Vanderbilt Christian Group Says It's Being Forced Off Campus

January 26, 2012

The adviser for Vanderbilt University's Christian Legal Society (CLS) says it is being forced off campus as a result of a recently instituted nondiscrimination policy that placed several religious groups on probation, the Christian Post reports. Law professor Carol Swain said CLS had amended its constitution to comply with the university's policy prohibiting clubs from barring students from leadership positions based on their beliefs, but said CLS had to draw the line when it came to certain biblical principles and responsibilities. "When you cannot require your leaders to lead Bible study and worship, then it ceases to be a Christian organization," she said, adding that CLS would be forced to leave Vanderbilt if the university would not reinstate prior religious-freedom protections to campus groups. Vanderbilt created the nondiscrimination policy a year ago when a Christian fraternity reportedly asked an openly gay member to resign from his leadership position. After instituting the policy, the university placed four clubs, including CLS, on provisional status last spring.