Religion and Race: The Ministerial Exception Reexamined

Abstract:     
This essay is a contribution to the Northwestern University Law Review's colloquy on the ministerial exception, convened following the Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments in Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC.

I take the opportunity to consider the (sometimes) competing constitutional values of racial equality and religious freedom. I offer historical, ethical, and doctrinal arguments for the position that race must trump religion as a constitutional value when the two come into conflict. With this in mind, I suggest that the ministerial exception should not shield religious employers from anti discrimination suits brought on the basis of race.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 16

Keywords: Ministerial Exception, Racial Equality, Religious Freedom, Hosanna-Tabor, Modalities, Constitutional Theory

Accepted Paper Series