Faith
Maine Mother Fights Church Ban in Custody Battle
Faith Facts
- A Maine mother’s right to take her daughter to church is being challenged after a court labeled Calvary Chapel a “cult.”
- Liberty Counsel is defending Emily Bickford, claiming the order violates religious freedom and constitutional rights.
- The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is now considering whether the mother’s faith-based parenting can be lawfully restricted.
Emily Bickford is fighting a court order preventing her from bringing her 12-year-old daughter to Calvary Chapel, after the child’s father received sole authority over religious decisions. This controversial ruling followed testimony asserting the church is “cultic,” and bars Emily from exposing her daughter to its teachings or even Bible study.
Liberty Counsel argues that denying a parent the ability to share biblical faith with her child contradicts First Amendment protections. The legal team stressed the ruling sets a dangerous precedent for Christian parents seeking to raise their children according to biblical standards.
“Calvary Chapel is not a cult. This custody order banning Emily Bickford from taking her child to a Christian church because of its biblical teachings violates the First Amendment,” Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver said in a statement.
Liberty Counsel maintained that no evidence shows Emily’s faith harmed her daughter’s wellbeing. Despite this, the court gave the father the power to decide all matters related to the daughter’s religious and medical upbringing, warning of supposed harm from Calvary Chapel’s teachings.
Calvary Chapel is part of a global association of autonomous evangelical churches rooted in the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and 70s. The outcome of this case will test how far courts can intervene in a parent’s right to raise children in their faith.
Stay prayerful as the Maine Supreme Court weighs a decision, recognizing the vital freedom for families to foster faith and biblical principles without government interference.