Injunction Granted, Christian College Fraternity Allowed

A decision by the University of Florida to refuse recognition of a Christian Fraternity was overturned in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing the students to begin organizing an on-campus group.

FORT WORTH, TX (Christian Newswire) - The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has granted an injunction in a religious liberty lawsuit currently under appeal in Florida that will allow members of the Christian men's fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), to operate as an active "on- campus" student organization at the University of Florida this coming fall.

"We are pleased with today's decision that allows the members of the BYX chapter at the University of Florida to operate as an officially recognized campus organization," said Jason Hoyt, executive director of the national organization of Beta Upsilon Chi, in response to the court's ruling.

"In this decision, the Court has reiterated the importance of ensuring faith-based organizations are treated fairly and equitably in the public square," said Brett Williams, board member of Beta Upsilon Chi. "This ruling is encouraging to the young men of Beta Upsilon Chi at the University of Florida, but more importantly it makes a strong national statement that the rights of religious freedom and free association must be respected by universities."

The University of Florida has refused to officially recognize Beta Upsilon Chi, claiming that limiting membership based on religion violates the university's "nondiscrimination" policy. Beta Upsilon Chi maintains that formal recognition by the university is a matter of constitutionally protected religious freedom and that the university's policy should not stop short of recognizing and respecting the rights of people of faith to join together on campus for a positive common purpose.

Beta Upsilon Chi, which stands for "Brothers Under Christ" or BYX (pronounced "Bucks"), is the largest social men's fraternal organization in the United States with chapters on 21 college campuses in 9 states. The Brothers Under Christ national organization is a (501 c 3) not-for-profit organization headquartered in Ft. Worth, Texas. The mission and purpose of Brothers Under Christ is to establish brotherhood and unity among college men based upon the common bond of Jesus Christ. For more information, go to www.brothersunderchrist.org.