On their own, the bills probably could have drawn a fair share of protest. One made girls under 18 require parental consent for an abortion, the other called for a vote on changing the State constitution to ban gay marriage. More controversial, though, was the unprecedented decision of Texas Governor Rick Perry to sign the bills on the grounds of an evangelical church.

“We want to completely fill this location with pro-family Christian friends,” read an e-mail inviting Perry supporters to the Calvary Christian Academy. Citing the once-respected belief that religion and politics shouldn’t cohabitate, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State unsuccessfully beseeched Perry to reconsider the locale, suggesting the signing had all the makings of a campaign rally.

Another critic was Robin Lovin, a minister and school of theology dean at the Southern Methodist University. Lovin felt the signing sent a “pretty clear symbol that the church is in the service of the state or the state is in the service of the church.

“Either way,” Lovin said, “we’ve crossed an important line.”

» Scott Saxon