Courts are generally reluctant to get involved in church controversies for fear of becoming impermissibly entangled in ecclesiastical matters in violation of the First Amendment protection of religion. But they do get involved where they can decide church disputes under “neutral principles of law” without having to decide issues of religious doctrine. The distinction arose in a dispute involving the pastor and members of the New Zion Baptist Church in North Carolina. Several members sued the Church and the pastor, claiming that the pastor had violated the church’s bylaws regarding voting on proposed amendments to the bylaws and had also wrongfully converted church funds for personal use and...