Christian school associations support Jewish university’s religious autonomy

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding a friend-of-the-court brief ADF attorneys filed Friday on behalf of five Christian school associations in favor of the freedom of New York’s Yeshiva University not to sponsor student clubs that undermine its religious beliefs:

“No court should force a religious organization to undermine its own faith and mission. If an activist group can use the courts to force Yeshiva University to sponsor an official club on campus that undermines the school’s own religious beliefs, there’s no telling what can happen to other religious organizations in America who rightly wish to be free from such coercion. The Christian school associations we represent—and their members—care deeply about preserving their ability to operate in a manner that’s consistent with their beliefs. They advocate for the right of all religious educational institutions to operate free from government intrusion, consistent with First Amendment guarantees. And they contend that courts should not be deciding what activities at a faith-based institution are or are not 'religious enough.' The First Amendment reserves that role for the religious group, not the government. The members of the associations filing this brief increasingly face challenges from those with contrary religious views on issues like marriage, sexuality, and gender, endangering their ability to operate consistently with their mission. They seek to ensure that Yeshiva University—a distinctly Jewish school—can make its religious decisions free from government punishment, just as the First Amendment promises.”

The associations filing the brief in Yeshiva University v. YU Pride Alliance are the Association of Christian Schools International, the American Association of Christian Schools, the Association of Classical Christian Schools, the Association for Biblical Higher Education, and the International Alliance for Christian Education.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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