CAPTION: The Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday that provincial law societies have the right to deny accreditation to a proposed Christian law school.

A Trinity Western University professor says she is “disappointed” by the ruling. (June 15) SOUNDBITE:Janet Epp Buckingham Trinity Western University professor SOUNDBITE: Andre Schutten Association for Reformed Political Action PLACELINE: Ottawa CREDIT: The Canadian Press STORYLINE: Societies governing the legal profession have the right to deny accreditation to a proposed law school at a Christian university in British Columbia, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled.

In a pair of keenly anticipated decisions Friday, the high court said law societies in Ontario and British Columbia were entitled to ensure equal access to the bar, support diversity and prevent harm to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students.

The cases pitted two significant societal values — freedom of religion and promotion of equality — against one another.

Trinity Western University, a private post-secondary institution in Langley, B.C., was founded on evangelical Christian principles and requires students to adhere to a covenant allowing sexual intimacy only between a married man and woman.