WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court said today it will decide whether a California law school must force a Christian group to admit gays, lesbians and nonbelievers to gain stature as an official campus organization.

The high court agreed to hear an appeal from a chapter of the Christian Legal Society at the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. A federal judge had turned aside the group’s attempt to force the school to give it campus funding and other benefits without opening its membership to gays, lesbians and nonbelievers — a requirement of the San Francisco school.

The 30-member Hastings group was told in 2004 that it was being denied recognition, including university funding and benefits, because of its policy of exclusion.

Federal courts have rejected the group’s assertions that the law school’s policy violated its freedoms of speech, religion and association.

According to a society news release, it invites all students to its meetings.

“However, CLS voting members and officers must affirm its Statement of Faith,” the statement said. “CLS interprets the Statement of Faith to include the belief that Christians should not engage in sexual conduct outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.”

The Christian Legal Society has more than 100 chapters at universities nationwide. The group has sued other universities on the same grounds.

It won at Southern Illinois University, whether the unversity settled with the group in 2007 and recognized its membership and leadership policies.

The case is Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, 08-1371.

On the Net:

Christian Legal Society: www.clsnet.org/