Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC) is a US faith-based organization which focuses on upholding the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty.
Nickname | BJC |
---|---|
Formation | 1936 |
Legal status | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
Headquarters | 200 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Suite 302 Washington, DC 20002-5724 |
Coordinates | 38.892°N 77.0031°W |
Region | United States |
Services | Advocacy, Education, Court Briefs |
Chair, Board of Directors | Jackie Moore (as of October 2019) |
Executive Director | Amanda Tyler |
Website | bjconline |
With a staff of attorneys, public intellectuals, ministers and mobilizers, the Washington D.C. based non-profit has a long history of advocating in the U.S. Supreme Court and working with Congress on issues relating to religious freedom and church-state separation.
The BJC analyzes new legal cases and legislation within the larger framework of how best to protect the First Amendment right to religious freedom for all. In recent years, the BJC has gone to the Supreme Court and filed amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) briefs defending a potential employee's right to wear her hijab to work, opposing the travel ban, and opposing certain government-sponsored displays of religion, such as the giant free-standing cross in a government-owned intersection in Bladensburg, Maryland. On the legislation front, the BJC supports keeping the Johnson Amendment, which protects houses of worship.
The BJC has been an outspoken opponent of Christian nationalism and a supporter of religious minorities. The organization often partners with a diversity of religious groups - other Christians, as well as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Seventh-day Adventist - and secular organizations in its advocacy work.
Amanda Tyler is the Executive director and K. Hollyn (Holly) Hollman is the General Counsel and Associate Executive Director.