The Price of Faith: How Idaho’s Laws Enable Child Abuse in the Name of God

The scene at the Followers of Christ church in Idaho is haunting. Adults and children sit silently, their eyes cast downward as a newborn baby lies lifeless on his mother’s lap. Malachi’s preventable death from pneumonia and bleeding lungs serves as a stark reminder of the state’s peculiar laws that allow faith-healing sects to pray rather than seek medical care for their children.

Idaho’s law, which dates back to the 1970s, is an anomaly in the United States. While Oregon removed similar exemptions nearly three decades ago, Idaho’s representatives have consistently rejected efforts to close this loophole. Pediatricians who reviewed death records for ProPublica estimate that at least 15 preventable deaths among Followers of Christ families occurred between 2015 and 2025.

The story of Malachi and Liam’s parents is not isolated. Records show that at least five sets of parents have lost multiple children in this faith-healing sect, a phenomenon previously unreported. This lack of accountability and oversight indicates the state’s priorities are misguided.

Nathan Kangas, a patriarch within the sect, defended the practice of faith healing during an interview with ProPublica. He stated that parents must keep their children from relying on medical care, perpetuating a paternalistic attitude towards child-rearing embedded in Idaho law for decades.

The contrast between Oregon and Idaho is stark. In 2014, Oregon lawmakers removed the state’s faith-healing exemption from child abuse laws, making it a crime to neglect or endanger one’s own children. Since then, more parents in Oregon have chosen to seek medical care for their children, as evidenced by stories of prosecutors and detectives who worked on cases involving Followers of Christ families.

The Idaho legislature has instead opted to limit the role of anyone but a parent when it comes to children’s health and safety. By codifying “parental rights” and making parental consent a prerequisite for medical care of minors, they have given faith-healing sects free rein to prioritize their theological convictions over their children’s well-being.

Lawmakers in Idaho remain unmoved when confronted with the evidence of preventable deaths among Followers of Christ families. The estimated 15 preventable deaths among this faith-healing sect are a symptom of a larger problem – one that speaks to the very heart of what it means to be a responsible society.

As we gaze upon the faces of Malachi and Liam’s parents, their eyes cast downward in shame or defiance, we must confront the darker side of our own convictions. When do we as a society choose between faith and reason? And what is the cost when we prioritize one over the other?

The tragedy of Malachi and Liam’s deaths serves as a stark reminder that sometimes, it takes more than just prayer to keep children alive.