AG Curtis Hill defends right of Christian student groups to choose leaders who share their beliefs

Attorney General Curtis Hill is supporting a Christian collegiate organization’s legal battle to preserve its right to require its leaders to espouse Christian principles.

“The First Amendment protects the free exercise of religion for all Americans,” Attorney General Hill said. “That certainly includes faith-based organizations that simply want to choose leaders who share their foundational beliefs.”

On Thursday, at the direction of Attorney General Hill, Indiana joined 14 other states in filing a brief with a U.S. appellate court supporting InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. In 2018, the University of Iowa revoked the group’s registration as a student organization because of its faith-related requirements for leaders. While InterVarsity’s general membership is open to all who wish to participate in the group’s activities, those in leadership positions are required to affirm the organization’s Christian values

In September, InterVarsity won a lawsuit against the University of Iowa in a U.S. district court, but that decision was appealed.

“Even though this case arose in Iowa, the outcome is important to Americans in every state,” Attorney General Hill said. “We must remain vigilant in our efforts to make sure federal courts respect everyone’s religious liberty, whatever our individual faith perspectives.”