Latest news with #DougWilson
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What is CREC? The Christian nationalist group has a vision for America − and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's support
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's affiliation with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches – commonly called the CREC – drew attention even before his confirmation hearings in January 2025. More recently, media reports highlighted a Pentagon prayer led by Hegseth and his pastor, Brooks Potteiger, in which they praised President Donald Trump, who they said was divinely appointed. As a scholar of the Christian right, I have studied the CREC. Hegseth's membership in a church that belongs to the CREC drew attention because prominent members of the church identify as Christian nationalists, and because of its positions on issues concerning gender, sexuality and the separation of church and state. The CREC is most easily understood through three main parts: churches, schools and media. The CREC church is a network of churches. It is associated with the congregation of Doug Wilson, the pastor who founded Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Wilson grew up in the town, where his father was an evangelical minister. Wilson co-founded the CREC in 1993 and is the public figure most associated with the network of churches. Christ Church operates as the hub for Logos Schools, Canon Press and New Saint Andrews College, all located in Moscow. Logos is a set of private schools and homeschooling curriculum, Canon Press is a publishing house and media company, and New Saint Andrews College is a university, all of which were founded by Wilson and associated with Christ Church. All espouse the view that Christians are at odds with – or at war with – secular society. While he is not Hegseth's pastor, Wilson is the most influential voice in the CREC, and the two men have spoken approvingly of one another. As Wilson steadily grew Christ Church in Moscow, he and its members sought to spread their message by making Moscow a conservative town and establishing churches beyond it. Of his hometown, Wilson plainly states, 'Our desire is to make Moscow a Christian town.' The CREC doctrine is opposed to religious pluralism or political points of view that diverge from CREC theology. On its website, the CREC says that it is 'committed to maintaining its Reformed faith, avoiding the pitfalls of cultural relevance and political compromise that destroys our doctrinal integrity.' CREC churches adhere to a highly patriarchal and conservative interpretation of Scripture. Wilson has said that in a sexual relationship, 'A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.' In a broader political sense, CREC theology includes the belief that the establishment clause of the Constitution does not require a separation of church and state. The most common reading of the establishment clause is that freedom of religion precludes the installation of a state religion or religious tests to hold state office. The CREC broadly asserts that the government and anyone serving in it should be Christian. For Wilson and members of CREC churches, this means Christians and only Christians are qualified to hold political office in the United States. Researcher Matthew Taylor explained in an interview with the Nashville Tennessean, 'They believe the church is supposed to be militant in the world, is supposed to be reforming the world, and in some ways conquering the world.' While the CREC may not have the name recognition of some large evangelical denominations or the visibility of some megachurches, it boasts churches across the United States and internationally. The CREC website claims to have over 130 churches and parishes spread across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Like some other evangelical denominations, the CREC uses 'church planting' to grow its network. Plant churches do not require a centralized governing body to ordain their founding. Instead, those interested in starting a CREC congregation contact the CREC. The CREC then provides materials and literature for people to use in their church. The CREC's expansion also owes a debt to Wilson's entrepreneurship. As the church expanded, Wilson founded an associated K-12 school called 'Logos' in September 1981, which since then has grown into a network of many schools. In conjunction with its growth, Logos develops and sells 'classical Christian' curriculum to private schools and home-school families through Logos Press. Classical Christian Schools aim to develop what they consider a biblical worldview. In addition to religious studies, they focus on classic texts from Greece and Rome. They have grown in popularity in recent years, especially among conservatives. Logos' classical Christian curriculum is designed to help parents 'raise faithful, dangerous Christian kids who impact the world for Christ and leave craters in the world of secularism.' Logos press regularly asserts, 'education is warfare.' According to the website, Logos schools enroll more than 2,000 students across 16 countries. Logos also has its own press that supplies the curriculum to all of these schools. On the heels of Logos' success, Wilson founded the Association of Classical Christian Schools in 1993 as an accrediting body for like-minded schools. The ACCS now boast 500 schools and more than 50,000 students across the United States and around the world. Additionally, Wilson founded New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. New Saint Andrews is a Christian university that takes the classical Christian approach to education championed by Wilson into higher education. The New Saint Andrews College is consistent with other CREC institutions. It considers secularism a weakness of other universities and society more generally. Its website explains: 'New Saint Andrews has long held a principled and clear voice, championing the truth of God's word and ways, while so many other colleges veer into softness and secularism.' The school is governed by the elders of Christ Church and does not accept federal funding. In addition to the Logos Press, which produces the CREC school curriculum, Wilson founded Canon Press. Canon Press produces books, podcasts, a YouTube channel and assorted merchandise including apparel and weapons, such as a flamethrower. The YouTube channel has over 100,000 followers. Books published by Canon include children's picture books to manuals on masculinity. A number of books continue the theme of warfare. The politics page of the press contains many books on Christian nationalism. Christian political theorist Stephen Wolfe's book 'The Case for Christian Nationalism' is one of the most popular among books on Christian nationalism. The website has dozens of books on Christian nationalism and media dedicated to the construction of a Christian government. Author Joe Rigney, a fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College and an associate pastor at Christ Church, warns of the 'Sin of Empathy.' Rigney claims that empathizing with others is sinful because it requires compromise and makes one vulnerable in the fight against evil. As the church network has grown, it has drawn attention and scrutiny. Wilson's 1996 publication of a book positively depicting slavery and claiming slavery cultivated 'affection among the races' drew national attention. Accusations of sexual abuse and the church's handling of it have also brought national news coverage. Vice's Sarah Stankorb interviewed many women who talked about a culture, especially in marriage, where sexual abuse and assault is common. The Vice reporting led to a podcast that details the accounts of survivors. In interviews, Wilson has denied any wrongdoing and said that claims of sexual abuse will be directed to the proper authorities. Hegseth's actions as secretary of defense concerning gender identity and banning trans people from serving in the military, in addition to stripping gay activist and politician Harvey Milk's name from a Navy ship, have brought more attention to the CREC. I believe that given Hegseth's role as secretary of defense, his affiliation with the CREC will likely remain a topic of conversation throughout the Trump presidency. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Samuel Perry, Baylor University Read more: The term 'lone gunman' ignores the structures that enable violence How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase 'so help me God' in the presidential oath of office Talk of 'Christian nationalism' is getting a lot louder – but what does the term really mean? Samuel Perry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What is CREC? The Christian nationalist group has a vision for America − and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's support
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's affiliation with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches – commonly called the CREC – drew attention even before his confirmation hearings in January 2025. More recently, media reports highlighted a Pentagon prayer led by Hegseth and his pastor, Brooks Potteiger, in which they praised President Donald Trump, who they said was divinely appointed. As a scholar of the Christian right, I have studied the CREC. Hegseth's membership in a church that belongs to the CREC drew attention because prominent members of the church identify as Christian nationalists, and because of its positions on issues concerning gender, sexuality and the separation of church and state. The CREC is most easily understood through three main parts: churches, schools and media. The CREC church is a network of churches. It is associated with the congregation of Doug Wilson, the pastor who founded Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Wilson grew up in the town, where his father was an evangelical minister. Wilson co-founded the CREC in 1993 and is the public figure most associated with the network of churches. Christ Church operates as the hub for Logos Schools, Canon Press and New Saint Andrews College, all located in Moscow. Logos is a set of private schools and homeschooling curriculum, Canon Press is a publishing house and media company, and New Saint Andrews College is a university, all of which were founded by Wilson and associated with Christ Church. All espouse the view that Christians are at odds with – or at war with – secular society. While he is not Hegseth's pastor, Wilson is the most influential voice in the CREC, and the two men have spoken approvingly of one another. As Wilson steadily grew Christ Church in Moscow, he and its members sought to spread their message by making Moscow a conservative town and establishing churches beyond it. Of his hometown, Wilson plainly states, 'Our desire is to make Moscow a Christian town.' The CREC doctrine is opposed to religious pluralism or political points of view that diverge from CREC theology. On its website, the CREC says that it is 'committed to maintaining its Reformed faith, avoiding the pitfalls of cultural relevance and political compromise that destroys our doctrinal integrity.' CREC churches adhere to a highly patriarchal and conservative interpretation of Scripture. Wilson has said that in a sexual relationship, 'A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.' In a broader political sense, CREC theology includes the belief that the establishment clause of the Constitution does not require a separation of church and state. The most common reading of the establishment clause is that freedom of religion precludes the installation of a state religion or religious tests to hold state office. The CREC broadly asserts that the government and anyone serving in it should be Christian. For Wilson and members of CREC churches, this means Christians and only Christians are qualified to hold political office in the United States. Researcher Matthew Taylor explained in an interview with the Nashville Tennessean, 'They believe the church is supposed to be militant in the world, is supposed to be reforming the world, and in some ways conquering the world.' While the CREC may not have the name recognition of some large evangelical denominations or the visibility of some megachurches, it boasts churches across the United States and internationally. The CREC website claims to have over 130 churches and parishes spread across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Like some other evangelical denominations, the CREC uses 'church planting' to grow its network. Plant churches do not require a centralized governing body to ordain their founding. Instead, those interested in starting a CREC congregation contact the CREC. The CREC then provides materials and literature for people to use in their church. The CREC's expansion also owes a debt to Wilson's entrepreneurship. As the church expanded, Wilson founded an associated K-12 school called 'Logos' in September 1981, which since then has grown into a network of many schools. In conjunction with its growth, Logos develops and sells 'classical Christian' curriculum to private schools and home-school families through Logos Press. Classical Christian Schools aim to develop what they consider a biblical worldview. In addition to religious studies, they focus on classic texts from Greece and Rome. They have grown in popularity in recent years, especially among conservatives. Logos' classical Christian curriculum is designed to help parents 'raise faithful, dangerous Christian kids who impact the world for Christ and leave craters in the world of secularism.' Logos press regularly asserts, 'education is warfare.' According to the website, Logos schools enroll more than 2,000 students across 16 countries. Logos also has its own press that supplies the curriculum to all of these schools. On the heels of Logos' success, Wilson founded the Association of Classical Christian Schools in 1993 as an accrediting body for like-minded schools. The ACCS now boast 500 schools and more than 50,000 students across the United States and around the world. Additionally, Wilson founded New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho. New Saint Andrews is a Christian university that takes the classical Christian approach to education championed by Wilson into higher education. The New Saint Andrews College is consistent with other CREC institutions. It considers secularism a weakness of other universities and society more generally. Its website explains: 'New Saint Andrews has long held a principled and clear voice, championing the truth of God's word and ways, while so many other colleges veer into softness and secularism.' The school is governed by the elders of Christ Church and does not accept federal funding. In addition to the Logos Press, which produces the CREC school curriculum, Wilson founded Canon Press. Canon Press produces books, podcasts, a YouTube channel and assorted merchandise including apparel and weapons, such as a flamethrower. The YouTube channel has over 100,000 followers. Books published by Canon include children's picture books to manuals on masculinity. A number of books continue the theme of warfare. The politics page of the press contains many books on Christian nationalism. Christian political theorist Stephen Wolfe's book 'The Case for Christian Nationalism' is one of the most popular among books on Christian nationalism. The website has dozens of books on Christian nationalism and media dedicated to the construction of a Christian government. Author Joe Rigney, a fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College and an associate pastor at Christ Church, warns of the 'Sin of Empathy.' Rigney claims that empathizing with others is sinful because it requires compromise and makes one vulnerable in the fight against evil. As the church network has grown, it has drawn attention and scrutiny. Wilson's 1996 publication of a book positively depicting slavery and claiming slavery cultivated 'affection among the races' drew national attention. Accusations of sexual abuse and the church's handling of it have also brought national news coverage. Vice's Sarah Stankorb interviewed many women who talked about a culture, especially in marriage, where sexual abuse and assault is common. The Vice reporting led to a podcast that details the accounts of survivors. In interviews, Wilson has denied any wrongdoing and said that claims of sexual abuse will be directed to the proper authorities. Hegseth's actions as secretary of defense concerning gender identity and banning trans people from serving in the military, in addition to stripping gay activist and politician Harvey Milk's name from a Navy ship, have brought more attention to the CREC. I believe that given Hegseth's role as secretary of defense, his affiliation with the CREC will likely remain a topic of conversation throughout the Trump presidency. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Samuel Perry, Baylor University Read more: The term 'lone gunman' ignores the structures that enable violence How Christian nationalism played a role in incorporating the phrase 'so help me God' in the presidential oath of office Talk of 'Christian nationalism' is getting a lot louder – but what does the term really mean? Samuel Perry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Politico
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Doug Wilson's holy war
The gospels according to Pastor Doug Wilson offer a choice: Christ or chaos. America, he believes, has too long chosen the latter. For the past 50 years, the self-described Christian theocrat has been trying to convince the country that it should choose the former — by which he means a 'reformation' that would reshape America into a Christian republic where women are subservient to men, same-sex marriage is outlawed, non-Christians are barred from elected office and the very concept of secularism is jettisoned from society. For much of Wilson's career, the conservative mainstream has shunned him over his extremist views on gender and theocratic rule, as well as his reactionary views on race. (He once co-authored as pamphlet offering a Biblical defense of slavery.) 'But in recent years, Wilson has been making inroads into the Republican establishment, aided by a growing audience for his work among allies of President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement,' writes Ian Ward in this week's Friday Read. In just the last year, Wilson has appeared on Tucker Carlson's podcast, spoken at an event hosted by Charlie Kirk and delivered a speech on Capitol Hill hosted by American Moment, a MAGA-aligned group. He gained even more prominence in January, when Pete Hegseth — a member of the intercontinental network of churches Wilson founded in the late 1990s — was confirmed as secretary of Defense. Ward traveled to Moscow, Idaho, where Wilson has built 'a sprawling evangelical empire around his theological principles,' to find out what makes MAGA's spiritual leader tick — and what he wants to accomplish in Washington. 'In recent years, a growing number of Republican elites clustered around the 'New Right' of the GOP have been looking to Wilson's work as a kind of how-to manual for injecting a hardline conservative form of Protestant Christianity into public life,' he writes, 'a project that ranges from outlawing abortion at the federal level to amending the Constitution to acknowledging the truth of the Bible.' Read the story. 'I think the puppy killer is not that smart …' Can you guess who said this about DHS Secretary Kristi Noem? Scroll to the bottom for the answer.** Is DC Still Safe for Diplomats? … For years, foreign diplomats breathed a sigh of relief when they scored a posting in Washington. It was about as safe as such a job could be. And when violence did target diplomats in D.C., it was usually because trouble followed them here from back home, not Made-in-America terror. The killing of two Israeli embassy staffers at the Jewish Museum might change that, writes Capital City columnist Michael Schaffer. The shootings have 'alerted our home-grown population of angry gunmen to the fact that there are representatives of foreign governments strolling around town at any minute.' Hearing the words 'big' and 'beautiful' a little more than usual? That might have something to do with a certain bill that passed the House while you weren't paying attention — but your politically obsessed friends don't need to know that. Just use these talking points over the holiday weekend, and you'll sound like you spent the week watching C-SPAN. (From Associate Editor Dylon Jones) — Talking to a Republican crowd? They're not likely to care about all the liberals criticizing the bill as an upward transfer of wealth — but they might listen to MAGA's top economist. Tell folks that 'Oren Cass even compared it to a 'death march through a series of choices that nobody really wanted to be making' in POLITICO Magazine.' — Make sure to mention Trump's blowup at conservative holdouts who had withheld their support of the bill, yet another sign of his power over the GOP: 'The president had Rep. Andy Harris and other conservatives in the Cabinet Room, and he just flat-out told them: 'Enough is enough. Get it done.' Then he walked out of the room. Lo and behold, the bill passed the House.' — Trump isn't the only one who gets credit. Remind your friends that 'House Speaker Mike Johnson had been putting out fires for months. The morning of the vote, he was talking to Rep. Michael Cloud — who previously said the bill 'fell short' — at 3 a.m. Later that morning he was sitting with Rep. Andrew Clyde, who got a concession on the taxation of gun silencers. And not long before the bill passed at 7 a.m., he was shaking hands with Rep. Max Miller, who had been irritated with the process. It was like a victory lap. You've got to imagine Johnson is celebrating this weekend.' — Trump told hardliners not to 'fuck around with Medicaid,' but the bill does include cuts to Medicaid spending — opening up an attack line for Democrats looking to pull the rug out from under the administration in the midterms. Tell your friends that 'the Democrats are ready to pounce: They're about to roll out attack ads over Medicaid cuts in 25 battleground districts.' Your Roommate Is a Recession Indicator … Fears of a recession have abounded since Trump kicked off his volatile trade wars. But how will we really know when a recession is upon us? Catherine Kim asked five economists for the recession indicators we should look for, especially the ones that are easy to overlook — and their answers might surprise you. MAGA Economist: The Big Beautiful Bill Is a Bust … Conservative populists have looked with mounting hope to the Trump administration to move away from Republican economic orthodoxy — but they won't find much to celebrate in the 'big, beautiful bill' that just passed the House, says Oren Cass, the MAGA movement's top economic mind. '[It's] not something that has an especially coherent logic to it or much prospect of actually accomplishing the things that I think people want,' he tells Ian Ward. This Pro-Trump Rapper Is Getting Deported … In 2023, Cuban rapper El Funky won praise from conservatives like then-Sen. Marco Rubio when he released the Grammy-winning protest anthem 'Patria y Vida,' or 'Homeland and Life,' rebuking Fidel Castro's regime. But now, El Funky's residency application has been denied, and he faces deportation and likely imprisonment as a dissenter in Cuba. Nonetheless, he still considers himself a Trump supporter, he tells Achy Obejas. 'I understand trying to get rid of those who shouldn't be here. But Trump should look at each individual case,' he says. 'Like mine.' MAGA's Menswear Mastermind … Those of you in politics know Michael Anton as a conservative official in the Trump administration. But Derek Guy — or the Twitter menswear guy, as he's affectionately known online — knows him as Manton, the imperious and respected menswear critic on StyleForum, where aficionados and connoisseurs debate the finer points of men's fashion. He was known for the concept of 'Conservative Business Dress' — a standard of dressing that his coworkers in the White House routinely fail to meet. ('trump=bad' he once posted on StyleForum.) Guy takes us on a comprehensive tour of Anton's alter-ego as the fashion police. An Intimate Look at the New York Mayor's Race … The New York mayor's race is heating up, with the controversial former Gov. of New York, Andrew Cuomo, facing off against a pack of Democratic challengers led by young socialist Zohran Mamdani. With the June 24 Democratic primary fast approaching, photographer Mark Ostow hit the trail to capture the top contenders in his signature, stark style. Get ready to see the mayor's race like you've never seen it before. From the drafting table of editorial cartoonist Matt Wuerker. Who Dissed? answer: It was Sunny Hostin, one of the hosts of The View, talking about Noem's inability to correctly define 'habeas corpus' during a Senate hearing. Hostin was also referencing Noem's memoir, in which she wrote about shooting and killing her dog. politicoweekend@
San Francisco Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F.'s Parkmerced to see big investment to lease up units but plans for expansion still on ice
The receiver that took over the 3,221-unit Parkmerced apartment complex in March says it plans to invest $70 million in fixing up the property with the goal of filling hundreds of vacant units and eventually putting it on the market. Less than two months ago a court appointed Douglas Wilson Cos. as receiver of the property after a previous owner defaulted on $1.8 billion in loans. The receiver has started a capital campaign at San Francisco's largest apartment complex to fix elevators, paint hallways, replace lighting and install hardwood floors. 'There is a litany of these fundamental issues that are going to change the look and feel and operations,' said Doug Wilson. 'It goes from fundamental issues like fixing elevators … to replacing lightbulbs in corridors in the towers that hadn't been replaced in years. That is several hundreds thousand dollars alone.' The new management comes about 14 years after the city approved a plan to add about 5,800 units to the development by tearing down some of the townhomes and replacing them with mid-rise towers, but the plan never got off the ground. Wilson was appointed after the previous owner, Maximus Real Estate Partners, stopped payment on its $1.8 billion mortgage. That loan was due in December of last year, when occupancy was 83% and cash flow 'well below' the level needed to cover debt payments, according to Morningstar. Wilson said occupancy is currently at 80%, and that the goal is to bring it to 95%, which would require leasing nearly 500 vacant units. 'Once we enhance and add credibility and stability to the project we are confident we can get leasing up to the mid 90s,' said Wilson. 'There are mold issues in some of the townhouses. The towers need to be repainted. We are doing everything from boilers to appliances to upgrading the flooring.' Brick + Timber, an affiliate of the San Francisco-based real estate firm Ballast, has been hired to manage the 8,000-resident complex. Wilson said his company would be focused on making sure entitlements to add 5,800 units don't lapse. While eventually the approvals could be revised to be in keeping with state housing laws — several bills passed in recent years could increase heights and number of units at Parkmerced –— right now the focus is on improving what is currently there, Wilson said. And given the lack of capital investing in San Francisco real estate, it's unlikely that Parkmerced will be put up for sale any time soon. 'That is not on the radar — could be some years from now,' he said. 'It's going to take a while to turn this ship around.' Barclays and Citibank provided $1.5 billion in financing in 2019, and an additional $275 million mezzanine loan came from Aimco, which the company partially sold off last year. Parkmerced, was built by MetLife in the 1940s. Over the last few years as vacancy rates rose and Maximus faced the increasing possibility of losing the property to its lenders, Parkmerced saw a dramatic escalation of complaints, for issues including broken elevators, lack of lighting in public areas, mold and mildew, leaks, car break-ins, rodents, overflowing dumpsters, and squatters taking over vacant units, according to tenants and public records. Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who represents the neighborhood, said she has "been pleasantly surprised in my conversations with the receiver about improvements and the path forward." "My priorities have always been with tenant protection and the best partner to develop," she said. "I will work with Maximus, Doug Wilson, Ballest or whomever enters the picture to achieve those two objectives."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. Department of Justice sues N. Idaho town over zoning denial for Christ Church
Pastor Doug Wilson, leader of Moscow's Christ Church, seen at a religious conference in October 2023. Federal officials are suing Troy, a north central Idaho town, after it denied a permit for Wilson's church to worship. (James Dawson/ Boise State Public Radio) This story was first published by Boise State Public Radio on May 20, 2025. The federal government is suing a small Idaho town for denying a conditional use permit to let a far-right, evangelical church hold services in its downtown. City Council members in Troy, Idaho, which is about 12 miles east of Moscow in Latah County, denied the permit to Christ Church elder Matt Meyer in March 2023 and a subsequent appeal. The Department of Justice said in a press release Tuesday that denial was based on animus against the church and its teachings, which violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. CONTACT US Boise State Public Radio explored Christ Church and its ideology in-depth in Extremely American: Onward Christian Soldiers. The church stresses strict gender roles and advocates for limiting civil rights for women and those who don't follow its interpretation of Christianity. 'RLUIPA unequivocally forbids local governments from deciding zoning matters based on their dislike of certain religious groups,' said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Meyer had purchased a former bank building along the city's main street, which had been vacant for about a year. Meyer planned to split the property between office space and event space, including exclusive Sunday use for religious services by Christ Church. At the time, Troy's land use ordinance required conditional approval from the city for any new church, regardless of the zone in which it would be located. Nearly all public comments submitted opposed issuing the permit – several of which included pushback against the church's conservative ideology. 'The City of Troy welcomes any church to our community,' the denial states. However, it must be denied because the church's use of the property '… is against the will of the people and will have a negative effect on the City's ability to grow its business community.' Just last month, Troy City Council members adopted a new land use ordinance banning 39 different uses within the central business district, including churches and religious facilities. The suit asks a federal judge to force the city to grant the church permission to worship at the location, along with mandating training for city personnel on federal religious discrimination laws. A request for comment from the city's attorney wasn't immediately returned Tuesday afternoon. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
