Pastor’s Suit Dismissed Under Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine: The Michigan Court of Appeals applied the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine to dismiss a suit brought by a Lutheran pastor challenging actions that forced his resignation from St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church. He claims this led to his “blacklisting” in the church and his inability to practice his profession. The court rejected plaintiff’s argument that it should decide the case using neutral principles of law, instead of dismissing it.
See also Ministerial Exception Denied for Northwest Christian Univeristy
and
The Courts and How to Apply Hosanna-Tabor.
