The dean of a Christian seminary has been permitted to proceed with a breach of contract claim arising from the termination of her employment, despite the defendants’ invocation of the “ministerial exception” that precludes courts from becoming involved in employment discrimination suits with “ministers.” An appellate court in California has reversed a trial court that had dismissed the entire case. Sarah Sumner was the dean of A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary, which is part of Simpson University in Redding, CA. Sumner was terminated the first time in 2011, after the Simpson president complained about her seeking support for a proposal that the Seminary become an independent cost center,...