A shocking new ruling from a Virginia judge tells a Christian university they can’t fire an employee for violating their biblical values. The decision against Liberty University threatens religious freedom across America and could force faith-based institutions to employ individuals who openly oppose their core beliefs.
At a Glance
- Virginia judge ruled a lawsuit against Liberty University for firing a transgender employee will proceed
- Liberty University fired Ellenor Zinski for “denying biological sex assigned at birth”
- The court rejected Liberty’s religious freedom arguments, claiming employment doesn’t burden university’s religious mission
- Zinski had signed an agreement to follow the university’s doctrinal statement opposing transgender ideology
- Liberty Counsel plans to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court to defend religious freedom
Judge Forces Christian University to Keep Employee Who Violated Biblical Values
A federal judge in the Western District of Virginia has delivered a severe blow to religious liberty advocates, ruling that Liberty University cannot dismiss a transgender employee despite the clear violation of the school’s religious doctrinal statement. The ruling allows Ellenor Zinski, a male employee who began identifying as female, to proceed with a lawsuit claiming the university violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by terminating employment.
U.S. District Judge Norman Moon rejected all of Liberty University’s motions to dismiss the case, including arguments based on religious exemptions and First Amendment protections. The judge remarkably claimed that continuing to employ someone who openly contradicts the university’s biblical teachings wouldn’t compromise the school’s religious mission.
Christian Values Under Attack
Liberty University, one of America’s largest Christian universities, cited their doctrinal statement when firing Zinski. The statement clearly outlines the university’s biblical position that humans are created as either male or female from birth. When Zinski began identifying as transgender, the university determined this violated their deeply-held religious beliefs.
“Liberty University’s doctrinal statement clearly states that human beings were directly created in the very image of God as either biologically male or female from the womb, and it is a sinful act prohibited by God to deny one’s birth sex by self-identification with a different gender,” it said.
What makes this case particularly troubling is that Zinski had signed an agreement to abide by the university’s doctrinal statement when accepting employment. Liberty Counsel, representing the university, argues that Zinski essentially engaged in deception to undermine the institution’s religious beliefs from within.
Freedom of Religion Under Threat
The ACLU of Virginia, which is representing Zinski, makes no attempt to hide their goal of forcing religious institutions to abandon their biblical values. The organization explicitly states that religious beliefs provide no protection against the progressive agenda of enforcing LGBTQ ideology in the workplace.
“Liberty University seems to be trying to argue that it can discriminate against its employees under the guise of religion. But federal law says no employer may discriminate against its employees by firing them on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, no matter their religious beliefs,” said ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Eden Heilman. “Just because Liberty University has decided it wants to operate by a so-called ‘doctrinal statement’ doesn’t mean it’s not bound by federal law.”
Liberty Counsel plans to fight this assault on religious freedom all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. Mat Staver, the organization’s Founder, has vowed to continue defending Liberty University’s First Amendment rights. Meanwhile, the ruling allows Zinski to proceed with discovery in the lawsuit, creating additional legal burdens for the university.
“Liberty Counsel will press both the Fourth Circuit and, if necessary, the Supreme Court to recognize what the First Amendment and Title VII both require,” Staver said.
