Homeless Aid Sentenced to Hire Worker Who Goes Against Its Principles Goes to U.S. Supreme Court

In nearly nine decades of activity, the Seattle Gospel Mission Union has proven to be exceptionally good at an exceptionally difficult job – helping increasing number homeless people find food, shelter, work… and most importantly, some peace.

It is of course difficult to measure what goes on in a person’s soul, but the impact of Mission staff and programs on the thousands of injured people who cross their path each year can be deduced from a figure: 70% of those who have Mission programs are still sober and either work or are in school two years later. No other homeless service in the state claims the same success.

In a state where more than 21,000 homeless people took to the streets Last year, this success rate is a remarkable achievement – and a testament to many changed lives.

One could attribute the accomplishments of the Mission to the fact that those who come to it have already made the decision to change. But Mission staff don’t just wait for whoever comes to them. They come out to the darkest corners of the city to interact with those struggling to survive. No hard selling, no high pressure talk: just initiate relationships, listen to stories, build a friendship … then offer a prayer and any kind of tangible help a wounded soul might need, crouching under an overpass, watching rain and traffic go through.

If this sounds less like a soup kitchen and more like a missionary effort, you are right. The founding principle of the Mission is not to end homelessness. It is (as the name suggests) sharing the Gospel. Bunk, meals, and employment opportunities are secondary, as they, the mission staff, have found solace but never really change anyone. Only the Gospel accomplishes this.

That is why all who work in the Mission are required to share their religious beliefs, to be active in a Christian church and to live the Christian faith. For each employee, social work takes a back seat to sharing the Gospel.

“If my job is to share the gospel,” asks a chef de mission, “how can I be forced to hire people who don’t? “

This question is directed to the Washington Supreme Court, which sought to punish the Seattle Gospel Mission Union for refusing to hire someone who admits he does not share the Mission’s beliefs and has could not provide the required pastor’s recommendation. He applied for a position indicating that he wanted change Mission beliefs – the very faith that fueled its remarkable success.

Forcing the Mission to hire him is a flagrant violation of the First Amendment. How is the ministry supposed to function according to its mission when the government says it cannot hire on the basis of shared faith?

There is no religious freedom if the state can dictate employment decisions to a religious group. Should a court be able to order a Catholic welfare agency to enlist atheists? Or a synagogue to employ Muslim staff? This deliberately undermines the practices of a given religious group… because some government officials do not embrace those practices.

That is why the Mission asked the United States Supreme Court to hear his case. Washington’s actions pose a clear threat not only to the religious freedom of the Mission, but to everyone in the state.

In addition, these actions would destroy what has been, for nearly a century, one of Seattle’s most effective actions with its homeless population. You don’t need to share the Mission’s religious beliefs to see that it should be able to function according to those beliefs. After all, it is these beliefs and Mission evangelism that have seen such spectacular success.

The government should never tell a religious organization to hire those whose expressed hope is to change the beliefs of the organization. The Supreme Court must intervene and specify it. Everyone benefits when religion flourishes.

John Bursch is Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appeals Defense with Alliance defending freedom (@Alliance defends) and represents the Seattle Gospel Mission Union.