A couple in Staten Island has been denied their request to change their last name to ChristIsKing, CBS reports.
Civil Court Judge Philip Straniere cited the separation of church and state in his ruling earlier this month.
But Pastor Michael Nwadiuko of Christ the Lord Evangelical Association and his wife Angela deny they are trying to convert anyone to Christianity with the name change.
“We met as a family and decided that this is a name we like,” Nwadiuko reportedly told 1010 WINS. “We’re not trying to make everyone become Christian, because not everybody will become Christian. We love people whether they are Christian or not.”
Straniere also denied their request six years ago to change their son Jeremy’s name to JesusIsLord.
