ALLIANCE
DEFENSE
FUND NEWS RELEASE
December 27,
2006 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF
MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020
University officials agree to stop violating First Amendment
rights of Christian fraternity members
COLUMBIA,
Mo. — Last week the University of
Missouri agreed to recognize a Christian fraternity, Beta
Upsilon Chi, as a registered student organization. The
university recently threatened to revoke the fraternity’s
official status, claiming the group’s requirements that
officials and members profess the Christian faith is “religious
discrimination.”
“Universities should respect the free speech rights of Christian
fraternity members, just as they do for all other fraternity
members,” said Timothy J. Tracey, litigation counsel for the
Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law & Religious Freedom.
“Ironically, the Greek system was originally established to
promote Christian virtues such as charity and service, and so
the threatened exclusion of a faith-based fraternity at the
University of Missouri makes no sense. Religious student groups
like Beta Upsilon Chi contribute to the health and diversity of
campus life and should be encouraged, not discouraged.”
Beta Upsilon Chi is a fraternity of Christian male college
students who wish to foster fellowship through their common
belief in Jesus Christ. Without official recognition, the
Christian fraternity would miss important benefits provided to
other student groups, such as access to meeting space and
ability to advertise on campus.
Upon recent communication with CLS attorneys, university
officials agreed not to require the group to establish a
religious non-discrimination policy. The university officials
have now agreed to continue recognizing Beta Upsilon Chi as a
registered student organization with all the associated
benefits.
Together,
ADF, America’s largest legal alliance, and CLS, America’s
premier network of Christian legal professionals, defend
religious liberty, human life, marriage, and the family.
www.telladf.org
www.clsnet.org
