Farr joins other religious leaders to oppose new Missouri gun bill

Missouri Area United Methodist Bishop Robert Farr has joined St. Louis Roman Catholic Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski and other faith leaders to express opposition to Missouri House Bill 944.

The legislation, among other provisions, would permit the concealed carry of firearms in churches and other places of worship in the Show Me State, so long as the owner has a valid concealed-carry permit.

"I cannot support any bill that might negatively impact the safety of a local church and remove the ability of the local church to self-govern," said Farr, episcopal leader of U.M. churches statewide, including 13 congregations in Cape Girardeau County, six in Scott County and two in Perry County.

The legislation, now in the hands of the state Senate, is sponsored by Rep. Rodger Reedy (R-57/Clinton).

The measure passed the House on April 19 by a vote of 109-36.

Local voting

Area lawmakers casting votes in the affirmative were Rick Francis (R-145/Perryville), Barry Hovis (R-146/Whitewater), Wayne Wallingford (R-147/Cape Girardeau) and Jamie Burger (R-148/Benton).

The bill has moved to the General Laws Committee of the Missouri Senate, on which Sen. Holly Rehder (R-27/Scott City) serves as vice chairwoman.

Reached for comment by the Southeast Missourian on Thursday, Rehder said senators have been working until after midnight this week trying to deal with a crush of legislation requiring an up-or-down vote before the Legislature adjourns May 14 in Jefferson City.

"I'll need to hear the bill presented to the committee before I can say if I'll support it or not," said Rehder, a freshman senator who took office in her six-county district in January.

Specifics

The bill would allow people with concealed-carry permits to bring weapons into a church without the permission of the congregation's leader.

Farr, Rozanski and a dozen other faith leaders said Wednesday at a news conference in St. Louis, they oppose the bill and believe the legislation, if passed, would broaden the scope of the Second Amendment at the expense of the First Amendment, infringing upon religious liberty.

"My heart breaks over every new instance of gun violence in this country, whether in schools, places of business, urban or rural areas, no place seems immune from the violence," Farr said.

Local control removed

The Rev. Charles Norris of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in St. Louis also expressed dismay at government interference in the way a congregation chooses to operate.

"It is reprehensible that we would not be allowed to have the autonomy we need to have communities that are safe," Norris said.

"When it comes to firearms in our churches, we need to be more concerned about the Holy Ghost fire comes from heaven. That is the fire that we need to have in our churches, in our souls and in our minds," he added.

The Rev. Linden Bowie, president of the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri, said he couldn't wrap his mind around what legislators were thinking with this proposal to impose regulations on churches.

Under current law, a person may not carry a concealed firearm into any church or other place of religious worship without the consent of the person representing the religious organization.

House Bill 944 would repeal the provision.