|
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
Good News: Canada's Top Court Sides with Religious Groups, says They're 'Free' to Make their Own Rules
Editor's Note: While this lawsuit involved Jehovah's Witnesses, the ruling would apply to any religious group in Canada, including Christian churches. As the ARPA of Canada stated regarding the decision: "This case will stand as a clear precedent protecting the independence of religious bodies. It will also stand as a reminder to all judges of the virtue of judicial humility." -Aimee Herd, BCN (Ottawa)— [LifeSiteNews.com] Canada's top court has affirmed the right of religious groups to govern their own affairs. It ruled yesterday that an Alberta court had no jurisdiction to review a decision by a Jehovah's Witness congregation to expel a member for alleged drunkenness and domestic verbal abuse. (Photo credit: Shutterstock/via LifeSiteNews) In a 30-page ruling released Thursday, all nine Supreme Court justices agreed the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench had no authority to rule on civil action against Jehovah's Witness brought by former member Randy Wall. The plaintiff had argued that his expulsion from the church affected his property and civil rights. Courts have neither the "legitimacy nor institutional capacity to deal with contentious matters of religious doctrine," wrote Justice Malcolm Rowe. "In the end, religious groups are free to determine their own membership and rules," Rowe concluded, adding courts will only intervene in such matters if there is an underlying legal dispute that must be resolved, reported the National Post. A Calgary-based independent realtor, Wall was "disfellowshipped" by the elders of the Highwood Congregation of the Jehovah's Witnesses congregation in 2014 for insufficient repentance. Wall had admitted to two incidents of drunkenness and one of verbally abusing his wife, but contended he was under stress because his 15-year-old daughter's previous expulsion from the congregation led him to evict her from the family home, according to a summary of the case in the Court of Appeal of Alberta ruling. When his appeal to church bodies failed, Wall applied to the court to overturn the decision, arguing the expulsion affected him financially because half his clients were members of Jehovah's Witness congregations and had severed ties with him, the Post reported. A judge ruled the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench had jurisdiction to rule on the matter because the disfellowship had an economic impact on Wall, and the Court of Appeal upheld that decision in September 2016. The Highwood congregation appealed to the Supreme Court, which heard the case on November 2, 2017. A number of faith and civil liberties groups intervened in the case on behalf of the Highwood congregation. Several hailed Thursday's ruling as a victory for religious and free association rights. "Mr. Justice Rowe's reasons provide a strong statement on the limited role courts should have on reviewing internal decisions of private institutions, and in particular, ecclesiastical bodies," said Philip Horgan, a Toronto-based constitutional lawyer and president of Catholic Civil Right League. "We are pleased with the court's analysis of the limited role for judicial review of such institutional decisions, and the further recognition that secular courts are not qualified to rule on theological or ecclesiastical concerns"... Continue reading here. 
To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE
Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News Hundreds Accept Jesus Christ in Poland at Franklin Graham Rally Grammy-Winning Christian Artist Mandisa Has Died: Report How You Can Send Letters of Encouragement to Jailed Pro-Life Heroes Illegal Immigrants Being Moved into Soldiers' Home Where Veterans Must Pay to Stay House Democrats Vow to Codify 'Rights' to Trans Surgeries, Hormones, Puberty Blockers Israel Strikes Deep Inside Iran, Nuclear Facilities NOT Hit An Important Message from Japan to the world about the WHO, Japan and the Next So-called 'Vaccine' Farmers, Truckers Warn California Emissions Mandates Will Cause 'Catastrophic' Supply Chain Crisis Fed Court Overturns State Law Protecting Women's Sports from 'Transgender' Athletes Biden's Education Secretary Vows to Shut Down the Largest Christian University in the US US to Back Rafah Op in Exchange for Israel Dropping Major Iran Strike; Report Schumer Succeeds in Killing Off Mayorkas Impeachment Trial before It Can Even Begin California Town Tears Down Beloved Hillside Cross Danielle Smith Again Defends Alberta's Coming Ban on Transgender Mutilation of Children |
    
  |
"The Supreme Court's ruling provides clarity to Canadians that neither courts nor governments can legally compel citizens to associate together unwillingly." -John Carpay, JCCF President
All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.
Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.
| Home | Store | Subscribe | Facebook | Article Archive |