Thursday, April 23, 2026

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled 9-8 in favor of Texas's requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted in public school classrooms—a decision that could set the stage for a landmark Supreme Court showdown. Albert Mohler argues this ruling signals the death of the Lemon Test, a decades-old legal standard that barred government actions with religious motivations. He contends that the Ten Commandments are foundational to American law and Western civilization, citing historical examples from the McGuffey readers to the Old Testament's influence on English coronations. Mohler counters the ACLU's argument that the state is 'imposing' scripture on children by emphasizing that the Commandments have long been part of civic education and national identity. He also draws a sharp contrast between the secularist rejection of religious influence and the enduring moral clarity revealed in a wave of political scandals—three members of Congress resigning over sexual and financial misconduct, including former Senator Kyrsten Sinema and Ohio State University’s president. Despite claims of moral relativism, Mohler observes that public outrage over these scandals reveals a deep-seated moral consensus. Ultimately, he concludes that while legislation and judicial action cannot fix human sin, only the gospel of Jesus Christ offers true transformation.