On March 30, 2015, the Supreme Court denied the petition, allowing the Second Circuit’s decision permitting NYC’s discriminatory policy excluding religious worship services to stand. Fortunately, churches were able to continue meeting in public school facilities while these requests for review were in process. Supreme Court for review – this was actually the third time during the litigation that Bronx Household of Faith had asked the High Court to hear its case. Alliance Defending Freedom sought en banc rehearing, which the court denied. Unfortunately, the district court’s injunction order was overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in April 2014. This created much cross-denominational interaction and outreach as a result. Many churches in NYC were galvanized by the Right to Worship movement that developed among the pastors and congregations through this shared experience of being under the threat of eviction from the schools where they met. Since that victory more than 50-75 churches began meeting in public schools. district court in Manhattan that opened NYC’s school facilities to churches. We want these kinds of public spaces made open.”Īlliance Defending Freedom was equally committed to securing victory and Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence has fought with the church every step of the way.Įarly on in the litigation, in June 2002, Alliance Defending Freedom secured a ruling from a U.S. “We want this freedom for churches that don’t have it. “Since the beginning, we’ve seen this as a wedge for the Body of Christ,” Roberts says. Where many would have given up or grown tired of the lengthy court process, Pastor Hall and Pastor Roberts remained committed to seeking legal victory. New York City has made its school facilities open to community groups during non-school hours for virtually any purpose-except “religious worship services,” which its policy singled out for exclusion. Because of high rent prices and other challenges, the church’s vital ministry to this community depends on access to public facilities. For the past two decades they were engaged in a legal battle, fighting for the right to use public school facilities in New York City for religious worship services.īronx Household of Faith ministers to the people in one of the neediest areas of the city. Pastors Robert Hall and Jack Roberts have been ministering in the University Heights neighborhood of the Bronx since the early 1970’s. The ability of churches to utilize public facilities in order to minister to the community through religious worship services. Religious speakers' right to equal use of public facilities.
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