by Peter J. Reilly, Forbes

Clergy housing is back in the news as Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch dissented from the Court’s decision to not hear the appeal in the case of Trustees of the New Life in Christ Church v. City of Fredericksburg. The economic issue was real estate tax exemption for a residence on Church property occupied by Josh Storms and Anacari Storms. Justice Gorsuch sees it as a matter of bureaucrats and judges subjecting religious beliefs to verification. The real estate exemption turned on whether Josh and Anacari can be considered ministers under the Virginia statute that exempts parsonages.

Supporters

Four amicus briefs show a heart warming level of ecumenism. We have the

• Coalition For Jewish Values
•  American Association of Christian Schools and Association of Christian Schools International
• Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic of the Anglican Church in North America, Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, Evangelical Council For Financial Accountability, The Family Foundation, International Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers, National Legal Foundation, and Pacific Justice Institute
•  Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Christian Life and Public Affairs Committee of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.

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