Elijah Murphy studied voice, opera, and Jewish liturgical music at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. After he graduated, he applied for a job as a cantor (i.e., professional singer who leads prayer services) at the Nashville Downtown Synagogue. The synagogue responded that he was not qualified for the position and refused to consider him for the job because he is not Jewish.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ministerial exception to Title VII allows religious organizations to discriminate on the basis of religion when hiring employees who perform religious functions. Cantors are considered to be such employees, so the synagogue can successfully assert this defense against Elijah's discrimination claim.

Elijah Murphy Studied Voice, Opera, and Jewish Liturgical Music at the Southern