Liberty Counsel rarely gets involved in child custody cases unless there is a significant constitutional question. But the Bickford v. Bradeen case is so outrageous that we were compelled to take the lead on appeal. Liberty Counsel is now representing the mother before the Maine Supreme Court.

Oral argument before the Maine Supreme Court will be in November.

If this child custody order is not overturned, this ruling could set a precedent that strips parents of their right to raise their own children in their faith.

Judges cannot ban parents from taking their own children to church. Help us win our latest fight against this anti-Christian state court opinion and DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT with our Challenge Grant.

Twelve years ago, Elizabeth* had a child out of wedlock. She has primary custody of her daughter Andrea* and shared custody with the child’s father. All was fine — until Elizabeth gave her life to Christ. She and Andrea joined Calvary Chapel in Maine and became active members.

When Andrea told her father she wanted to be baptized, he ran to the courts to stop her. That’s when the court issued a stunning order.

The judge found that Elizabeth Bickford is an exceptionally fit parent, EXCEPT for the fact that she is a born-again Christian raising her child in an evangelical Christian church.

So, the judge issued an opinion that interferes with Elizabeth’s right to take her child to church.

The father took issue with his daughter attending Calvary Chapel in Portland, Maine, because it teaches the Bible “verse by verse, chapter by chapter,” including the Bible’s descriptions of hell, demons, and spiritual warfare.

Don’t let anti-Christians keep children out of church! Support our legal fund today!

Andrea’s father hired a Marxist and former University of California professor to testify that Calvary Chapel is a cult and that the church's biblical teachings on gender, marriage, and godly living would “harm” Andrea.

This sociologist said the church teaches about a “transcendent belief system” that offers answers and “promises some sort of salvation.”

The judge in the case accepted the so-called “expert” witness and testimony as fact. Plus, the court’s order is filled with animus toward Christianity, deliberately relegating every reference to God in lowercase letters.

By intentionally referring to Andrea* and her mother’s God as “god” throughout the order, the judge and the court mocked their monotheistic beliefs.

The court order even castigated Elizabeth for allowing Calvary Chapel to pray over her and her daughter!

The court order said that attending this church was “psychologically detrimental” to the girl. The court then gave the father the sole authority to make “final decisions” regarding the girl’s religious instruction. Specifically, the judge’s order allows the father to deny his daughter access to Calvary Chapel Church’s services, events, messages, or anything else associated with it. The order also gives the father sole control over his daughter’s participation in any other churches, even during the mother’s custodial time.

As I said above, Liberty Counsel rarely gets involved with child custody cases. But the shocking precedent this order could set — banning people from taking their own children to church — is too outrageous to let stand.

If this ruling stands, it could set a dangerous precedent allowing nonbelievers to prevent parents from raising their children in their own faith and allowing judges to trash the Bible. 

A special Challenge Grant for our legal fund has been extended — which will DOUBLE the impact of every donation made today. Please, give generously so that NO COURT can ever again try to ban a parent from taking their own child to church.

Please be in prayer for Elizabeth and her daughter. Be in prayer, too, for the girl’s father that he might accept the love and light of our Lord Jesus Christ in his own life.

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel