Texas Proposal Sparks Debate Over Church-State Boundaries with “Promise Month”

Texas Republicans have boldly proposed a decade-long “Promise Month” that would enshrine Christian principles in state law, igniting a fierce church-state separation battle that could redefine religious freedom in America.

Key Takeaways

House Concurrent Resolution 59 would designate April as “Promise Month” for 10 years, focusing explicitly on God’s promises and biblical principles.
The resolution has 47 co-sponsors, including 11 Democrats, revealing significant bipartisan support despite constitutional concerns.
Freedom From Religion Foundation argues this violates church-state separation by effectively establishing Christianity as a state-sanctioned religion.
The measure follows previous efforts like “Texas Christian Heritage Week” and represents a broader strategic push toward Christian nationalism in state legislation.
Critics warn this is part of a calculated legislative strategy that begins with symbolic resolutions before advancing to more substantive religious legislation.

Resolution Promotes Biblical Principles in Government

House Concurrent Resolution 59, sponsored by Republican State Representative Carrie Isaac, seeks to transform April into “Promise Month” for the next decade. The resolution doesn’t merely recognize Christianity—it explicitly references Bible verses and promotes a distinctly religious interpretation of American history. What makes this effort particularly notable is its broad support, with 47 co-sponsors including 11 Democrats, suggesting a significant political appetite for religious recognition in government despite constitutional guardrails intended to prevent exactly this type of state endorsement of religion.

“The Declaration of Independence clearly reveals the fact that America was founded upon biblical principles and Christian values; the Bible had great influence on the founding of our great nation.” expressed the House Concurrent Resolution 59

Constitutional Concerns Mount

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has voiced strong opposition to the resolution, characterizing it as “effectively endorsing Christianity as the state-sanctioned religion.” This criticism strikes at the heart of First Amendment protections, which prohibit government from establishing or promoting any particular faith. Similar resolutions have been attempted in Montana, North Dakota, and Oklahoma, pointing to a coordinated multi-state effort. The foundation’s concern isn’t merely theoretical—they argue such resolutions create a hierarchy of citizenship where non-Christians are relegated to second-class status in the public sphere.

“Our opposition comes not from a perspective of anti-religion, but pro-Constitution.” stated Mickey Dollens

Part of a Larger Strategic Push

The “Promise Month” resolution isn’t occurring in isolation but rather appears to be part of a concerted effort to advance Christian nationalism in Texas legislation. It follows Texas Christian Heritage Week and coincides with efforts to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms and mandate prayer time during school hours. Critics note that Christian nationalist influence has grown through strategic political efforts and financial backing from wealthy donors, with Texas serving as a testing ground for policies that often spread nationally. The Texas GOP has increasingly aligned with far-right religious views backed by influential billionaires.

“These government endorsements of Christianity serve a broader purpose,” expressed Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president

From Symbolic Gestures to Legislative Agenda

What makes this resolution particularly concerning to separation advocates is how it fits into a documented legislative strategy. The approach begins with seemingly harmless symbolic recognitions that establish religious precedents, then gradually advances to more substantive legislation that implements religious doctrine in public policy. The conservative lawmakers behind these measures have been remarkably transparent about their confidence in the current judicial climate to uphold these measures when challenged. With recent Supreme Court decisions favoring religious expression in public contexts, this confidence isn’t unfounded.

“They normalize the false narrative perpetuated by extremists that Texas is a Christian state. This is then used to justify passing actual laws rooted in Christian nationalism that take away rights, violate religious freedoms, and cause real harm to those who don’t conform to certain religious beliefs.” stated Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president

Texas as National Model

The stakes extend far beyond Texas borders. Historically, Texas has served as a proving ground for Christian Right policies that eventually spread to other states or become federal law. The rhetoric has noticeably shifted from advocating “religious freedom” to openly promoting Christian nationalism with little pretense of neutrality. Despite polls showing only a small percentage of Americans identifying as Christian nationalists, their influence has grown disproportionately through organized political activism. The current wave of legislation reveals growing confidence among advocates who believe the time is right to advance a more explicitly religious vision of government.