A Christian ministry in Oregon is suing state officials after it was denied $400,000 in government funding because the organization requires employees and volunteers to sign and agree to its statement of faith.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a non-profit legal group, filed a motion Wednesday on behalf of 71Five Ministries requesting that a federal district court restore the Oregon youth ministry’s access to grant funding while a pending lawsuit continues against state officials who denied previously approved funding.
71Five Ministries serves young people in Oregon of all faiths and backgrounds, including at-risk youth, young people in detention centers and correctional facilities, and expectant and parenting teens, according to ADF.
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
From 2017 to 2023, the ministry applied for—and was granted—funds from Oregon’s biennial Youth Community Investment Grants program.
However, when the organization applied for funding for the next cycle they were denied due to a new rule that requires that applicants “not discriminate” based on religion “in (their) employment practices.”
ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of the ministry this month claiming the agency’s “new rule” violated their client’s religious freedom
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN