For Immediate Release: February 3, 2025

Jailhouse ‘Blessed Are the Peacekeepers’ Motto Sparks Debate Over ‘Separation’ of Church and State

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — A battle over the separation of church and state is brewing in Isabella County, Michigan, where the local sheriff's office is facing demands to remove a “Blessed are the peacekeepers for they shall be called the children of God” quote from the wall of its new jail.

In a letter to officials with the Isabella County Sheriff’s office, The Rutherford Institute voiced its support for the sentiments expressed in the phrase. In denouncing the threat to have the motto removed, Institute attorneys also warned that misunderstandings over the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion, often give rise to misguided efforts aimed at censoring any reference to God or religion from public life.

“At a time when our nation is sorely in need of law enforcement officials prepared to advocate for a peacekeeper mindset rather than a warrior mindset, surely there are more pressing issues to fight over than whether a generic statement referencing ‘children of God’ on a jailhouse wall is overtly religious,” said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. “Frankly, the leadership within the Isabella County Sheriff’s Office should be commended for choosing to emphasize its commitment to the peacekeeping role of police officers in this unique display.”

The controversy arose after the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a demand letter to the Isabella County Sheriff’s office concerning a wall display in its as-yet-unfinished new jail which features the phrase “Blessed are the peacekeepers for they shall be called the children of God” under the name of the jail. Likening the quote to a biblical verse (Matthew 5:9, which reads “Blessed are the peacemakers”), the FFRF contends that even though the display does not match or cite the Bible verse, the phrase is “explicitly a Christian quote, and only a Christian quote” in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits government from establishing a religion.

In coming to the defense of the jail’s display, The Rutherford Institute argues that FFRF is likely misinterpreting the First Amendment. Moreover, the Institute asserts that the quote serves a secular purpose: promoting the image of law enforcement officers as peacekeepers, which is a core function of policing, while alluding to broader secular meanings related to shared humanity, moral equality, and community connection. At the heart of the debate is the interpretation of the Establishment Clause. Although FFRF believes it mandates a strict separation of religion and government, The Rutherford Institute argues that it doesn't prohibit all religious references in the public sphere. For instance, Institute attorneys cite the national motto, “In God We Trust,” as an example. The Rutherford Institute’s letter also stresses that the government can acknowledge and refer to religious traditions and language without establishing a religion. This case highlights the ongoing tension with the separation of church and state within the context of government property. It also raises questions about the line between permissible acknowledgment of religious language and unconstitutional endorsement of religion. The outcome of this dispute could have implications for similar displays across the country. 

The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties organization, defends individuals whose constitutional rights have been threatened or violated and educates the public on a wide spectrum of issues affecting their freedoms.

This press release is also available at www.rutherford.org.

Source: https://tinyurl.com/amjc7jx2

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