On Jan. 11, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in a significant church
employment dispute, giving religious organizations wide latitude in
hiring and firing clergy and other employees who perform religious
duties. In its unanimous decision, the high court explicitly recognized a
legal doctrine known as the “ministerial exception.”
The case, Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
involved the dismissal of a teacher at a Lutheran school in Michigan
who performed both secular and religious duties. The teacher argued that
she had been fired in violation of laws protecting people with
disabilities. Specifically, she claimed that the religious school had
retaliated against her for asserting her rights under the Americans with
Disabilities Act. But the high court ruled that the ministerial
exception trumps anti-discrimination laws. “The interest of society in
the enforcement of employment discrimination statutes is undoubtedly
important,” Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. 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.” Read more....
