-Texas: City Law to Regulate Church Hiring?

A lawsuit has been filed against a City of Austin (TX) law which could force churches to hire folks who do not reflect their Biblical and theological beliefs and standards. Meanwhile, the city is not backing down and vows to support their ordinance in court. From the Christian Post:

… According to the lawsuit, the churches believe that the “Bible is the Word of God” and they “rely on the Bible rather than modern-day cultural fads for religious and moral guidance.” As such, the churches will not hire “practicing homosexuals or transgendered people as clergy.”

Additionally, the member churches require that employees live “according to the Bible’s teachings on matters of sexuality and gender.” Because of this, the lawsuit states, these churches will “not consider practicing homosexuals or transgendered people for any type of church employment.” 

As the Austin ordinance also bars discrimination on the basis of sex, the lawsuit also seeks protection of some member churches who feel the Bible doesn’t allow women to serve in the role of senior pastor because of the words of 2 Timothy 2:12.  …

Read the whole article>

Response: This is not the first city to try and force churches to bend to the prevailing popular culture. In 2014, city leaders in Houston, Texas tried to force churches to comply with a ‘transgender bathroom’ ordinance and even subpoenaed churches which opposed the law to hand over recordings and notes of any sermons or teaching that opposed homosexuality in the process. As you can imagine that situation became a national  controversy. Also this will not be the last.

The city administrators are adamant about forcing everyone, including churches and religious institutions, to comply with their ‘anti-discrimination’ ordinance. According to city spokesperson David Green:

“The ordinance reflects our values and culture respecting the dignity and rights of every individual. …”We are prepared to vigorously defend the City against this challenge to the City’s civil rights protections.”

What Green obviously means without saying it- the city’s ‘civil rights’ protections should trump the First Amendment and religious freedom from their perspective. However, it is doubtful that the courts will ultimately agree with Green and rule in favor of the city.

If taken literally, the ordinance would force the Catholic Church to ordain women priests and churches who do not believe in woman pastors to accept them any way? Not to even mention ordaining or hiring LGBT folks if it is contrary to church teaching. Fact is, the churches would never comply with this law regardless of what any city administrator may think or even how any judge may rule.

Fortunately the current makeup of the US Supreme Court means that this law will never even come close to trumping the First Amendment nor will it probably even challenge Texas state laws which protect religious freedom.               *Top