“It is fundamental to religious freedom that religious groups are free to define their own mission, select their own leaders and determine their own membership criteria.”

At least 18 different organizations and 13 state attorney generals are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the constitutional rights of religious groups to set membership and leadership criteria according to the dictates of their religious beliefs.

More specifically, the groups and attorney generals are asking the high court to overturn an appeals court ruling that backed a California law school’s decision to not recognize a Christian student group because of the group’s refusal to allow non-Christians to become voting members or leaders.

In its amicus brief filed at the high court, one of the groups, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), contended that religious groups are constitutionally protected in following their religious beliefs.

“Religious groups by their nature embrace religious principles and, as a matter of organizational identity and coherence, will normally require adherence to such principles as a criterion for membership and certainly for leadership,” the legal group stated in the brief – one of at least 19 that were filed by Thursday’s deadline.

“This is not ‘discrimination’ but rather part and parcel of what defines them as religious groups,” it added, adding to arguments made by groups including the Boy Scouts of America, Christian Medical and Dental Associations, the American Islamic Congress, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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