Court Rejects Seminary’s Shield of “Ministerial Exception”
The seminary’s initial attempt to toss the lawsuit largely failed. While the court dismissed a Title IX hostile work environment claim, it refused to extend the First Amendment’s ministerial exception — a doctrine that can protect religious institutions from employment discrimination claims brought by ministers.
In June 2024, U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand ruled that Thorpe’s role involved largely secular duties such as marketing, admissions, and financial aid, making the ministerial defense questionable.
By July, the court again rejected the seminary’s motion to pursue an early appeal to the Third Circuit, ruling that a jury should decide whether Thorpe’s remaining responsibilities were religious in nature — and whether bias or retaliation influenced the school’s hiring decisions.
Settlement Brings Quiet End to High-Profile Dispute
After the court’s summer rulings, the parties notified the judge in September that they had reached a settlement, finalizing the deal on Friday. Neither side has disclosed the financial terms, and both declined requests for comment.
The resolution closes Thorpe’s remaining Title IX, 42 U.S.C. §1981, and Pennsylvania breach of contract claims — allegations that had painted a vivid picture of internal discord at one of the region’s oldest theological institutions.
