A recent custody dispute in Maine has drawn national attention after a court issued an order prohibiting a child from attending church, participating in Christian events, reading the Bible or maintaining friendships with church members.
The restrictions, in effect since December 2024 while the case awaits review by the Maine Supreme Court, have raised concerns about the limits placed on parental authority and religious upbringing, according to Liberty Counsel.
Ava, who will turn 13 in January, is the daughter of Emily Bickford, who has held primary custody since birth.
Her father, Matt Bradeen, who has visitation rights, reportedly opposed his daughter’s Christian upbringing and pursued legal action to enforce restrictions on her religious participation.
The dispute escalated when the child expressed a desire to be baptized.
Bradeen engaged a former sociology professor from California, who testified in court that Calvary Chapel in Portland and similar evangelical churches could cause psychological harm.
The judge presiding over the case previously held a national position with the ACLU.
The custody order imposes sweeping limitations. Ava cannot attend church services or Christian celebrations, including holidays such as Christmas and Easter.
She is barred from interacting with church friends or members of her congregation, reading the Bible, engaging with religious literature or discussing her faith with her mother.
Bickford is prohibited from teaching her daughter about Christianity or exposing her to religious practices.
Bradeen has refused to approve attendance at any church, effectively cutting the child off from her spiritual community.
The Gateway Pundit reported that the order has isolated the child from her social and religious environment, representing a rare example of a custody decision that restricts a child’s religious upbringing while leaving the parent otherwise deemed fit.
Advocates say the case highlights the potential consequences when a court limits religious freedom in family law matters, leaving children disconnected from faith communities.
The restrictions also extend to social interactions and community involvement.
If Ava befriends someone outside her church who later attends Calvary Chapel, she must end that friendship.
She also cannot participate in religiously affiliated community organizations, such as the Salvation Army, homeless shelters or crisis centers.
Experts warn that such measures can have significant emotional and spiritual consequences for children, particularly when combined with trends in other cases nationwide.
Legal representatives presented arguments last Thursday before the Maine Supreme Court to overturn the order.
They argued that removing all religious decision-making from a fit parent could constitute discrimination. Reports indicate that justices expressed concern about the order’s scope, describing it as extreme and unprecedented.
Observers have noted that this case fits into a broader pattern of hostility toward Christians as a whole.
Religious advocacy groups point to similar instances where parents have faced restrictions on teaching their children about Christianity, attending church or participating in faith-based activities, raising questions about parental rights, religious liberty and judicial discretion.
While the Maine Supreme Court deliberates, the child and her mother remain subject to the order, highlighting the personal impact of these restrictions and the ongoing debate over protecting children’s rights to religious instruction.
