It’s more than the government.
“It all began with a simple question, and the lawyer said, ‘If you just stop praying with the team, everything will be fine.’”
Those familiar with Coach Joe Kennedy, a former Marine who found himself at the heart of a national debate on religious freedom, know him as a laid-back person—except when it comes to prayer. Kennedy, who served in the Marines for 18 years and later became an assistant coach for the Bremerton High School football team in Washington, made headlines in 2015 when he was suspended and eventually let go for kneeling in prayer at the 50-yard line after games. His case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in 2022 that his prayers were protected by the First Amendment. However, Kennedy recalls that his battle for religious freedom didn’t start with a complaint; it actually started with praise from another school.
“Things took a turn during our eighth season,” Kennedy shared on the “Politics in the Pews” podcast with The Christian Post. “For eight years, no one said anything—it was something special. What really sparked the whole issue was someone from another school district saw what we were doing and called our principal to say, ‘I just want to let you know, I went to my first game with your team, and what you’re doing is amazing.’ And that’s when the investigation started.”
Once school officials discovered the team’s voluntary prayers, legal action followed, forcing Kennedy to make a difficult decision.
“Everything changed, and I had to choose,” he said. “Do I stick with my faith or keep my job?”
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision in Kennedy’s favor affirmed that public school employees have the right to engage in brief, personal prayers, effectively overturning the “Lemon test,” a legal precedent set by Lemon v. Kurtzman in 1971, which restricted government involvement in religious practices unless they served a secular purpose.
The ruling in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District is expected to shape religious freedom law for years to come. But it also raises broader questions about what “religious liberty” truly means in America. After the Dobbs decision and Kennedy v. Bremerton, there’s a growing sense among Evangelicals that religious freedom is experiencing a resurgence. However, potential threats remain on the horizon.
For some, like Michael Farris, the greatest threat isn’t from the government but from Big Tech. “I believe corporate America, not the government, is the biggest threat to religious freedom and other liberties,” Farris said. “Companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple are acting as enforcers of a woke agenda. Banks are de-banking individuals, and insurance companies are turning people away. Corporate America has become a tool of authoritarianism.”
Farris pointed out that a glimpse of this authoritarianism was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic when many churches were forced to close, limiting their First Amendment right to assemble.
“While things have mostly returned to normal, the idea that the government can violate the Constitution in the name of an emergency has left a lasting impact,” Farris said. “This mindset is dangerous and could persist in future crises.”
Looking ahead, Farris questioned what might happen if another pandemic strikes and similar government overreach occurs. One way the Church can prepare for such a scenario, according to Mike Berry, is by recognizing that religious freedom is the cornerstone of all other constitutional rights.
“Every political issue is rooted in morality, which ties back to personal beliefs,” Berry said. “People must understand that religious freedom underpins everything. If the government can strip away your religious freedom, it can take away any other rights you hold dear.”
As the country approaches the 2024 elections, Berry emphasized the importance of voters considering their faith when making political decisions. “People shouldn’t separate their religious beliefs from their political choices—they should be more closely aligned,” he said.
Despite the challenges ahead, Coach Kennedy remains optimistic about the future of religious freedom.
“I’m more hopeful than ever,” Kennedy said. “I’m ready to fight for what’s right, and I’ll keep fighting that good fight. I’ll hold onto my faith and finish the race.”