Ex-members of religious group mixed on Barrett nomination

Supreme Court minee Amy Coney Barrett’s affiliation with Christian community People of Praise is drawing scrutiny because of what former members and observers describe as its ultraconservative views on women. Her defenders say scrutinizing her beliefs and relationship to mostly Catholic organization is akin to anti-religious bigotry.

But in interviews with a dozen former members of organization and gruates of schools it runs, most told Associated Press that Barrett's association with group should be examined when Senate takes up her mination beginning Monday.

Some were proud and excited that one of ir own could soon be on high court, in a position to roll back abortion rights.

Ors were deeply concerned about that threat, and also about community’s teachings on , gay rights, and or social issues. y also raised flags about what y describe as organization's authoritarian structure.

Some wondered why Barrett has t disclosed or even ackwledged her connection to People of Praise and why group appeared to try to hide her affiliation by deleting documents from its website.

“I don’t think membership in group is disqualifying,” said Rachel Coleman, who left community in 2010. “I think that she needs to be open about it and transparent about it.”

AP has documented extensive ties Barrett and her family have to community, including that an old directory listed her as being one of organization’s “handmaids,” w called a “woman leer.” She was a trustee of group’s Trinity Schools, and as a young law student , lived in a house owned by one of its co-founders .

People of Praise is t a church, but a faith community. It grew out of Catholic charismatic movement rooted in Pentecostalism that began in late 1960s. movement emphasizes a personal relationship with Jesus and can include baptism in Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues and prophecy, according to former members and experts who have studied movement. People of Praise was founded in 1971 in South Bend, Indiana, and w has 22 branches and around 1,700 members across rth America, according to its website .

While it includes people from several Christian deminations, most of its members are Roman Catholic.

Among its teachings are that men are divinely ordained as “he” of both family and faith, and it is duty of wives to submit to m, according to current and former members. People who have been involved in and studied organization say it is authoritarian and hierarchical, and some former members told AP of practices such as leers deciding who can date who.

group has a strong communitarian bent. It encours members to live in same neighborhoods. Single people often live with families in community or toger in same- communal households, where y pool resources or even turn ir paychecks over to be shared, according to articles previously published on organization's website, as well as former members. People who join community must sign a “covenant,” in which y pledge love and service to fellow community members and to God. Members agree to give at least 5% of ir income to community, according to ir website .

AP left messs with more than a dozen current members of organization and scores of former members. Several declined to comment, and about a dozen agreed to interviews. Several spoke to AP on condition of anymity because y have family involved in community.

A People of Praise spokesman declined to comment on current and former members' views.

“ People of Praise does t take positions on partisan political matters, legislation, or constitutional interpretation. Similarly, we take position on who should or should t sit on U.S. Supreme Court,” spokesman Sean Conlly wrote.

Coleman’s husband grew up in Muncie, Indiana, branch and when y were dating, she agreed to go “underway,” a multiyear process that members undertake before signing covenant. Coleman said People of Praise offers a strong sense of community that is often missing in modern secular life, and that can be a powerful draw.

“y really are about living in community and serving and giving back and helping and building God’s kingdom on earth in a way that’s easy to feel really, really passionate about," Coleman said.

But she said organization heres to outdated and troubling ideas on , such as that a woman’s “spiritual he” is her husband, while a man’s spiritual he is outside marri, with a man in community. She wonders why members haven’t pushed for change.

Barrett grew up in community, Coleman ted, and as an ult, me choice to join.

“What does her membership in People Praise mean that she believes about roles?” Coleman asked, ding, “She signed on to it."

Particularly table is that Barrett would be replacing late Justice Ruth Ber Ginsburg, who in her career stood against practices such as women t being able to get credit cards in ir own names.

“It just kind of bors me to feel like someone’s being put in her seat who signed into same sort of oppressive ideas that Ruth Ber Ginsburg was trying to overturn,” Coleman said.

She and ors said Barrett should make public covenant she signed to become a member, so people can re for mselves pledge she me to become a permanent part of community.

Mary Belton thinks Barrett’s history with People of Praise is disqualifying. Belton was in 8th gre, around 1990, when she says her family was cast out after her mor came out as gay. She said community y h been so close to in South Bend n shunned m.

“When we were kicked out, I literally thought that my that my mom was this awful sinner, and she’s going to this literal fiery hell. And that if I supported her, that I was going re, too," Belton said.

She said it took her years to let go of teachings that she grew up hearing while involved with People of Praise, and that she w believes are deeply damaging. Barrett, she believes, will t be able to set those teachings aside.

“It’s worrisome. It’s who she is," Belton said. “Anyone that I kw, including myself, that has grown up in it and has left has h to go through a huge transformation and rewiring of your personhood, of your brain, of your soul and spirit.”

Cara Wood gruated from Trinity School at Meow View in Falls Church, Virginia, in 2010. She recalled that school's views on sexuality were “deeply repressive,” where girls and boys were t allowed to hug or touch. Wood said it took her years to realize she was bisexual because “thing in my environment me it possible that I could be anything but straight.”

Wood says she worries about Barrett's mination because she recalls Trinity students being encourd to get best education y could to n “take positions of power in community,” such as doctors and lawyers. Trinity schools, with small class sizes and a rigorous curriculum, serve gres six through 12, boast of high SAT scores, and national awards.

“y are specifically attempting to influence politics and power in United States,” Wood said. “This is to me why Amy Coney Barrett is so dangerous, because (People of Praise) could t have a bigger win than landing a Supreme Court justice for life.”

Ors pushed back against that idea, saying teachers were trying to get across idea that students provided with a stellar education h responsibility to give back to society.

Several former members said y opposed Barrett’s mination in full or in part because it comes under a cloud so late in President Donald Trump’s term. Gene Stowe, who left People of Praise on good terms in 2011 and who spent years teaching at Trinity School in South Bend, said he doesn’t think it’s right for Trump to fill seat.

But if Trump does get a pick, Stowe says best-case scenario is Barrett.

“She’s smart, and I think she’s reflective,” Stowe said. “Because that’s what People of Praise does to people. It makes you deliberative.”

Ors were thrilled by mination, without reserve. Those included Peter Rosevich, a former longtime member in Appleton, Wisconsin, branch.

He described community as family oriented and internally focused, and very conservative, in vein of evangelical Christians. groups stays away from politics, he said, except in one area: abortion.

“y think it’s a heius crime, akin to infanticide, Auschwitz,” Rosevich said.

Susie Lea, a retired Catholic sister who left Shreveport, Louisiana, branch last year, said she recalled hearing about Barrett within People of Praise when Barrett's name was first floated for Supreme Court two years ago. Lea has t met Barrett, but based on what judge has said publicly and due to her involvement in People of Praise, Lea believes Barrett agrees with her that abortion is wrong and will vote against it if she were on court.

Lea believes Barrett’s association with People of Praise may have h a hand in her mination.

“I’m hoping it helped her, you kw, all our prayers lifting her up,” Lea said. “I just think that prayers work. If it’s will of God, that it will work.”