Can two dismissed co-pastors sue their church and denomination for breach of contract, defamation, and emotional distress?
No, concluded an Ohio state appeals court. The co-pastors (who were husband and wife) were hired by a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) pursuant to a contract specifying that their “ministry shall be terminated upon ninety days notice by either party.” The co-pastors filed a lawsuit following their termination. They alleged that (1) the church had assured them both orally and in writing that they would be retained as co-pastors for “seven to ten years,” and that their termination violated this assurance; (2) the denomination published defamatory remarks concerning their ministerial conduct and financial misdealings; and (3) the church caused them severe emotional distress by having them removed from before the congregation be police officers. The church and denomination filed a “motion to dismiss,” claiming that the court had no legal authority to resolve a purely internal church dispute. A trial court granted the motion to dismiss the case, and the fired co-pastors appealed. The
