Case Name: Sylvia SPENCER; Ted Youngberg; Vicki Hulse, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. WORLD VISION, INC., Defendant-Appellee
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 2010-08-23
Citations: 633 F.3d 723
Docket Number: No. 08-35532
Parties: Sylvia SPENCER; Ted Youngberg; Vicki Hulse, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. WORLD VISION, INC., Defendant-Appellee.
Judges: Before: DIARMUID F. O’SCANNLAIN, ANDREW J. KLEINFELD and MARSHA S. BERZON, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: Federal Reporter 3d Series
Volume: 633
Pages: 723–766

Head Matter:
Sylvia SPENCER; Ted Youngberg; Vicki Hulse, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. WORLD VISION, INC., Defendant-Appellee.
No. 08-35532.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
Argued and Submitted July 8, 2009.
Filed Aug. 23, 2010.
Amended Jan. 25, 2011.
Judith A. Lonnquist, Law Offices of Judith A. Lonnquist, P.S., Seattle, WA, argued the cause for the plaintiffs-appellants and filed the briefs.
Steven T. O’Ban, Ellis, Li & McKinstry PLLC, Seattle, WA, argued the cause for the defendant-appellee and filed the brief. Daniel J. Ichinaga, Ellis, Li & McKinstry PLLC, Seattle, WA, was also on the brief.
Lowell V. Sturgill, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, argued the cause and filed a brief on behalf of amicus curiae the United States. Gregory G. Katsas, Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, and Marleigh D. Dover, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC, were also on the brief.
L. Martin Nussbaum, Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP, Colorado Springs, CO, filed a brief on behalf of amici curiae Christian Legal Society, Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, Center for Public Justice, National Association of Evangelicals, Samaritan’s Purse, and Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. Gregory S. Baylor, Christian Legal Society, Springfield, VA, was also on the brief.
Kevin H. Theriot, Alliance Defense Fund, Leawood, KS, filed a brief on behalf of amici curiae Alliance Defense Fund and Youth for Christ. Ben Bull, Alliance Defense Fund, Leawood, KS, and Joel Oster, Alliance Defense Fund, Leawood, KS, were also on the brief.
Eric Bently, Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, Colorado Springs, CO, filed a brief on behalf of amici curiae Association of Christian Schools International and Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Stuart J. Lark, Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, Colorado Springs, CO, was also on the brief.
Before: DIARMUID F. O’SCANNLAIN, ANDREW J. KLEINFELD and MARSHA S. BERZON, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM Opinion; Concurrence by Judge O'SCANNLAIN; Concurrence by Judge KLEINFELD; Dissent by Judge BERZON.
ORDER
The opinion filed in this case on August 23, 2010, and reported at 619 F.3d 1109, is hereby amended. An amended opinion is filed concurrently with this order.
With this amendment, Judge O'Scannlain has voted to deny the petition for rehearing en banc, and Judge Kleinfeld has so recommended. Judge Berzon has voted to grant the petition for rehearing en banc. The full court has been advised of the petition for rehearing en banc, and no active judge has requested a vote on whether to rehear the matter en banc. See Fed. R.App. P. 35.
The petition for rehearing en banc is DENIED. No subsequent petitions for rehearing or rehearing en banc may be filed.
OPINION
PER CURIAM:
A majority of the panel (Judges O'Scannlain and Kleinfeld) holds that World Vision, Inc. qualifies as an entity exempt under 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-1(a) from Title VII's general prohibition against religious discrimination. Judges O'Scannlain and Kleinfeld concur that an entity is eligible for the section 2000e-1 exemption, at least, if it is organized for a religious purpose, is engaged primarily in carrying out that religious purpose, holds itself out to the public as an entity for carrying out that religious purpose, and does not engage primarily or substantially in the exchange of goods or services for money beyond nominal amounts.
For the reasons set forth in the opinions of Judges O'Scannlain and Kleinfeld, the district court's grant of summary judgment to World Vision, Inc. is
AFFIRMED.