Some Very Good Legal News (For Once)

from Stand Firm by Matt Kennedy 

Can you imagine a "discrimination" lawsuit against an orthodox congregation for not hiring a male pastor who regularly has sex with another man? It's not that difficult to imagine actually. But this ruling goes a long way toward ensuring such a hypothetical scenario will remain hypothetical.

If the church is free to select its ministers, the court reasoned, it must also be free without government interference to fire those the church deems unworthy to be ministers.

The decision marks the first time the high court has recognized a so-called “ministerial exception,” although every federal appeals court has upheld such an exception.

“The interest of society in the enforcement of employment discrimination statutes is undoubtedly important,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court. “But so too is the interest of religious groups in choosing who will preach their beliefs, teach their faith, and carry out their mission.”

The chief justice added: “When a minister who has been fired sues her church alleging that her termination was discriminatory, the First Amendment has struck the balance for us. The church must be free to choose who will guide it on its way.”...more

Thanks be to God.