We should pray itās overruled. Itās a terrible decision. The state has zero business involving itself in ecclesial governance. The government can barely run a functioning post office. You donāt want it choosing church deacons
I hope those celebrating the Virginia appeals court ruling against McLean Bible didnāt read the opinion. It establishes a lower threshold of religious freedom for congregational churches than denominational churches and allows state courts to get involved in issues of church discipline.
McLean should appeal, and seek to transfer the case to federal court. The people suing McLean should drop the lawsuit and ask the appeals court to vacate their own opinion as moot. Otherwise, they open up every congregational church to judicial oversight of Church discipline and admission to membership.
As far as I know, thereās never been a successful lawsuit against a church for exercising church discipline. This opinion bursts that door wide open.