No Kings! Event in Lexington, MA, on October 18, 2025
Please join us at the Lexington Battle Green for a No Kings! event co-hosted by Lexington Alarm! and IndivisibleLAB on October 18, 2025.
Several local advocacy groups will be tabling at the event. Flyers with QR codes to access organization information and membership/volunteer sign ups will be available.
Click Here to Register for the No Kings! Event
Calling All Activists for the Separation of Church and State in Massachusetts!
On Sunday, August 3rd, 2025, AU-MA held a Zoom meeting where we provided an update on relaunching the Massachusetts Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Several prospective members joined the call to socialize, discuss initiatives (like a book club!), and share thoughts and questions about fighting for the separation of church and state in MA.
AU-MA Present at "Good Trouble Lives On" Event July 2025
The Massachusetts Chapter of Americans United rejoined the advocacy space on Thursday, July 17th, 2025, at the "Good Trouble Lives On" event in Downtown Boston.
This event commemorated the five year anniversary of the passing of John Lewis, a legendary Representative and revolutionary voice of civil rights and advocacy.
AU-MA to Relaunch After a Change in Organizational Structure
The Massachusetts Chapter of Americans United is in the process of relaunching after a change in organizational structure.
Please keep an eye out for updates on new events, initiatives, and more!
AU-MA Blog: The Right to an Abortion is a Religious Freedom Issue
Some Christians seem to have fixated on the passage in the Bible that says "God knows you in the womb" and have been trying to push their belief on others through state and federal courts such as the Alabama Supreme Court decision on IVF and the US Supreme Court dismantling of Roe v Wade.
This violates First Amendment religious freedom since there are Christians and other religions that believe the soul does not enter the body until later, or even not until the first breath is taken (see this Christian blog post and the concept of Ensoulment ).
Split Decision in 2018 AU Lawsuit
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court handed down a split decision in Americans United's 2018 lawsuit against the town of Acton, MA, ruling that public money can indeed be used to support religious activities, but under strict guidelines and with rigid scrutiny. AU filed the lawsuit to stop the town from spending taxpayer funds to support two local churches.
More details are available at this link.
"Towns Should Not Use Public Funds to Support Churches", Americans United Says In Lawsuit
Historic Status Of Buildings Is Not An Excuse To Subsidize Religion With Taxpayer Funds, Group Says.
The Massachusetts Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State was first contacted by a member on the issue described below. After gathering information, we sent the information to the AU Legal Department. The AU-MA Chapter also worked to recruit some of the plaintiffs and supplied the name of the attorney from Massachusetts, Russell Chernin.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed a lawsuit to stop the town of Acton, MA, from spending taxpayer funds to support two local churches. In legal action filed on behalf of 13 Acton taxpayers, Americans United says officials in Acton violated the Massachusetts Constitution when they approved Community Preservation Act grants for Acton Congregational Church and South Acton Congregational Church.
“Government should not use tax funds to support churches,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “The fact that a house of worship is old doesn’t mean taxpayers should be forced to subsidize a religious group to which they don’t belong. If a church needs money to preserve or restore its buildings, it should raise that money from its own members.”
In April, Acton approved the grants for the two churches. One grant would pay for the restoration of stained-glass windows at Acton Congregational Church, including a large window depicting Jesus. The second grant would pay for a master plan for extensive work at the same church. The third grant would pay for roof work at South Acton Congregational Church. The three grants total $115,000. In its Caplan v. Town of Acton lawsuit, Americans United asserts that the Anti-Aid Amendment of the Massachusetts Constitution prohibits this sort of direct government payment to sectarian institutions.
“The Anti-Aid Amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution protects the religious liberty of all citizens of the Commonwealth by prohibiting the use of public funds to support active houses of worship. Defendant Town of Acton is threatening that religious liberty,” the lawsuit says. Added Alex J. Luchenitser, Americans United’s associate legal director: “Historical preservation is a worthy goal, but it doesn’t justify violating the Constitution. Public funds should support buildings that can benefit all members of a community equally, not ones that are mainly used by members of one particular faith.”
Attorney Douglas B. Mishkin of the national law firm Venable LLP is providing pro bono representation on behalf of Americans United to the plaintiffs. The thirteen Acton taxpayer plaintiffs include George Caplan, Jim Conboy, Del Friedman, Daniel Gilfix, Maria Greene, Jesse Levine, Dave Lunger, Allen Nitschelm, Scott Smyers, William Alstrom, and David Caplan (no relation to George Caplan). Along with Mishkin and Luchenitser, the case is being litigated by Americans United’s legal director Richard B. Katskee; Venable attorneys Joshua C. Cumby, Jamie L. Edmonson, and Xochitl S. Strobehn; and Massachusetts attorney Russell S. Chernin.
From the Archives: AU-MA Table at Worcester City Hall
Ron Madnick (then-President of AU-MA) at the AU-MA table during Worcester Pride Celabration set up behind Worcester City Commons. Photo circa 2011.
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship; that the legislative powers of the government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should `make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State." - Thomas Jefferson, 1802 Danbury Letter
"The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries." - James Madison, 1803
"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical." - Thomas Jefferson, 1779
Last updated: 2025-Oct-14