A U.S. District Court judge has determined that two suits by chaplains alleging religious discrimination in the U.S. Navy should continue

Christian Century, Feb 13, 2002

* A U.S. District Court judge has determined that two suits by chaplains alleging religious discrimination in the U.S. Navy should continue. Judge Ricardo M. Urbina has denied in part the navy's motion to dismiss the cases, which accuse the military service of discriminating against evangelical Christian groups.

The chaplains allege second-class treatment by the navy, which they say has "illegal religious quotas" for chaplain promotions and a tendency for bias against nonliturgical Christian navy chaplains. "Although they perform religious functions, chaplains should be selected for promotions based on their fitness as officers and as chaplains, rather than the religious message of their sermons," Urbina wrote in a 62-page decision filed January 10.