Alabama Baptists have mixed views of former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore’s zeal for keeping the Ten Commandments display in the Alabama State Judicial Building in Montgomery.
Because of this issue — specifically his refusal to obey the federal court order demanding its removal — the Alabama Court of the Judiciary unanimously decided Nov. 13 to oust Moore permanently from his position as chief justice of Alabama.
Moore was suspended from office earlier this year by the state’s judicial ethics board after he openly defied the federal court order to remove the 5,280-lb. granite monument from the rotunda of the Alabama State Judicial Building.
Moore reacted to his removal from office by reading from the court transcript. “It’s about whether or not we can acknowledge God as the source of our law and our liberty,” he said. “That’s all I’ve done. I’ve been found guilty.”
He told reporters he had a feeling he knew what the outcome would be.
“I was not surprised by this verdict,” he said.
Moore has the option of appealing the decision to the Alabama Supreme Court.
Moore said he would make an announcement the week of Nov. 17 that “could alter the course of this country.” He indicated he had talked with attorneys and political and religious leaders before coming to this statement. He did not disclose any details about his upcoming action, according to the Associated Press.
Regardless of which side of the Moore issue Baptists side with, the desire of Baptists statewide seems to be the freedom to express their Christian faith in any venue.
“I applaud Judge Moore for standing on his convictions,” said Joe Godfrey, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. “I hope that this whole legal process will result in a restoration of our freedom to acknowledge God.”
Larry Michael, chairman of the Alabama Baptist Christian Life Commission, said, “I think most folks feel a strong sentiment about what this is all about — religious expression — that’s a big, big thing in our country. I think Baptists support the efforts of Judge Moore in the area of public religious expression, but there is some disagreement on the specifics concerning the actual display of the Ten Commandments and on the ruling in Alabama.”
Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, declined to comment on the situation at press time.
Moore has said throughout the ordeal that removing the monument would cause him to violate his oath.
John Giles, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama believes the Judiciary’s ruling dilutes the value of oaths. “The action taken today by the Court of the Judiciary has reduced the constitutional oath of office to a frivolous and meaningless ceremonial exercise that now has no value,” Giles said.
But other evangelicals have different takes on the situation.
Evangelicals differ
“Moore flagrantly announced his intention to violate a federal court order, made a mockery of the legal system and created an unseemly media circus,” said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. His organization was one of several that sued for the monument’s removal.
Emory University Law School professor Michael Broyde shed light on the crux of the argument, saying, “defiance, not divinity was the concern of the Court of the Judiciary. It’s actually very simple and it has nothing to do with religion,” he said. “Had they ordered him to take down the words ‘There is no God’ and he had defied them, the same result would have been reached.”
Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor, a Moore supporter early on, prosecuted the case. (Wire services contributed)
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