Nine judges of the U.S. Supreme Court last week affirmed the right of humanitarian aid organization World Vision to hire only Christian staff by declining to review a lower court ruling in favor of World Vision. The Spencer v. World Vision suit had challenged the organization's employment policy of hiring only those who shared in its Christian beliefs.
"I am pleased, relieved and gratified with the court's action," said World Vision's U.S. president, Richard Stearns, in a statement. "After four years of litigation, we at World Vision U.S. may now put this matter behind us, and continue our policy of hiring only Christians."
But the decision was a long time in coming.
History of the Case
As a requirement for employment, Silvia Spencer, Ted Youngberg and Vicki Hulse had acknowledged their agreement and compliance with World Vision's statement of faith upon being hired. In November 2006, however, the three were terminated by World Vision after an internal investigation determined Spencer, Youngberg and Hulse did not believe in the deity of Jesus Christ and denied the doctrine of the Trinity ("There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit), a fundamental tenant of the organization's core values.
Claiming discrimination, the disgruntled employees filed a complaint against the Federal Way-based humanitarian aid organization in 2007. The lower court granted World Vision a summary judgment and, in 2009, the plaintiffs appealed the district court's decision.
Judges found the reason for firing was not in dispute. On August 23, however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 that World Vision was a “religious organization” and therefore exempt from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars religious discrimination in hiring.
The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) filed an amicus brief that presented a legal framework for determining whether an organization qualified as religious and argued that World Vision fell within the Title VII religious exemption. The Christian Legal Society, Center for Public Justice, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, Samaritan's Purse and Association of Gospel Rescue Missions also joined the brief.
“Spencer v. World Vision, Inc., confirms the fundamental right of religious organizations, protected by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to hire staff who shares their biblical understanding,” said Carl H. Esbeck of the NAE Legal Counsel. “No one questions the right of secular groups to hire staff who support the organization’s purpose. Religious organizations deserve the same protection.”
Historic Ramifications
World Vision contends the right of religious organizations to hire people who share common beliefs and values is one of the great freedoms of a democracy. Stearns says the action by the U.S. Supreme Court protects this right for future generations and "represents a major victory for the freedom of all religious organizations to hire employees who share the same faith -- whether Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian or any other religion."
While the Supreme Court opted not to hear the Spencer v. World Vision case, it faces five other employment-related cases. The court’s denial of the World Vision lawsuit could impact the rulings.
Impact of Future Supreme Court Cases
On October 5, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church School v. EEOC. For the first time in its history, the case brings the so-called “ministerial exception” doctrine before the high court. The bench will consider whether or not Cheryl Perich, a teacher at Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church School in Michigan, should be considered a minister.
