Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Catholic News

Home

Home
Catholic
Religion News
This counseling student says he was expelled for his Christian beliefs

This counseling student says he was expelled for his Christian beliefs

Last updated on: April 25, 2016 at 11:06 pm by CNA Daily News

This counseling student says he was expelled for his Christian beliefs 2016-04-25T23:06:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Springfield, Mo., Apr 25, 2016 / 05:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A former counseling student says that he was pushed out of a university after saying that he would refer same-sex couples to another counselor, due to his Christian beliefs.

“Traditionally, universities have been places for free exchange of ideas and values, both religious and secular,” Thomas Olp, executive director and attorney for the Thomas More Society, said April 21.

“Unfortunately, Missouri State University departed from its mission by denying educational opportunity to Mr. Cash simply because he expressed, in an academic setting, sincerely-held religious beliefs which his advisor deemed hostile to her own and therefore unacceptable.”

Andrew Cash was dismissed from a master’s program in counseling at the university after his advisor claimed that it was unethical for him to decline to counsel same-sex couples and refer them to another counselor instead.

Cash is seeking reinstatement in the program in a lawsuit against the governors of Missouri State University. The Chicago-based Thomas More Society filed the lawsuit on Cash’s behalf.

The lawsuit charges that Cash was “penalized for expressing his religious views.” The suit claims that the counseling program treated him differently than other students “because he is a Christian and because of his Christian beliefs.”

Suzanne Shaw, a spokeswoman for the university, told the Springfield News Leader she could not comment on the specifics of pending litigation. She said the university “strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion or any other protected class.”

Cash was almost finished with his degree in the program at Missouri State University in January 2011 when he sought to fulfill the degree program’s internship requirements, the Thomas More Society said. He chose an internship at the Springfield Marriage and Family Institute. The university had approved the Christian-based counseling agency as an internship site.

Cash asked his internship supervisor at the institute to speak to his class about Christian counseling, with the approval his instructor. The institute’s chief counselor said that the organization was open with its clients about its Christian values and practices.

During the presentation, the counselor answered questions about the institute’s treatment of homosexual clients. It counsels these clients on an individual basis, but prefers to refer same-sex couples for relationship counseling to counselors whose religious views would better fit that purpose.

A student complained to Cash’s faculty advisor, who later questioned Cash on the subject.

Cash said he agreed that he could not counsel same-sex couples, but he would refer them elsewhere to a counselor who could best serve them.

The faculty advisor said such a position would violate the American Counseling Association’s ethics code, claiming such action constituted discrimination against homosexual persons.

According to the Thomas More Society, the faculty advisor ordered him to stop attending the institute and told the institute it was no longer a proper place for an internship. The university later stripped the internship hours from Cash’s record.

When Cash sought another internship, his advisor required him to meet certain suitability standards. The advisor later wrote to department officials and claimed that it appeared the student had not renounced his religious views and his support for the institute.

She recommended that Cash be placed into remediation. University officials agreed and placed several requirements upon him. Cash was expelled from the program in November 2014.

Cash’s lawsuit said he suffered economic injury and “irreparable harm” because of the university’s decision. He is seeking punitive damages.

A similar controversy took place at Eastern Michigan University. In 2009, counseling student Julea Ward was told she had to provide relationship counseling to a client in a same-sex relationship rather than make a referral to another counselor. She said she could not affirm a relationship against her faith, and a review board expelled her from the school.

After a lawsuit, Eastern Michigan University paid a settlement to Ward and removed her expulsion from her record.

Previous Post

April 25, 2016

Suspended audit reveals power struggle at the Vatican

Next Post

April 26, 2016 Could reconciliation with the SSPX arrive with ease?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give to you"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter John James Paul