Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
The Yakima Union Gospel Mission in Washington can continue hiring people who share their mission and faith while litigation is pending, according to a federal court.
The organization seeks to hire employees who believe what the Bible says about going forth and making disciples, and about marriage and sexuality. The Washington Supreme Court, however, interpreted a state law that would bar the mission from doing so without facing government retaliation.
The Yakima Union Gospel Mission filed a pre-enforcement challenge against the state. A lower court dismissed the case, but the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit remanded it back to the lower court for reconsideration.
Among other things, the lower court said the mission failed to demonstrate a credible threat of prosecution.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the mission’s legal counsel, announced that the same lower court last Friday temporarily blocked the law while the case is still pending. The court said that the law likely violates the Free Exercise clause.
“The Constitution gives religious organizations the freedom to hire employees who are aligned with and live out their religious beliefs,” said Ryan Tucker, ADF senior counsel and director of the Center for Christian Ministries.
Tucker added that the mission, which operates a homeless shelter and provides and provides addiction-recovery programs, outreach efforts, meal services, and health clinics, will be penalized for operating in a way consistent with its faith if the state is allowed to enforce the so-called non-discrimination law.
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