The Supreme Court agreed Monday morning to take up the first church-state case of the term, a dispute over recognition of the Christian Legal Society‘s chapter at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. The case, Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, stems from the state law school’s denial of official recognition to the Christian student group because it does not conform to the school’s requirement that membership and leadership positions be open to all.
The Hastings chapter of the society requires members and officials to sign a statement of faith that vows devotion to Jesus Christ and has been interpreted to bar those with a “sexually immoral lifestyle.” Student groups that are officially recognized are eligible for meeting space, means of communicating with students and student funds for their activities.
