Vocal Point-Erin Smith

Topic: Attempt to Censor Sermons.

America was founded for the most part for religious freedom. But in today’s secular milieu we often find Christians having our freedom curtailed. First Liberty represents a Pennsylvania V. A. Chaplain who was sanctioned for a chapel message, and he faces sermon censorship by his supervisor for same. First Liberty writes, “’The government has no business censoring anyone’s sermon, including military chaplains,’ said Erin Smith, Associate Counsel at First Liberty Institute. ‘This is just the kind of woke policy that we anticipate [V.A.] Secretary [Doug] Collins wants to purge from the VA.’” Randall Wenger of the Independence Law Center added, “Chaplains do not give up their First Amendment rights in order to serve. Censoring the content of a chaplain’s sermon is an unconstitutional violation of their God-given rights to religious freedom and free speech.” Attorney Erin Smith of First Liberty joins Jerry Newcombe to discuss this case. www.firstliberty.org

Publishers’ Note: This case seems to be resolved, thankfully. In his End of Day Report (4/11/25), Gary Bauer of Our American Values writes:

“The Department of Veterans Affairs revoked a letter of reprimand punishing a military chaplain for delivering an explicitly Christian sermon. VA Secretary Doug Collins, a former military chaplain, said the Biden administration was wrong to reprimand the chaplain and added that there is no policy that restricts chaplain sermons.”