Federal judge in Oregon rules that city ordinance limiting St. Timothy's Episcopal Church's homeless feeding program violates religious exercise.

A federal judge in Oregon has ruled in favor of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, striking down a city ordinance that limited the church's ability to feed homeless people. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke found that the city's land use ordinance "substantially burdens" the church's practice of feeding the hungry, which is considered a "religious exercise" and a "core belief" of the Episcopal Church. The judge ruled that the city failed to provide any "compelling" interest for restricting the hours and days the church offered free meals, and that there was no causal relationship between the restriction and the city's claimed interests.

March 27, 2024
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