Working for God: Contract or Calling?

Abstract

This article discusses whether ministers are employees of their church or stand in some other relationship to it. As employees, they would be entitled to common law and statutory employment protections. Traditionally at common law, ministers are not employees and merely have limited rights as members of a voluntary unincorporated association. This article examines and analyses the appropriate legal position in light of developments in employment law, other disciplines, the Bill of Rights and judicial review.