What’s the definition of a religion?

It sounds like a term paper assignment. But it’s also central question in lawsuit that seeks to remove public funding from a pair of “Waldorf-inspired” public charter schools that are part of the Sacramento City Unified School District.

The original lawsuit was first filed by a group called People for Legal and Non-Sectarian Schools (PLANS) back in 1998. The San Francisco-based group, which says they are largely made up of former Waldorf parents and students, claims that Waldorf schools teach a religious philosophy and therefore should not be eligible for taxpayer funding.

The original Waldorf schools were inspired by the teachings of philosopher Rudolph Steiner. PLANS claims that the schools teach Steiner’s philosophy of anthroposophy, which they say meets the legal definition of a religion. Anthroposophy does espouse what some would call a spiritual philosophy, emphasizing objectivity and intellectual understanding, but lacks what is many consider to be the normal trappings of a church, such as holding services.

The suit has followed a winding path, being dismissed and then revived multiple times. In November, U.S. District Court Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. ruled that the group could not show evidence that