“Sunday best” could eventually include a holster for some Maryland residents.
WBAL in Baltimore reports that among dozens of gun-related bills being debated in state government are provisions that would allow teachers and churchgoers to arm themselves.
“This is not a bill that lets every person sitting in the congregation have a firearm strapped to their hip,” House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga said.
The bill would establish a pilot program for Harford County only. The proposal is backed by Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler.
“(It’s) something that just enables the congregations, the places of worship to, if they so choose, put whatever rules, regulations, training requirements in place,” Gahler said.
Several pastors lined up in opposition.
“Our sanctuaries are sacred. It’s not a place where we want to normalize violence. We are that push back against that culture of violence,” said the Rev. Ken Phelps of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.
Matthew Townsend is a Halifax-based freelance journalist and volunteer advocate for survivors of sexual misconduct in Anglican settings. He served as editor of the Anglican Journal from 2019 to 2021 and communications missioner for the Anglican Diocese of Quebec from 2019 to 2022. He and his wife recently entered catechism class in the Orthodox Church in America.
