Tim Keller Condemns Ban on Worship at NY Schools

Renowned Pastor Tim Keller is speaking out for the first time against New York City's ban on church use of public school buildings.

"Grieved" that more than 60 churches will be forced out of public schools this month, Keller called the city's ban "unwise" and is hoping for a reversal.

"It is my conviction that those churches housed in schools are invaluable assets to the neighborhoods that they serve," the senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church said in a statement Tuesday. "Churches have long been seen as positive additions to communities. Family stability, resources for those in need, and compassion for the marginalized are all positive influences that neighborhood churches provide."

His statement comes just after the New York Senate passed a bill on Monday that would allow churches to rent spaces in public schools for worship services, and just before the Feb. 12 deadline, when the ban takes effect.

The measure's fate in the state Assembly and on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk is uncertain.

In his public appeal, Keller – whose church draws thousands of attendees every weekend – noted that "a disproportionate number of churches that are affected by this prohibition are not wealthy, established communities of faith." Keep reading.