Television stations in Macon, Ga., aired video Sept. 1 showing excerpts of video reportedly taken Aug. 17 of a mass baptism posted on YouTube by First Baptist Church of Villa Rica, an 1,100-member congregation affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, Georgia Baptist Convention and Carrollton Baptist Association.
Reports say a full four-minute video, since taken down, showed 18 players and one coach being submerged in a tub of water in a symbolic act professing their faith in Jesus Christ.
The video carried the caption: "We had the privilege of baptizing a bunch of football players and a coach on the field of Villa Rica High School! We did this right before practice! Take a look and see how God is STILL in our schools!"
The Freedom from Religion Foundation wrote the Carroll County School District Sept. 1 describing the baptism video as “an egregious constitutional violation.”
“We request that the District immediately investigate and take action to ensure there will be no further illegal religious events, including team baptisms and prayer, during school-sponsored activities,” the letter complained. “Coaches and school staff should be instructed that they cannot participate in religious activities with students while acting in their official capacity.”
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