Judge reserves decision in Christian law-school battle

VANCOUVER — A B.C. Supreme Court judge has reserved a decision in the battle between the province’s law society and a Christian university.

Trinity Western University wants the court to overturn a decision by the Law Society of B.C., denying accreditation to graduates of its proposed law school.

A three-day judicial review wrapped up Wednesday.

At issue is the university’s requirement that all students sign a so-called community covenant, which prohibits sex outside marriage between a man and a woman.

The university defends the covenant, arguing it is protected under charter provisions covering freedom of religion.

However, the law society says signing the document violates same-sex equality laws.

An Ontario court has upheld the Law Society of Upper Canada’s refusal to accredit Trinity’s yet-to-open law school, while a Nova Scotia judge has ruled in favour of the university.

However, the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society is appealing the decision, with a hearing scheduled for next April.

Trinity’s lawyer argued this week that its covenant is central to the private university’s identity as an evangelical Christian educational institution.

The university, based in Langley, enrols about 4,000 students annually.

Students must sign a covenant that includes requiring them to abstain from gossip, obscene language, prejudice, harassment, cheating, drunkenness and sex outside of heterosexual marriage.