The Church of the Department of Labor

Over the summer, the Trump administration released a report purporting to uncover the “anti-Christian bias” in the federal government during the Biden presidency. The report alleged that “the political, social, and humanitarian contributions of Christians have been devalued, their beliefs marginalized, and their communities unlawfully targeted by their own government.”

Many of the examples were exaggerated or minor issues, like claiming Christians were discriminated against because various government agencies didn’t promote Easter or other Christian holidays enough on social media. Others came down to ideological disagreements on issues like LGBTQ equality or promoting racial diversity. Despite framing such moves as “anti-Christian,” many Christians actually agree with the Biden administration’s priorities.

The U.S. Department of Labor was criticized in the report for eliminating its Office of Faith Based Initiatives. It’s odd to call that “anti-Christian” since an argument to justify the constitutionality of such offices in federal agencies is that they serve all faith communities. And if not having such an office is anti-Christian, then every president prior to George W. Bush was apparently anti-Christian. The Trump administration’s report also listed a few cases when the DoL didn’t side with anti-LGBTQ individuals who claimed their Christian beliefs were infringed upon. Yet, in some of the listed examples, the courts or other authorities have also ruled against the employees.

The entrance to the U.S. Department of Labor is seen near the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 7, 2020. (J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

Critics of the “anti-Christian” focus of the administration have sued to demand the release of government documents related to the task force. Additionally, such church-state advocacy groups insist the task force is not really about stopping discrimination against Christians but instead favoring conservative Christianity above other faiths and those of no faith.

“There is no basis for the administration’s assertions of ‘anti-Christian bias’ in the federal government and it appears this task force is an attempt to target free speech and those the administration disagrees with,” argued Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward, which joined the Interfaith Alliance in suing for records.

“This task force is not a response to Christian persecution; it’s an attempt to privilege Christian Nationalism,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State (where I serve on the board of directors), which has also sued for records. “Rather than protect everyone’s religious beliefs, this task force will misuse department resources and the principle of religious freedom to justify bigotry, discrimination, and the subversion of our civil rights laws.”

There are other signs in the administration demonstrating why the concerns of Perryman and Laser are correct. Far from pushing religious freedom and stopping religious discrimination, the administration is privileging conservative Christianity. The Department of Homeland Security has even created propaganda videos with Bible verses to justify ICE actions, and the Department of War has similarly co-opted Scripture. The Department of Labor has also been pushing Christianity on social media, albeit as part of a vision of a patriarchal, White nation. So this issue of A Public Witness looks at the DoL’s use of religion in its recent propaganda posters.

Make America White Again