Victory for Religious Liberty in Colorado: Community Bible Study Approved

In Colorado, a courageous woman named Debbie simply wanted to open her neighborhood clubhouse to host a Bible study with friends and neighbors. The clubhouse is part of a “Metropolitan District,” which means it is owned and controlled by the government. But when she inquired about holding the gathering, she was told she couldn’t because of “concerns of separation of church and state.” In effect, the government was denying her the right to use a community space open to others – solely because the event was of a religious nature.

That is unconstitutional. The First Amendment prohibits government officials from singling out religious expression for disfavored treatment. Community spaces supported by tax dollars cannot be used for everything except prayer, Bible study, or worship. Such discrimination strikes at the very heart of religious liberty.

Thankfully, Debbie reached out to our legal team for help. After we counseled her, she brought the issue to the metropolitan district board. To its credit, the board reconsidered its position and reversed course – allowing Debbie to host the Bible study at the clubhouse.

This is exactly what should happen when the government is reminded of its constitutional obligations. Our nation’s laws protect free speech and free exercise of religion. No government entity – whether a federal agency, a city council, or a neighborhood district – has the authority to silence religious expression in spaces open to the public.

We are thrilled when the government does the right thing. Too often, it takes legal action to secure justice in these cases. But here, the district listened, recognized the mistake, and upheld Debbie’s constitutional rights. That is a victory not just for her, but also for every person of faith in that community.

And this victory matters to all of us. What happened in Colorado could happen anywhere: in a neighborhood, a school, or a public meeting space near you. If religious expression can be banned from community spaces in one place, it puts everyone’s freedom at risk. That’s why it is so important to stand up and insist on equal treatment for faith-based gatherings. In fact, the ACLJ takes cases like this all the time. And we win.

We applaud Debbie for standing firm and are grateful that the metropolitan district board corrected course. But this case serves as a reminder: Religious liberty requires vigilance. And the ACLJ is here to ensure that no government entity gets away with silencing people of faith.

Victories like Debbie’s are only possible because people like you stand with us. We must remain vigilant and ready to defend religious liberty wherever it is threatened. Join us in this fight – support the ACLJ as we defend the rights of Christians across the nation.