McDaniel was an ordained minister who was barred from serving in the Tennessee’s constitutional convention. A statute prevented “Ministers of the Gospel, or priest[s] of any denomination whatever” from taking part. McDaniel alleged that his First Amendment rights were violated by the restriction.
In a unanimous decision (Justice Blackmun did not take part), the Court ruled that Tennessee’s statute improperly forced citizens to choose between exercising two of their fundamental rights.
| Majority Opinion: (Chief Justice Burger) |
The disqualification of clergy from holding public office had a historical basis as eleven of the original thirteen colonies had such provisions. The statute prevents McDaniel from simultaneously exercising two of his fundamental rights. While Tennessee may have originally had a legitimate interest in keeping clergy from participation, this interest has not been shown to exist any longer. Safeguards exist to ensure that, if elected, clergy will not create too close an alliance between church and state.
The decision begins by establishing that the exclusion of clergy from public office was initially justifiable. As a result, the rights of ministers to hold public office is not an absolute right. The Tennessee statute was struck down because the state failed to prove a compelling need to have the restriction.
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