Legislation Could Give Religion Majors Funding

January 4, 2004

Source: Associated Press

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1073220840326232.xml

On January 4, 2004 the Associated Press reported that according to Michigan law, students majoring in theology, divinity or religious education are ineligible for Michigan's Competitive Scholarship program. Yet a proposed state legislation and a pending U.S. Supreme Court decision could mark a change of policy. "A package of bills that recently passed a state Senate committee would lift the ban, allowing qualified students to get scholarships even if they're majoring in theology. Meanwhile, a case from Washington state now in the U.S. Supreme Court could make the Michigan legislation unnecessary. If the court decides that states must allow qualified students majoring in theology to receive scholarships, Michigan and the about three dozen other states that have bans may have to examine the way their scholarships are distributed. The court heard oral arguments last month in the case, Locke v. Davey. Supporters of the bans say allowing theology majors to receive the state-sponsored scholarships violates the separation of church and state and amounts to government-sponsored religion."