering with Indiana state government, whether in education, health care, soul care, meeting human needs, counseling and more, and

“Executive branch employees who engage with the public must undergo an annual, two-hour professional development training session where the wide freedoms enjoyed by the Hoosier faith community and all Hoosier residents are defined and celebrated, and

“During that professional development session, the varied and essential role the faith community plays in making Indiana a better place to live, work, raise a family, and enjoy the blessings of liberty will be emphasized, and

“The Executive Branch, while respecting the unique roles of co-equal branches, will identify and address instances where the broad freedoms enjoyed by the Hoosier faithful are not fully recognized and respected by our co-equal branches.”

I’m sure this language has shortcomings, and any aspirational goal is hard to enforce or promulgate. But as Indiana does a better job of welcoming the faith community to help solve our many problems of youth violence, mental health, fatherlessness, lack of educational attainment, and more, all Hoosiers benefit.•

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Smith is chairman of the Indiana Family Institute and author of “Deicide: Why Eliminating The Deity is Destroying America.” Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.

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