Nearly four dozen leaders of Utah churches and synagogues are refusing to comply with a law that requires them to post firearms bans on a state-run Web site, saying they don't want to register with the state to keep guns out of their sanctuaries.
"We don't think we need to be on a state list of who's allowed to be exempt from the gun law," the Most Rev. George Niederauer, bishop of the Roman Catholic Church's Salt Lake Diocese, said Sunday.
Niederauer and several of his fellow religious leaders organized a news conference in Salt Lake City to protest what they consider unconstitutional state interference in church matters. The protest came after a newspaper report in November found that no churches had registered with the state Bureau of Criminal Identification their intention to ban firearms.
That meant any of the state's 50,000-plus residents with concealed-carry permits could legally bring guns into any house of worship despite stated gun bans.
In a joint statement issued Sunday, religious leaders said guns had no place in holy spaces. "We do not need the state of Utah to give us permission to make such a statement or hold such a position," the religious leaders said.
Earlier this year an amendment to the concealed-carry law allowing religious organizations to prohibit guns inside houses of worship went into effect.
An earlier version of the law said houses of worship could post signs notifying congregants of gun bans. Under an amendment sponsored by Sen. Mike Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, clergy must also register with the BCI, which will post the individual bans on its Web site.
As of Sunday, three churches -- Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church in Park City, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City and Summum Church of Salt Lake -- had registered.
Niederauer and others said they wanted to make clear they don't allow guns in church and don't agree with the state's meddling. They decided to hold the news conference Sunday because houses of worship are packed during the winter holiday season and they wanted to emphasize that firearms are not welcome at services.
No representatives of the Mormon church -- Utah's largest denomination -- signed on to the protest. But a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has pointed to a statement two years ago made by the church's governing First Presidency that said guns in church were "inappropriate except as required by officers of the law." But the church hasn't registered with the BCI.
Waddoups and others familiar with the legislation have said the Mormon church endorsed the amendment during the 2003 legislative session. The change was added to a bill clarifying that concealed-carry permit holders can have guns in public schools.
The Episcopal Diocese of Utah was one of the few faiths that posted signs banning guns under the old law and has been active in seeking legal recognition of its right to impose such restrictions.
The diocese had planned to register its gun ban with the state. Now, the diocese has decided not to on principle, said the Right Most Reverend Carolyn Tanner Irish, Utah's Episcopal bishop.
Under the state's concealed weapons law and firearms act, concealed-weapon permit holders can carry their weapons "without restriction" except in areas that have security screening: large airports, prisons, jails and courtrooms.
In August, 3rd District Judge Robert Hilder ruled that the University of Utah's 25-year-old policy prohibiting firearms on campus does not run contrary to the law. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has filed notice of appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Waddoups has said he would sponsor a bill further clarifying lawmakers' authority and intent in regulating when and where concealed weapons may be carried.