Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) came to the defense of Auburn University after it was attacked by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) for their coaches’ participation in a recent prayer event.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter warning Auburn University that “Auburn University must put a stop to religion in its athletic programs, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting, after multiple coaches promoted a religious worship event where head football coach Hugh Freeze baptized a player.”
“The Freedom From Religion Foundation should remember that the U.S. Constitution protects religious expression for everyone, regardless of who their employer might be,” Aderholt said on Twitter. “This event should be praised, not criticized.”
The Wisconsin-based group claimed that it has “received numerous reports that Freeze, basketball coach Bruce Pearl and baseball coach Butch Thompson were involved in promoting a religious worship service to students on September 12 called “Unite Auburn.” A video promoting the event featured Thompson saying that Unite Auburn would allow students to “come together and lift the name of Jesus.” Unite Auburn “was dedicated to worship and giving messages to Auburn students seeking to grow their faith in God or who were curious about Christianity. The event’s goal was to unite the Christian community of Auburn under one roof to worship God.”
The FFRF stated, “University-sponsored religious activities violate the U.S. Constitution.”
Chris Line is a staff attorney for FFRF. Line wrote to Auburn University President Chris Roberts.
“Auburn University is a public university, not a religious one,” Line wrote to Dr. Roberts. “It is inappropriate and unconstitutional for university employees to use their university position to organize, promote, or participate in a religious worship event. These ongoing and repeated constitutional violations at the university create a coercive environment that excludes those students who don’t subscribe to the Christian views being pushed onto players by their coaches.”
The FFRF also chastised U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) for his holds on military promotions over his opposition to the Biden Administration’s use of taxpayer dollars to facilitate abortions in the military.
FFRF has gone after Auburn before, most notably in 2015, when they accused Auburn and then Coach Tuberville of being “overly prayerful” and “for establishing many unconstitutional religious practices in Auburn team sports.” Specifically, FFRF cites Auburn for allowing coaches to hire team chaplains.
FFRF insists that Auburn Coaches “may not lead or encourage any religious activities in their capacity as coaches and cannot participate in any student-led religious activities.”
Annie Laurie Gaylor is the Co-President of FFRF.
“The abuse of power displayed by these coaches shows that Auburn hasn’t changed one bit since we published our 2015 report,” said Co-President Gaylor. “As coaches, their responsibility lies in guidance on the field, not guiding these students to pews. They should start by firing the team chaplains, whose very presence signals that Auburn University has an inappropriate relationship with Christian evangelists.”
The event that upset FFRF was a prayer rally that the three coaches and thousands of others attended. A number of students were baptized at the event, drawing some headlines and the ire of the FFRF. The event was not part of any sporting event and was outside the coach’s official Auburn duties.
Tuscaloosa Attorney Luisa Reyes told Alabama Today, “The Freedom From Religion Foundation has it wrong. The Constitution prevents the government from establishing a religion, but it also protects the free exercise of religion, which is what the Auburn coaches were doing at this event. Their position as coaches does not mean they lose their free speech rights or right to practice their faith.”
Rep. Aderholt’s wife, Caroline McDonald Aderholt, serves on the Auburn Board of Trustees.
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