Donald Trump won a standing ovation from hundreds of Christian conservatives who went to New York City Tuesday with a skeptical but willing attitude toward a man who has divided their group with comments on women, immigrants and Islam.

In his comments at a Times Square hotel the presumptive GOP nominee vowed to end the decades-old ban on tax-exempt groups' — including churches — politicking, said religious liberty is “the No. One question,” and said he'd appoint anti-abortion Supreme Court justices.

“I think maybe that will be my greatest contribution to Christianity — and other religions, is to allow you, when you talk religious liberty, to go and speak openly and if you like somebody or want somebody to represent you, you should have the right to do it,” Trump said. A ban was put in place by Lyndon Johnson on tax-exempt groups making explicit political endorsements.

As president, he said, he'd work on things including: “freeing up your religion, freeing up your thoughts. You talk about religious liberty and religious freedom, you don't have any religious freedom if you think about it.”

During the talk, interrupted many times by applause, Trump said he'd get department store employees to say “Merry Christmas” and would fight restrictions on public employees, such as public school coaches, that stop them from leading sectarian prayer on the field.

The audience included leaders and founders of many segments of the Christian Right, the evangelical movement that began in the 1970s under people including the late Jerry Falwell. Among those present and involved in the program Tuesday were Focus on the Family founder James Dobson (who is no longer with that group) and evangelist Franklin Graham (son of evangelical icon Billy Graham).

While polls show that the majority of white evangelicals — who make up about a fifth of the country — are favorable toward Trump, his campaign has divided Christian conservatives in general.

Later Tuesday a separate group of conservatives — including leading evangelicals — strategized about a possible third candidate.

Catholic conservative Robert George declined to attend the meeting, saying while he may think even lower of presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, he fears Trump will “in the end, bring disgrace upon those individuals and organizations who publicly embrace him.”