Senate Bill Aims To Protect Financial Aid For Those Studying Ministry
WASHINGTON — Legislation introduced in the Senate could allow students pursuing theological training for a religious vocation to receive federal tuition assistance. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) filed the Religious Education Fairness Act on Sept. 29.
The bill is a response to a Department of Education ruling this summer that introduced “an earnings accountability framework that limits Direct Loan eligibility to programs whose graduates meet certain earnings benchmarks.” That is, students going into lower paying jobs are ineligible for federal education financial assistance.
A release from Lankford says he believes the ruling could hurt those pursuing education for ministry.
“Given that many religious vocations are service-oriented rather than high-paying careers, the DNH provision and the final rule could disproportionately impact students pursuing ministry and other religious vocations,” Lankford’s office said.
He believes the rule “threatens programmatic and institutional eligibility for other Higher Education Act Title IV programs, such as Pell Grants and Federal Work-Study.”
A statement from the department said the rule “aims to incentivize institutions in every sector of higher education to offer programs that deliver economic value through a return on investment, enhance data accessibility for students, and protect taxpayers and students through stricter oversight and comprehensive disclosures on program outcomes.”
But Lankford believes the rule doesn’t take into account that many people pursuing religious or theological education aren’t motivated by higher earnings.
“A student who feels called to pastor a church or serve as a missionary should not lose access to student aid because Washington measures the value of that calling by a paycheck,” Lankford said in a release.
The bill, sponsored by Lankford and Cruz, is aimed at revising the 1965 Higher Education Act so that “educational programs classified as Theology and Religious Vocations or Philosophy and Religious Studies at educational institutions that qualify for the religious exemption under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 are not subject to ineligibility for title IV assistance based on low earning outcomes.”
Alliance Defending Freedom has expressed support for the bill.
“Young people who go into ministry are not in it for the money. Their calling is to serve God and to serve their neighbors — and the government shouldn’t punish students who pursue a religious vocation just because, in its judgment, they won’t earn ‘enough’ income,” said ADF Senior Counsel Greg Baylor.
The bill also drew praise from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Dockery.
“There should not be punishment for students who choose a major because they are more interested in making a difference in people’s lives than in making money,” Dockery told Baptist Press.
“Financial aid should be available for those who feel called to prepare for ministry in the same way that it is available to others who will enter the marketplace with a generous starting salary.”.
According to a release from Lankford’s office, the bill has drawn support from a number of Christian organizations such as the Association for Biblical Higher Education, the Orthodox Union, the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges & Schools, the International Alliance for Christian Education and the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities.
Lankford is a graduate of Southwestern Seminary.
Dockery hopes the bill will draw support on both sides of the aisle in Congress.
“I trust that there will be strong bipartisan support for his proposed legislation, which is certainly a step in the right direction,” he said.
This article was originally published by Baptist Press.
Brandon Porter is associational mission strategist for the South Central Baptist Association in Bowling Green, Ky., and a Baptist Press correspondent.