A controversial Maine custody dispute keeps child out of church: what can we learn?
By Easton Martin | December 2, 2025
A custody dispute in Maine has become the center of a growing debate over religious freedom and parental rights. A mother in Portland is challenging a court order that prevents her from taking her 12-year-old daughter to church or exposing her to Christian practices while in her care.
The case involves Emily Bickford, who has primary physical custody of her daughter, and the girl’s father, Matthew Bradeen. In late 2024, a judge determined that Bradeen would have sole authority over religious decisions. The ruling followed testimony claiming that the daughter experienced fear and anxiety after attending Calvary Chapel, an evangelical church where Bickford regularly worships with her family.
A court-appointed expert described some of the church’s teachings on topics such as hell and the end times as psychologically harmful to the child. The judge accepted that assessment and issued restrictions that go further than most custody orders. Bickford is prohibited from taking her daughter to any church, reading the Bible with her at home, or allowing her to participate in Christian holidays or church-related activities. The restrictions apply even during the mother’s own parenting time.
Bickford’s attorneys argue the ruling violates the First Amendment and sets a dangerous precedent. They say no evidence of abuse or neglect has been presented and that the court relied on speculation rather than demonstrable harm. Her legal team maintains that parents have a fundamental right to raise their children in accordance with their faith and that this right should not be removed without a compelling justification.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments on the matter in November. Justices pressed both sides on how to balance the best interests of the child with constitutional protections for religious practice.
What we can settle on is this: divorce is harmful. It disrupts families and can negatively affect children. While the reason for the split in this case is unknown, the fact that this child’s parents must navigate such a difficult custody matter is a tragedy. Children deserve a stable home with two parents, and parents ought to strive to provide that for them.
Regarding the case itself, the question remains: how is a judge allowed to determine that a child cannot go to church? Calvary Chapel is a mainstream evangelical church, and its views fall well within orthodox Christian teaching. It is very possible that this child was taught certain truths in a way that sparked fear and anxiety, and it is simply a difficult reality that some individuals are more prone to anxiety than others. It is hard to say with certainty from the outside, but churches ought to use this moment for reflection and ask, “Are we teaching the full truth of the gospel in a way that is both faithful and compassionate?”
The gospel is ultimately good news, and it should be taught as such.
