By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Luke Ash, a bi-vocational pastor with Stevendale Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, has filed a lawsuit against the East Baton Rouge Parish Library system for violating his First Amendment right of religious liberty and for denying him protection against religious discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The EBRPL fired Ash as a library technician, July 10, 2025, because he declared that he could not comply with the library’s preferred pronoun policy and that he would not use male pronouns when speaking to a biologically female trainee.
Liberty Counsel, a Christian ministry that engages in strategic litigation to promote evangelical Christian values, is representing Ash. The lawsuit also names the City of Baton Rouge, Metropolitan Council and the Library Board of Control for the City of East Baton Rouge as complicit in the offenses.
In a news release, Liberty Counsel said it is seeking a permanent injunction on behalf of Ash “that declares the library’s ‘Inclusivity Policy’ is unconstitutional for violating his constitutional rights of free speech, religious exercise, equal protection, the Louisiana Preservation of Religious Freedom Act, as well as his religious protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
The lawsuit also asks the court to order the library to reinstate Ash to his position and restore his benefits, along with back pay, damages and attorney’s fees and costs.
“The East Baton Rouge Parish Library violated the U.S. Constitution and Louisiana law for requiring Pastor Ash to refer to a female employee by masculine pronouns and then firing him for upholding his religious beliefs,” Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said. “The library also violated Title VII for not even considering a religious accommodation for Pastor Ash. There is no compelling interest in requiring Pastor Ash to lie or affirm false sex-based pronouns. Employers cannot force people to choose between their faith and their livelihood.”
NATIONAL ISSUE
The matter drew national attention shortly after Ash’s termination from the library.
Among those weighing in with support for the pastor included Gov. Jeff Landry, Attorney General Liz Murril and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a former state representative and a Louisiana Baptist pastor.
American Spectator and The Washington Stand, both large conservative media outlets, ran feature stories about the issue.
ASH STATEMENT
In a statement to the Baptist Message, Ash expressed gratitude for the many prayers on his behalf.
“We thank God for faithful brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the country who have petitioned the library, but even more importantly, they have petitioned Almighty God on behalf of our family,” Ash said. “We thank God for the vocal and legislative support from our governor who signed House Bill 1137 into law in the wake of my unlawful termination. More Louisianians will have their God-given rights protected as a result of his bold leadership.
“We thank God for leaders like Tony Perkins who seek to honor God and apply the Bible to culture and in the civic realm instead of retreating to the safety of private personal piety,” he continued.
“Leaders matter. I thank God for good ones and pray for more. Please continue to seek the face of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father for continued victory in the courts and legislatures and boldness to proclaim the gospel with clarity and conviction.”
