A statement by Kerry Jean Pregene Bowler, a Catholic appointed to defend religious freedom, has drawn criticism not because it departs from Catholic teaching, but because it unapologetically adheres to it.
At the center of the controversy is a fundamental question the Constitution was designed to answer: Can a Catholic be punished for expressing orthodox Catholic doctrine—especially when serving on a body charged with protecting religious liberty?
Pregene’s statement does not call for hostility toward any people, faith, or ethnicity. It articulates long-standing Catholic teaching affirmed by the Second Vatican Council and raises concerns about whether modern political ideologies are being imposed as religious litmus tests. Her argument is theological, constitutional, and rooted in Church doctrine—not political animus.
Below is Kerry Jean Pregene Bowler’s statement, reproduced in full and exactly as written:
The Catholic Church has never taught that the modern State of Israel fulfills biblical prophecy or that Catholics are religiously obligated to support any political nation as part of God’s plan of salvation.
Vatican II is clear. Christ instituted the New Covenant in His Blood, calling together a people made up of Jew and Gentile, uniting them not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit.
“This was to be the new People of God.” (Lumen Gentium §9)
The People of God are no longer defined by land, bloodline, or political borders, but by faith in Jesus Christ.
Nostra Aetate affirms that salvation is not tied to ethnicity or territorial promises, but is fulfilled in Christ and extended to all through His Church.
God’s covenant is not a real estate contract. It is fulfilled in Christ.
Sacred Scripture states:
“the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets”
1 Thessalonians 2:14–15
Under the IHRA definition, even citing this biblical passage can be labeled antisemitic. That places Catholics and all Christians who profess the Bible on dangerous ground. Holy Scripture is not antisemitic. It is the Word of God.
IHRA defines antisemitism in part as: “Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.”
Our Church is universal.
Our covenant is new and eternal.
Our loyalty belongs to the Kingdom of God, not to any earthly state.
Political Zionism is not Catholic doctrine. Catholics are under no religious obligation to support it whatsoever.
A Catholic woman appointed to defend religious freedom should not be denied her own for holding religious beliefs about a political ideology like Zionism. That is viewpoint discrimination and a violation of my First Amendment rights while serving on a commission tasked with defending your religious freedom.
Am I not entitled to my own religious liberty while serving to defend yours?
It appears I was the only one on stage Monday who understood the assignment President Trump entrusted me with: protect religious freedom for all Americans, including my own, by challenging political and theological supremacy.
Rejecting the claim that any modern nation-state fulfills biblical prophecy does not make me an antisemite. It makes me Catholic.
I stand for religious freedom🇺🇸🫡✝️
What the Church Actually Teaches
Pregene’s statement aligns squarely with official Catholic doctrine. Vatican II explicitly teaches that the New Covenant established by Christ transcends ethnicity, land, and political sovereignty. The Church does not teach that any modern nation-state fulfills biblical prophecy, nor does it bind Catholics to political Zionism or any other geopolitical ideology.
Catholic theology differs from certain evangelical interpretations that link modern political states to Old Testament prophecy. That difference is not hostility—it is doctrinal distinction.
Scripture Is Not Hate Speech
A central concern raised by Pregene is the growing tendency to treat Christian Scripture itself as suspect. The New Testament is foundational to Christianity. Quoting it in theological discussion is not an act of hatred—it is an exercise of faith.
The Catholic Church has unequivocally condemned antisemitism. It has not repudiated Sacred Scripture or rewritten its theology to conform to modern political frameworks. Treating Scripture as discriminatory when cited in good faith places Christians, Jews, and all religious people on unstable ground.
Religious Freedom Must Be Reciprocal
The most serious issue raised by this controversy is viewpoint discrimination. A government-appointed official tasked with defending religious freedom cannot be expected to surrender her own.
Religious liberty does not exist only for beliefs that align with political consensus. It exists precisely to protect conscience when it does not.
If a Catholic can be marginalized for expressing Catholic doctrine, then religious freedom becomes conditional—and therefore meaningless.
Fidelity Is Not Bigotry
Rejecting the idea that a modern nation-state fulfills biblical prophecy is not antisemitism. It is Catholicism.
Kerry Jean Pregene Bowler’s statement is not a rejection of any people. It is a defense of her faith, her conscience, and the Constitution. In standing by orthodox Catholic teaching, she is doing exactly what religious freedom demands: refusing to subordinate belief to political pressure.
A pluralistic society does not require Catholics to stop being Catholic. It requires the opposite—respect for the freedom to believe, speak, and worship without coercion.
On that principle, Pregene’s position is not only defensible. It is essential.
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