Under current law, gun owners need to gain express consent from their church officials in order to be able to carry on the church premises.
The law introduced by Rep’s. Baker and Schroer would remove that requirement. Individual churches would still have the right to forbid carrying on their grounds if they so choose.
Sponsors of the bill noted that the change in the law would allow citizens greater freedom to protect themselves and their families from attacks similar to the hostage situation in a Texas synagogue in January.
Rep. Schroer said that he was approached by pastors requesting the change so they didn’t have to be the arbiters of their parishioners Second Amendment rights.
The bills face significant pushback from many faith leaders in the state. “For the few pastors that may have been spoken to by the sponsors, we’re here to say that as organizations who represent hundreds of churches in the state, we are against this bill,” said Rev. Darryl Gray of Missouri Faith Voices, the Missionary Baptists State Convention, and the Progressive Baptist State Convention.
Daniel Bogard, a rabbi in St. Louis said that changing the law would essentially create a “Second Amendment Tax” as he and other faith leaders would be forced to hire armed security for their places of worship.
“Really listen to those of us who are pastoring, who are shepherding, who cringe every time we look up and see another mosque or synagogue, another religious center that’s been shot up and wonder if we are next,” Bogard said.
At press time, neither bill has been scheduled for a vote in the Missouri legislature.
