A very real threat to religious liberty
- Jul 31, 2010 -
The Supreme Court’s decision in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez was clearly one of the worst decisions handed down by the Supreme Court in recent years, as it tampered with the First Amendment. In the narrow June 28, 2010 ruling, justices said a college can refuse to recognize a Christian campus group that does not welcome all individuals in accordance with the school’s “all-comers” policy.
The court affirmed a lower court ruling that a law school with the University of California can deny recognition to a campus chapter of the Christian Legal Society because it bars individuals who don’t affirm the group’s core statement of faith from serving as officers or voting members.
Fortunately the court’s decision is narrow, addressing solely the school’s all-comers policy, which states that school-approved groups must “allow any student to participate, become a member, or seek leadership positions in the organization, regardless of [his or her] status or beliefs.” Most schools have policies that bar discrimination more narrowly, such as on the basis of race, color, age or religion.
I recently sat down with David French of the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal alliance that focuses on preserving Americans’ freedom, to talk about this decision.
To hear the entire segment on this topic, go to Richard Land Live! on the Web. Read more about this court case.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Citizenship, , Christian Citizenship, Church and State, Religious Liberty,