Permission Required

Guns in churches. Is it legal?  Yes, it is absolutely legal for religious organizations to institute such rules and guidelines to allow guns in places of worship. Of course, we all know that churches are on that list of prohibited places that even with a concealed handgun license, you are prohibited from carrying unless the church, synagogue, mosque, or other places of worship permits otherwise.  It is up to the specific church to decide whether to let firearms on their premises and under what conditions those firearms may be carried.

Barring specific authorization, do not carry your firearm to church with you. Many religious organizations are putting together informal security teams, generally made up of parishioners who have their Licenses to Carry to protect their services. If you want to carry your  gun with you while attending church, look into becoming a part of one of these security teams, if one is already established at your church, or petition the church administration to form one.

Schools on Church Property

There has been some confusion when it comes to schools on the same premises as a place of worship. What if a school is also located in the same place as the church? Generally, this is not an issue because we are talking about a different building and church services which are held at times when school is not in session anyway. Your typical Sunday school isn’t a problem at all. If there is a school and it is one which falls into the definition of school as prescribed by the Ohio Revised Code, then those rules and prohibitions for school zones would apply.

As always, if you have any questions about the laws and regulations concerning the protections of religious organizations in Ohio or any other similar topic, please call U.S. LawShield and ask to speak to your Independent Program Attorney.