Arkansas’s governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is being praised by conservatives for her handling of a demand from an association of atheists and agnostics miffed by her decision to include a “theological account of the Christian story of Jesus’ birth” in her official proclamation closing state offices for Christmas. 

The spat kicked off when Ms. Sanders — who served as White House press secretary during the first Trump administration — announced that state offices would be closed an extra day this year, December 26, “in celebration of Christmas.”

The majority of the proclamation was made up of Christian messaging about the birth of Jesus. It stated, “More than two millennia ago in the little town of Bethlehem, far from the centers of power in first-century Rome, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in a humble manger.”

“On that first Christmas, Christ’s arrival was unassuming, witnessed only by Mary and Joseph, humble shepherds guided by angels, and three wise men from the East. It presaged his ministry, which was not focused on the wealthy or powerful but rather on the poor, powerless, and meek.”

It ended by urging state employees to “spend this holiday with their families giving thanks for Christ’s birth.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation — which describes itself as an association of “atheists, agnostics and skeptics of any pedigree” that aims to enforce the separation of church and state  — took issue with what it says is the “explicitly theological account of the Christian story of Jesus’ birth” in the governor’s proclamation. 

A senior counsel for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Chris Line, said in a statement, “State offices are not churches, and gubernatorial proclamations are not sermons.”

“The governor is free to practice her religion privately, but she may not use the authority of the state to promote Christian doctrine as official government speech,” he added. 

The foundation said it “does not object” to state offices being closed on December 26. But it urged Ms. Sanders to rescind the proclamation and “refrain from issuing sectarian proclamations in the future.”

Ms. Sanders fired back in a statement, saying, “Please know that I will do no such thing.”

She defended the theological messaging of her proclamation by noting that Christmas is a “celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ” and said that “if we are to honor Him properly, we should tell His miraculous, world-changing story properly.”

She concluded her response by suggesting that Mr. Line might be grappling with some “bitterness.”

“Though you may enter this season with bitterness, know that Christ is with you, that He loves you, and that He died for your sins just the same as He did for mine and everyone else’s,” Ms. Sanders said before wishing him “Merry Christmas.”

Conservatives on X celebrated Ms. Sanders for her proclamation and response to the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

A conservative lawyer, Jonathan Saenz, wrote on X, “Yes! This is how you say and mean [Merry Christmas]!”

A conservative commentator, Jenna Ellis, wrote, “This is leadership … Thank you for standing for truth, @SarahHuckabee. Merry Christmas!”

“Thank you Governor Sanders. To FFRF: Bah Humbug!” another user wrote.

Some liberal users suggested Ms. Sanders was simply trying to get attention, while others said she should close state offices for Kwanza.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation fired back after Ms. Sanders’ response said Arkansans “deserve a governor who doesn’t impose her religion onto everyone else.”