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Is Vanderbilt University Suppressing Religion?

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    New policy is causing an uproar among students and faculty

  • Duration 4:01
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This transcript is automatically generated

Number those college days when you enjoy a committee our club.

Well there's something going on at Vanderbilt that John Roberts is taking a look at.

And John I found this really interesting when I was reading the description of your story I can imagine.

The scenario when someone joins a club who is it really up part or believes in that particular faith -- organization and they can run.

How's it going there.

-- -- did this really is uninteresting story Jamie 300 student groups at Vanderbilt University.

Last fall and openly gay under -- complained that He was kicked out of a Christian fraternity.

So the school decided to take a look at the charters the constitutions of all 300 of these groups to make sure that they were in compliance.

What the school's nondiscrimination policy now the school is applying this.

-- an interesting kind of way that that extrapolated out could see a man leading a woman's group Cristina atheist leaving a Christian group but you're leading a Muslim group vice Versa.

It's got all the potential it senator around the Christian legal society -- one up there the other day and sat down with a couple of their members talked about what's going on.

The Christian legal society has in its constitution a provision that says quote.

Each officer is expected to lead Bible studies prayer and worship at chapter meetings.

The school responded this is doctor reverend -- person who -- the off from the office of religious life at Vanderbilt said Vanderbilt policies do not allow this expectation qualification.

For officers what the school is saying is that you cannot expect a leader to adhere to your beliefs or your goals is a group.

So if you've got a Christian group you can't say we want leaders who are Christians now.

Just in Gunter who is the president of the Christian legal society has been negotiating with the university about all of this they want him to take that language out of its content under -- -- is constitution.

He saying He just can't do that here's what He told me.

The point where there are saying that we can't have Bible studies and prayer meetings as a part.

Of our constitution.

If we go beyond that we're compromising the very identity of who we -- Christians in the very thing we believe this religious individuals.

There are many Christian groups across the country Jamie who really believe.

That the Christian religion is under attack in American -- -- said you're really worried that somebody might try to infiltrate the group and take it apart from the inside He said well.

It has happened before in fact it has happened before with the Christian leadership society.

Well -- I'm sorry I thought maybe we have more sound so it's John that is so interesting and I'm wondering have you taken a looker or had any thought about how other universities might handle an issue like -- Well you know that there have actually been Supreme Court challenges the Christian legal side held leadership decided what to the Supreme Court against the Hastings law school in California.

It was a very specific all commerce policy.

And in that case the CLS was ruled against don't know what they're going to take it to court this time around.

But it seems like they may be laying the ground work for challenge like that -- Vanderbilt University doesn't ban.

Here's -- the university told me in a statement -- they said quote we are committed to making our campus.

A welcoming environment for all of our students and we continue to work with them that these groups to achieve compliance with the nondiscrimination policy this what -- just couldn't go -- -- -- -- see how -- It is on and it's very interesting that you found this and they're telling us about act especially for many of us who are.

We think back to those days that we could only join certain clubs and we had a really prove ourselves so thank you so much -- have a great day.

Well if AJ because just of one little one little -- what you just said -- that the Christian legal society is open to all comers but for specifically for -- leadership positions it says that these people because there's a book club is all about.

This -- at the leaders need to be able to hold Bible studies.

They need to be able to conduct worship and they need to be able to lead prayer groups and and in order to do that -- believes those leaders do need to be Christian.

Point taken let us know how it turns out thanks so much on ultra wealthy -- -- --

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