Why One Church Says It’s OK To Steal Library Books

A church in Shelbyville, Kentucky, has encouraged its congregants to check objectionable books out of the public library and not return them … ever.

Reformation Church describes itself as “a confessionally Baptist, culturally engaged, and evangelistically zealous fellowship in the heart of Shelbyville.”

Three of its leaders confirmed that it has encouraged “civil disobedience.”

“Yes — we have urged Christians, both locally and across the country, to search their libraries for books that promote sodomy, gender confusion and rebellion against God — and if found, to check them out and never return them as an act of civil disobedience,” pastors Jerry Dorris, Tanner Cartwright,  and Austin Keeler, an evangelist with Reformation Frontline Missions, recently told the Kentucky Lantern in an email.

Hunter Baker, provost and dean of faculty at North Greenville University, disagrees.

He told MinistryWatch that the acts are theft.

“With civil disobedience, the classic understanding is that you do it openly and you are willing to accept the penalty as part of committing the act. I would only consider this civil disobedience under those conditions,” Baker explained.

“They take the books, make clear their intent not to return them, and suffer any consequences the law imposes,” he added.

According to Shelby County Public Library Director Pamela Federspiel, the library has “lost” 16 books to a church member who checked them out last year but has never returned them. The total value of the books exceeds $400.

Dorris claims no demand has been made for the books to be returned to the library. However, the library claims it left voice mails for the patron about the overdue books, issued three notices, and now has turned the matter over to a collection agency. The replacement cost has also been added to the patron’s account.

Three of the books are “The Art of Drag,” “My Two Moms,” and “My Two Dads.”

According to Dorris, the church became aware of the controversial books when a member took their children to the library and the “children were exposed to some of them. Upon investigation they discovered the remaining books.” He did not identify the congregant, adding that he is not sure where the books are now and that he has no knowledge of the books being destroyed.

Baker believes the church’s position “would be far better” by “mak[ing] clear the objection to the books and to seek[ing] some kind of change of policy on the part of the libraries.”

In a Facebook post from June 1, 2024, Reformation Church encouraged members, as their duty, to “combat the perversion of your local library that is supposed to be an aid in the development of our young people.”

It urged members to contact the library and demand that the books be removed, providing contact emails and a phone number.

Dorris said the church had contacted the library staff and a state senator and representative about its concerns regarding the books and called for action.

“No library staff or board member ever followed up with us, no request has been made for the return of these books, and — tellingly — the books themselves have not been replaced. Not that we would return them — but the silence itself speaks volumes,” said Dorris.

Federspiel admitted that most of the “lost” books have not been in high demand

The book removal actions are not an official position of Reformation Church, according to Dorris, and not every member of the church knows about or agrees with the actions.

“We don’t discipline or pressure members over strategy. These actions — like the permanent removal of library books — were taken by individual Christians under personal conviction,” Dorris said. “We support their right to act or refrain in good conscience.”

This article was originally published at MinistryWatch.