A Louisiana pastor says he was fired from his part-time job at a local library for standing by his Christian convictions.

Luke Ash, lead pastor of Stevendale Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, was terminated from his position as a library technician at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library on July 10 after he declined to use a transgender co-worker’s preferred pronouns. Ash shared his story during an interview with Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, on the Christian broadcast Washington Watch.

According to Ash, the controversy began on July 7 when he was speaking with a colleague who was training a new library staff member. Ash said he was informed that the new hire was biologically female but requested to be addressed with male pronouns.

“I refused to use those preferred pronouns,” Ash told Perkins. “The next day I was reprimanded by my supervisor and the head of reference, and Thursday morning I was fired.”

Ash said he was shown the library’s inclusivity policy, which states that employees have the right to be addressed by their chosen name and pronouns and that the library is committed to fostering a workplace where all individuals are “welcomed, accepted, and respected.”

However, for Pastor Ash, affirming something that conflicts with his biblical beliefs was not an option.

“As a Christian, I can’t lie,” Ash said. “I can’t deny the truth of who God made someone to be. That doesn’t mean I don’t love or respect the individual—I just can’t speak something I know is false.”

Ash said he was formally notified of his termination a few days later.

His dismissal sparked outcry from Baton Rouge-area pastors and faith leaders. During a library board meeting last Thursday, Pastor Lewis Richerson attempted to defend Ash but was interrupted and warned by board president Candace Temple.

“Sir, do we need to get security for you? Because you are not following open meeting laws,” Temple said, asserting that his comments were not on the meeting agenda and therefore a violation of Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law.

Richerson later told local outlet WAFB that the group’s presence at the meeting was directly related to the library’s budget and that their concerns were legitimate.

More than 30 pastors also signed a letter to the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Board on July 17, urging them to reconsider the library’s inclusivity policy and calling for Ash’s immediate reinstatement. The letter described Ash’s termination as “an injustice” and appealed to the board to respect religious freedom and viewpoint diversity.

As of this writing, the library system has not responded publicly to the growing backlash.