Two Christian clubs sue Virginia State University over new campus ministry policy

ETTRICK, Va. — Two Christian student organizations at Virginia State University have filed a federal lawsuit against the school, challenging a new policy they say unconstitutionally restricts their religious freedom and treats Christian groups differently than other faith-based organizations on campus.

Women of Victory and Bethel Campus Fellowship — both national organizations with chapters at VSU — are represented by Alliance Defending Freedom in the suit.

Mercer Martin, with Alliance Defending Freedom, said university leaders told students at the beginning of the school year that under the new policy, student-led ministries could no longer hold registered student organization status or affiliate with their national organizations. He said the clubs would instead be absorbed into VSU's Campus Ministries program, placing them under the oversight of the university's campus minister, Thomas Wynn, and a board of advisors.

"What makes this policy stand out is instituting a university sponsored campus minister that has complete control over all Christian religious expression on campus. That is unprecedented in recent times," Martin said.

Martin said the policy requires the groups to obtain permission from the campus minister before meeting and mandates his presence at gatherings.

"Now, anytime the students want to meet, anytime the students want to study the Bible or do anything together, they have to get permission from the campus minister, and he has to be present," Martin said.

Martin said the policy also eliminates arrangements the groups previously had with outside organizations.

"In the past, there was a local church that would transport students to the church for meetings and things like that, and under this policy, that's no longer permitted," Martin said.

Martin said the policy is especially discriminatory because it does not apply to all faith-based organizations on campus.

"Excluded from this policy is the Muslim Student Association and other non-Christian faith-based groups," Martin said.

He said the unequal treatment is a problem regardless of which religion is affected.

"Regardless of your religion, you know, whether you're Muslim or Christian, the government should not be controlling your expression and should not be treating you differently, and that's exactly what VSU is doing here," Martin said.

While the lawsuit also requests a refund of activity fees paid by students, Martin said the primary goal is to restore the rights the clubs say were taken away.

"The First Amendment requires that every group be treated equally. So what we are seeking is that the Christian groups, the Muslim groups, the secular groups, all of them are on equal footing and are able to receive all of the benefits," Martin said.

CBS 6 reached out to VSU twice for a response to the lawsuit and have not yet received a response. A court date has not yet been set.

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