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Suit Challenges Illinois Grant To Help Rebuild Historic Church

By Howard M. Friedman

In Chicago last week, atheist activist Rob Sherman filed a state court lawsuit against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and other state officials challenging a $1 million state grant to help rebuild Chicago's historic Pilgrim Baptist Church. The church was severely damaged by fire in 2006. The state grant is to go toward rebuilding the church's administration building that housed a school, and historical documents.(See prior posting.) The complaint (full text) alleges that while the grant agreement provides state funds are not to be used to further sectarian activities, the state-funded portion will be identified with the church, the grant will allow the church to divert $1 million in its own funds toward the promotion of religious activities, and there is no meaningful way to segregate the non-religious from the religious uses of the building. It also alleges that the agreement provides no enforcement mechanism after two years. The suit alleges violations of the Establishment Clause as well as various provisions of the Illinois Constitution that effectively bar expenditures for religious purposes.

Today's Chicago Tribune reports that Sherman's lawsuit comes after Sherman received a large inheritance from his mother last year. This allows him to operate on more than the shoestring budget that characterized his earlier challenges to government favoritism for religion.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on July 22, 2008 (boomark / email).