Expelled Tennessee lawmakers find support among clergy
Former Rep. Justin Jones, Rep. Gloria Johnson, and former Rep. Justin Pearson raise their hands outside the House chamber after Jones and Pearson were expelled from the Tennessee Legislature on April 6. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The last time Tennessee legislators tried to make the Bible the state’s official book, a pastor warned them to be careful what they asked for.
Johnny Shaw, a Democratic state representative and minister from West Tennessee, warned his colleagues in 2021 that few can live up to the Bible’s standards.
“I don’t want to be embarrassed to be coming off as the holiest state in the nation and then not living up to it,” he said.
