General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists v. Horton
Case Snapshot
The Seventh-day Adventist Church, led by its General Conference, is a Christian denomination with over 22 million members worldwide. To ensure that the Church continues to uphold its religious mission, the General Conference requires all of its employees to be faithful members of the Church. A recent change to Maryland law, however, threatens this freedom by forcing the General Conference to hire employees who might disagree with the Church’s faith and religious mission. This change in Maryland law would disrupt the Church’s long-held beliefs and undermine its religious exercise. This is why the General Conference is asking a federal court to confirm that the U.S. Constitution protects its ability to continue hiring only those who share its faith and agree to support its religious mission.
Status
Share this Case
Case Summary
A global community of faith and service
The Seventh-day Adventist Church traces its origins to a religious revival movement that started in the 1840s. Today, the Church is made up of over 22 million members and is one of the world’s most racially and ethnically diverse Chrisitan denominations. The Church operates ministries in over 120 countries, offering education and humanitarian relief to those in need.
The Church’s faith is evident in all that it does, including in its workplace culture and environment. For example, many Church-run institutions begin each day with worship services, which include devotional speakers, prayer, musical worship, and Bible study. The Church also expects its employees to uphold and model the faith in every aspect of their lives. This includes following Seventh-day Adventist teachings on modest dress, marriage and sexuality, healthful living, and observance of the Saturday Sabbath.
The Church’s religious hiring practices are threatened
The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, headquartered in Maryland, serves as the central governing body of the global Church, overseeing its ministries throughout the world. Adventist Risk Management (ARM), also based in Maryland, is the insurance and risk management provider for the Church and has been serving Adventist ministries since 1935.
A recent change in Maryland law, however, threatens these ministries. In 2023, the Maryland Supreme Court reinterpreted the Maryland Fair Employment Act, significantly limiting the law’s religious exemption that had previously allowed Seventh-day Adventist organizations to hire only those who share their faith. Now, only employees who directly advance the Church’s core mission can be hired based on shared beliefs. And courts get to decide what are the Church’s core missions. As a result, the Church’s long-standing hiring practices conflict with Maryland law, jeopardizing the Church’s ability to fulfill its religious mission.
The law protects the Church’s freedom to live its faith
On October 2, 2024, Becket filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on behalf of the General Conference and ARM. The complaint argues that as religious ministries, the General Conference and ARM must have the freedom to ensure all their employees share and uphold the Church’s beliefs. It also argues that this new interpretation of Maryland law requires courts to delve into complex questions about what the Church’s core mission is and which employees are essential to advancing that mission—matters that are deeply tied to the Church’s beliefs. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that courts have no business meddling in such matters of a Church’s governance, faith, and doctrine.
Importance to Religious Liberty:
- Religious Communities: Churches and religious organizations have a right to live, teach, and govern in accordance with the tenets of their faith. When the government unjustly interferes in internal church affairs, the separation of church and state is threatened. The First Amendment ensures a church’s right to self-definition and free association.
Photo Credit: Seventh-day Adventist Church