Faith-based student organizations should not face discrimination on college campuses solely because they require their leaders to agree with their core religious beliefs. To that end, the National Association of Evangelicals supports language in the Equal Campus Access Act of 2023 that will provide protection for faith-based student organizations of all religious traditions.

The NAE joined with several other faith-based organizations in a letter of support to Sen. James Lankford, Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Tim Walberg for including language to protect faith-based groups in the Equal Campus Access Act of 2023.

“Basic religious freedom — and common sense — require that a religious group be permitted to require that its leaders agree with its religious message and mission. Unfortunately, on too many college campuses, religious student organizations are denied this essential freedom,” the letter states.

The Equal Campus Access Act will ensure that faith-based groups “will be allowed to meet on campuses nationwide, providing authentic faith communities where students can find belonging, and enabling them to freely discuss, live out and share their religious ideas and values,” the letter concludes.

Other faith-based organizations that joined the letter include Cru, Christian Legal Society, InterVarsity, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, Reformed University Fellowship, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Association for Biblical Higher Education, U.S. Navigators and Young Life, among many others.

Read the Letter