Rob Schenck

Robert Leonard Schenck (born 1958) is an American Evangelical clergyman who has ministered to elected and appointed officials in Washington, D.C. and serves as president of a non-profit organization named for Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Schenck founded the organization Faith and Action in 1995 and led it until 2018. He is the subject of the Emmy Award-winning 2016 Abigail Disney documentary, The Armor of Light. Schenck stated that he was part of a group that paid Norma McCorvey (also known as Jane Roe from the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision) to lie that she had changed her mind and turned against abortion.^[1][2][3] Once a prominent anti-abortion activist, Schenck has since repudiated this work^[4][5][6] and expressed support for the legality of abortion. In 2022, Schenck testified before the House Judiciary Committee concerning his allegation that a member of the Supreme Court leaked information about a pending case before the Court.

Rob Schenck
Born	Robert Leonard Schenck 1958 (age 65–66) Montclair, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Elim Bible Institute (GrDip) Faith Evangelical Seminary (BA, MA) Faith International University & Seminary (DDiv)
Spouse	Cheryl Smith
Children	2
Relatives	Paul Schenck (brother)
Church	Evangelical Methodist Church
Ordained	1982, New York District. Presbytery of the General Council of the Assemblies of God USA
Website	www.revrobschenck.com

Early years

Robert Lenard Schenck and his identical twin brother, Paul, were born in 1958 in Montclair, New Jersey, to Chaim "Henry Paul" Schenck and Marjorie (née Apgar) Schenck. Schenck was named after his father's older brother who was a decorated B-17 bomber pilot in World War II and who lost his life in an air crash while serving in the Korean War. Schenck's father was born Jewish, raised in Manhattan and attended a Reform Temple on Long Island, and Schenck's mother was born Catholic in Brooklyn, raised non-religious (she converted to Judaism when marrying his father), and grew up in Northern New Jersey. Schenck grew up in Grand Island, New York.^[7]

As a self-described "rebellious teen",^[8] Schenck became involved in risky behavior. Then in 1974 at the age of 16, the boys became acquainted with the son of a United Methodist minister serving the Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island. After Paul was introduced to a circle of young, religious Christians, he decided to become a Christian. Schenck accompanied his brother to prayer meetings, and soon converted as well. Both brothers were baptized in the waters of the Niagara River, which forms the borders of Grand Island.^{[citation needed]}

Family

While attending a youth prayer group in Grand Island, Schenck met Cheryl Smith, whom he married in 1977 after graduating from Grand Island High School. They have two children.^{[citation needed]}

Religious affiliations

From 2012 to 2016, Schenck served as chairman of the board of directors of the Evangelical Church Alliance (ECA). He was also chairman of ECA's Committee for Church and Society, the social witness arm of the alliance of ministers. In 2018, he became an advisor to the Office of the Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).^[9]

Ministry and activism

Faithwalk

In 1988, Schenck, an Assembly of God minister took a long-distance walk to help people in Mexico who live and work in garbage dumps. While he visited Mexico City in 1982, he became aware of the plight of the "dump people". Schenck took a 2,000-mile (3,200 km) walk from Buffalo, NY, through eight states and crossed the border at Laredo, Texas. He hoped to raise $1 million to build a clinic and recruit volunteers willing to help provide medical, dental, and construction services.^[10]

Anti-abortion activism

In 1992, during Buffalo's large-scale abortion clinic demonstrations, Schenck grabbed national and worldwide attention when photos and video were shot of him cradling a preserved human fetus given the name "Tia" by a black anti-abortion group because the fetus was believed to be African-American. Much was written and aired about the event.^{[citation needed]} In an opinion editorial in the June 15 Buffalo News, Schenck responded to the criticism. According to the op-ed, Schenck believed that pro-choice supporters ignored the truth in favor of ideology, and conversely he believed that the fetus demonstrated the truth of his own views. "Most have never seen an abortion, let alone the result of it. Baby Tia takes the argument out of the abstract and into reality."^[11]

In 1995, Schenck organized the first National Memorial for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers, a religious service in opposition to abortion.^[12] This event was held inside the US Capitol complex in Washington, D.C. The event was sponsored by the National Pro-Life Religious Council.^[13]

Some time after 2010, Schenck changed his mind about abortion, stating that banning abortion would cause more harm than good, and opposed the effort to overturn Roe v. Wade. He concludes his May 31, 2019, Op-Ed for the New York Times "No doubt, many of my former allies will call me a turncoat. I don’t see it that way. I still believe that every abortion is a tragedy and that when a woman is pregnant, bringing the child into the world is always ideal. Reality, though, is different from fantasy. I wish every child could be fully nurtured and cared for, and could experience all the wonderful possibilities that life can offer."^[14]

Schenck later stated that he was once part of a group that paid Norma McCorvey (1947–2017) — also known as Jane Roe in the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision — to lie and say that she had changed her mind and joined anti-abortion movements.^[1][2][3] Having denounced the anti-abortion movement in 2019, Schenck stated in the 2020 documentary AKA Jane Roethat McCorvey was paid to pose as an anti-abortion rights activist and that "What we did with Norma was highly unethical".^[15][1]

As of 2003, Schenck was a member of the National Pro-Life Religious Council.^[16] He participated in the events surrounding Terri Schiavo's death. Schenck traveled to Florida to try to prevent Schiavo from being allowed to die and publicly called for police to prevent the same.^[17] He was also a signatory of a letter to President George Bush and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush by national anti-abortion leaders.^{[18][better source needed]} In 2005, Faith and Action served as a clearinghouse for donations to the family of Susan Torres, a brain-dead pregnant woman being kept on life support so that she could give birth.^[19]

In 1995, Rev. Schenck organized the first National Memorial for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers. This Memorial is a religious service against abortion.^[20] This quickly became a prominent anti-abortion event held inside the US Capitol complex in Washington, DC. Originally a program of the National Clergy Council, the event has now been renamed the National Pro-Life Clergy Conference and is sponsored by the National Pro-Life Religious Council.^[21][22][23]

Pastoring and preaching

In August 1994, in order to minister to national decision makers, Schenck and family moved to Washington, D.C. His first ministry there was to organize a new church. He attracted a core group of worshippers and created what became the National Community Church. He served as pastor for over a year until deciding to focus on government officials. In the beginning of 1996, when Mark Batterson took over as pastor the church had around 30 people in attendance.^[24]

On Sunday, November 29, 2015, Schenck was a guest preacher at a Sunday worship service at the Washington National Cathedral.^[25] Schenck was invited to speak because of his opposition to gun violence and the documentary, The Armor of Light, focusing on him, which was screened at the church following the service.^[26]

Rev. Schenk used a ritual of blessing and prayer to seek divine guidance for the committee and the jurist during the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito.^[27] and Sonja Sotomayor^[28] A similar anointing and prayer ritual was used to seek God's guidance for President Obama when Schenck anointed the doorway to the inauguration through which the president elect would walk to the Inaugural stage. This was part of a 19-day effort of prayer and fasting for Obama and his presidency.^[29] This was a continuation of official prayer for the new president that began with President George W. Bush's Second term.^[30]

Ten Commandments Project

Created in 1995, his Ten Commandments Project has given over 400 plaques of the Ten Commandments to members of Congress and other highly placed officials, including former presidents Clinton and Bush. Special delegations made up of clergy and lay people make the presentations during ceremonies held in the recipients' offices. The agenda included a short speech which describes religion as the foundational basis of morality and law, a reading of the Commandments in their entirety, and prayers. The official was given an inscribed wooden plaque on which is mounted two stone polymer tablets containing a summary of the Ten Commandments. Recipients were urged to "display and obey" the Ten Commandments.^[31]

Monument relocation from Ohio

In May 2009, Schenck joined Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt and other Ohio leaders help relocate a Ten Commandments sculpture. The 3-foot by 3-foot granite sculpture, which weighs 850 pounds, is one of four monuments removed by federal court order from the fronts of public schools in rural Adams County, Ohio. The monument was placed in a prominent position on private property. The monument is identical to the one situated in the front of the Faith and Action ministry center on Capitol Hill.^[32]

Judge Moore's Monument

In 2003, Schenck helped organize a supportive demonstration outside of the Alabama Judicial building, seat of the state's Supreme Court when Roy Moore was chief justice.^[33] By that time, Schenck had a long cooperative association with Moore^[34] who refused to relocate a granite monument to the historic basis of the law that included the Ten Commandments. The monument was eventually ordered moved by US District Judge Myron Thompson. When US marshals were dispatched to supervise the removal, Schenck and several others surrounded the monument, knelt and started to pray. He was arrested and held for 5½ hours while the monument was moved.^[35] Schenck was interviewed on numerous television shows regarding the events.^[36]

Opposition to Burn-a-Koran Day

During September 2010, Schenck opposed the proposed burning of the Koran by pastor Terry Jones. In an interview with CBN on September 8, Schenck said this particular demonstration, while possibly warranted by common values and certainly permissible under the Constitution, violated Christian morality.^[37][38] He also stated objections to fallout in religious relations; "He's not just burning Korans, he's also burning bridges that we were trying to build for years with the Islamic community".^[39]

Schenck represented the National Clergy Council in speaking personally with Jones, and asked Jones if, in a show of good faith, he would surrender custody of the Korans at the center of the controversy to Schenck's colleague, the Reverend Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition. Jones agreed to do so. As a condition of his cancellation, Jones requested the relocation of Park51. Schenck attempted to broker a meeting between Jones and Imam Faisal Rauf.^[40] However, a meeting never occurred and Jones did not burn Korans on September 11.^[41]

Opposition to Houston sermons subpoena

On May 28, 2014, Houston, Texas Mayor Annise Parker approved the controversial Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which included a broad range of extenuating rights for the LGBT community without an exemption for religious organizations.^[42] Opponents of the ordinance collected signatures to put the Bill to a public vote. On July 3, 2014, over 50,000 signatures were delivered to the city, which invalidated around 35,000 of the signatures and canceled the vote. On August 7, 2014, Houston citizens' groups filed suit to block implementation of HERO, which was put on hold.

In mid-2014, Mayor Parker's legal team subpoenaed sermons and sermon notes of local clergy members who had opposed the HERO ordinance. The subpoena required the clergy that "all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO, the Petition, Mayor Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession" be turned over to the mayor's lawyers for review.^[43] This caused a backlash around the country from religious freedom advocates as well as concerned citizens. As President of the National Clergy Council, Schenck (accompanied by other pastors) met with Mayor Parker to request that her legal order be withdrawn.^[44] Shortly thereafter, the mayor instructed her attorneys to withdraw the subpoenas.^[45]

The Armor of Light

In 2015, Schenck was the subject of the critically acclaimed documentary, The Armor of Light.^[46][47] In this film, directed by Abigail Disney^[48] Schenck discusses the topic of guns and the anti-abortion Christian community's response to America's gun culture and gun violence. The movie was called a "vital colloquy on whether we shape our lives through fear or with love" by the Los Angeles Times.^[49] In November 2015, Schenck preached at morning worship at the Washington National Cathedral where the documentary was screened following the service.^[26]

The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute

As of 2021, Schenck served as president of a non-profit organization known as The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute.^[50] In 2019, the organization paid Schenck $147,000 from a budget of $422,612.^[51]

Faith and Action Supreme Court influence campaign

Schenck founded a nonprofit organization named Faith and Action.^[52] He headed the group from 1995 to 2018.^[53]

On December 8, 2022, the House Committee on the Judiciary convened a hearing, "Undue Influence: Operation Higher Court and Politicking at SCOTUS", to determine covert activity and influence on members of the U.S. Supreme Court by Faith and Action (now Faith and Liberty) under Schenck's leadership.^[54][55] Schenck was called to testify.^[6] Schenck had previously alleged that Justice Samuel Alito had leaked news about an upcoming Supreme Court decision in 2014. (Alito has denied the allegation.) Schenck had also claimed to have undertaken a secret campaign to influence conservative Supreme Court justices for over a decade. At the hearing, Rep. Jim Jordan aggressively questioned Schenck's credibility, while Rep. Tom McClintock called him "'a pathetic grifter'".^[56]

References

1. Serjeant, Jill (May 19, 2020). "Plaintiff in Roe v. Wade U.S. abortion case says she was paid to switch sides". Reuters. from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020. The Rev. Robert Schenck, one of the evangelical pastors who worked with McCorvey after her conversion to Christianity in the mid-1990s, looked stunned as he was shown her interview as part of the documentary. Schenck said the anti-abortion movement had exploited her weaknesses for its own ends and acknowledged she had been paid for her appearances on the movement's behalf. "What we did with Norma was highly unethical," Schenck said in the documentary. "The jig is up." In a separate blog post on Tuesday, Schenck said he hoped people would watch "AKA Jane Roe." "You'll see me express profound regret for how movement leaders (like me) mistreated Norma," he wrote in the blog. "Her name and photo would command some of the largest windfalls of dollars for my group and many others, but the money we gave her was modest. More than once, I tried to make up for it with an added check, but it was never fair."
2. "'We used her': Minister regrets paying Roe vs. Wade plaintiff to speak out against abortion". CBC Radio. May 20, 2020. from the original on May 21, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
3. Graham, Ruth (May 22, 2020). "How the Anti-Abortion Movement Is Responding to Jane Roe's "Deathbed Confession"". Slate Magazine. from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
4. Gross, Terry. "Once Militantly Anti-Abortion, Evangelical Minister Now Lives 'With Regret'". NPR. from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021. Though firm in his evangelicalism, he has disavowed his militant anti-abortion stance. [...] Schenck now sees abortion as a moral and ethical issue that should be resolved by "an individual and his or her conscience" — rather than by legislation.
5. Schenck, Rob (May 30, 2019). "I Was an Anti-Abortion Crusader. Now I Support Roe v. Wade". The New York Times. from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
6. Blitzer, Ronn (December 8, 2022). "SCOTUS whistleblower admits incident in his book 'possibly' did not happen, then Jordan proves it didn't". Fox News. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
7. "Rob Schenck Facebook Profile" by Rev. Rob Schenck,
8. "Reviewed by Abraham Verghese. Life Choices; After a doctor's murder, the son of an abortion provider takes a personal look at a national debate". The Washington Post. Washington Post Newsweek Interactive Co. September 6, 2010. from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2019.(subscription required)
9. "Ross, Schenck Named Executive Advisors to Secretary General of World Evangelical Alliance". Worldea.org. April 11, 2018. from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
10. "Kentucky New Era - Google News Archive Search". News.google.com. from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
11. REV. ROBERT L. SCHENCK -. "A LOOK BACK AT BABY TIA CONTROVERSY." Buffalo News. 1992.
12. Dana Milbank. "The Marchers State Their Case: Alito v. 'Roe'." The Washington Post. Washington Post Newsweek Interactive Co. 2006.
13. "National Memorial for the Pre-Born and their Mothers and Fathers Removed from Capitol Buildings". Standardnewswire.com (Press release). from the original on November 18, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
14. Schenck, Rob (May 30, 2019). "Opinion | I Was an Anti-Abortion Crusader. Now I Support Roe v. Wade". The New York Times. from the original on May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
15. "Anti-abortion rights movement paid 'Jane Roe' thousands to switch sides, documentary reveals" Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, May 20, 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
16. "National Religious Leaders Call for Continuous Prayer to Overturn Roe vs. Wade." U.S. Newswire. US Newswire. 2003.
17. "Coalition Calls Upon Bush to Save Schiavo's Life by Using PolicePowers; Press Conferences in Washington, Tallahassee March 23.". US Newswire. 2005.
18. "Open Letter from 11th Hour Coalition to save Terri Schiavo's life to President Bush and Gov. Bush" US Newswire. 2005.
19. Brant, Martha (July 31, 2005). "A DYING MOTHER'S FINAL PRAYER". Newsweek. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
20. Dana Milbank. "The Marchers State Their Case: Alito v. 'Roe'." [1] The Washington Post. Washington Post Newsweek Interactive Co. 2006.
21. National Memorial for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers Removed From Capitol Buildings. [2] Standard Newswire, January 17, 2008.
22. "Upcoming National Pro-Life Events". www.priestsforlife.org.
23. . Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
24. Kapralos, Krista (March 5, 2013). "Is National Community Church's Mark Batterson the Most Innovative Pastor in America?". Washingtonian. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
25. (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
26. "Washington National Cathedral to Feature Special Guest Preacher Rev. Rob Schenck on Sunday During Holy Eucharist Service". Washington National Cathedral. November 24, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
27. Ministers Say They Blessed Seats Ahead of Alito Hearing”[3] Wall Street Journal, Jan 5, 2006
28. "A Supreme blessing.(CULTURE)(HOT BUTTON)(Column)."The Washington Times^{[dead link]} (Washington, DC). News World Communications, Inc. 2009. 28 September 2010.
29. The Hindustan Times. HT Media Ltd. 2009.
30. "Christians to Begin Inauguration Day Thanking God for Bush Re- Election." US Newswire. 2005.
31. Michelle Boorstein - Washington Post Staff Writer. "Group Aims to Unveil Ten Commandments; Tablets Under Wraps Near Supreme Court." The Washington Post. Washington Post Newsweek Interactive Co. 2006.
32. "On a mission. (Citizen Journalism: Faith) (Bulletin Board) (Column)." The Washington Times (Washington, DC). News World Communications, Inc. 2009.
33. "CNN.com - Transcripts". Edition.cnn.com. from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
34. "Alabama Chief Justice Applauded On Display Of Ten Commandments; Similar Monument To Be Erected Across Street From Supreme Court." U.S. Newswire. US Newswire. 2001.
35. "National Clergy Council President Arrested for Protecting Ten Commandments." U.S. Newswire. US Newswire. 2003.
36. Brit Hume, Jim Angle, Major Garrett. "Ten Commandment Monument In Alabama Removed From Public Viewing; Developments In The California Recall Election Including Cruz Bustamant'es Association With A Racist Group." Special Report with Brit Hume (Fox News Network). 2003.
37. . Archived from the original on November 8, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
38. . Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
39. "Koran Burning Outrate Builds as Muslims Mark Eid". Jakarta Globe. from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
40. "Pastor puts off Koran burning plan, to meet NY Imam". The Economic Times. September 11, 2010. from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
41. "Pastor Behind Koran Burning Plan Flies to New York". The New York Post. from the original on October 18, 2010. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
42. Morris, Mike (May 29, 2014). "Council passes equal rights ordinance - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
43. Driessen, Katherine (October 14, 2014). "City subpoenas pastors' sermons in equal rights ordinance case - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
44. . Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
45. Patrick J. Mahoney (October 29, 2014). "Houston Mayor Withdraws Subpoenas of Pastors". Canadafreepress.com. from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
46. "The Armor Of Light". THE ARMOR OF LIGHT. from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
47. "The Armor of Light". IMDb.com. October 30, 2015. from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
48. "Abigail Disney". IMDb. from the original on December 11, 2014. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
49. Sheri Linden (October 29, 2015). "Christian, anti-abortion but pro gun rights? 'The Armor of Light' examines". Los Angeles Times. from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
50. "The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute". GuideStar. from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
51. "IRS Form 990, 2019" (PDF).
52. Kirkpatrick, David D. (January 20, 2005). "Christian Conservatives Embrace Inauguration". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
53. "'Operation Higher Court': Inside the religious right's efforts to wine and dine Supreme Court justices". POLITICO. July 8, 2022.
54. "Hearings Undue Influence: Operation Higher Court and Politicking at SCOTUS" December 08, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
55. "Christian advocate tells Congress of 2014 U.S. Supreme Court leak" Gram Slattery and Nate Raymond, Reuters. December 8, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
56. "Evangelical minister who sought to influence Supreme Court comes under withering criticism". MSN. Retrieved January 23, 2023.

External links

• Official website  
• The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute
• Operation Serve International
• Hearts for the Homeless
• The Armor of Light Film
• Appearances on C-SPAN