The 3 - October 30, 2022

This week's edition of The 3, highlighting three stories of relevance to the Christian community, includes a development in a court battle between a Christian university who wishes to apply its Christian principles regarding faculty, and the attorney general of the state in which it is located.  Also, another court win was announced recently in a case where a judge found that a venue in Scotland discriminated against a Christian ministry regarding a planned event.  And, a baker in California has received a positive court ruling in her quest to not bake a cake for a gay wedding.

Christian university lawsuit against WA AG dismissed by judge

Unfortunately, we have seen instances of pressure on Christian colleges and universities to abandon the principles they desire to uphold.  A recent instance has to do with Seattle Pacific University, which is associated with the Free Methodist Church. 

Religion News Service reported that at SPU, “employees are expected to refrain from sexual behavior that is inconsistent with the University’s understanding of Biblical standards, including cohabitation, extramarital sexual activity, and same-sex sexual activity.”

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson launched an investigation into the private university's employment practices, and the university responded by suing the AG. 

Within the past few days, a federal court judge has dismissed the lawsuit filed by SPU.  However, you could say it was thrown out by a technicality. The RNS story stated:

According to a news release from the attorney general’s office, the federal judge ruled SPU’s arguments — which claim Ferguson’s probe infringes on the university’s First Amendment right “to govern itself according to religious principles” — should be raised in state court. The judge said SPU asked for a change in state law the federal court cannot grant.

The university is being represented by the Becket law firm - the article stated: "Lori Windham, Becket’s vice president and senior counsel, said the 'court did not rule on the attorney general’s unlawful investigation.'" 

Evangelistic ministry receives another favorable court ruling in UK

There has certainly has been opposition in the United Kingdom to the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, but the BGEA has won a total of five court victories over those who have opposed the efforts there, according to CBN.com, which reported on the most recent victory, coming in a Scottish court.  The article said:

Glasgow’s Sheriff Court found Graham and his organization, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), were discriminated against when the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Scotland’s largest event space, canceled a 2020 ministry event.

Franklin Graham was due to be the speaker at the event.  

The judge ruled that the BGEA would receive almost $110,000 in damages. The CBN article stated that the judge "...saw no evidence to back the claims used to cancel the event and wrote the SEC had violated the U.K. 2010 Equality Act when it trumpeted protestors’ views and ignored Graham’s supporters, who wanted to see the event unfold."

Baker wins court case after declining to provide product for gay wedding

The consequences for Christian believers who do not wish to use their creative services to support gay marriage are mixed, with cake baker Jack Phillips winning a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that critics in Christian legal circles contend does not go far enough, and graphic artist Lorie Smith appealing her court defeats to the high court, with oral arguments scheduled now for December.

The Christian Post reports on a case of a California baker, Cathy Miller, who won a victory after having declined to provide a cake for a gay wedding.  The article states:

A court has ruled that the Christian owner of Tastries Bakery in California acted lawfully when she refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple and instead referred them to a different bakery, citing her sincere religious belief that marriage is intended to be between one man and one woman.

Kern County judge Eric Bradshaw, according to a report by the Bakersfield Californian referenced in the Christian Post article, said that the baker's "only motivation, at all times, was to act consistent with her sincere Christian beliefs about what the Bible teaches regarding marriage...," adding, "That motivation was not unreasonable, or arbitrary, nor did it emphasize irrelevant differences or perpetuate stereotypes..."