The dispute, which some critics say tests the church’s autonomy, reached the Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday for arguments.

The crux of the issue is who controls the university—its Board of Trustees or the church—following the university’s 2019 attempt to distance itself. This move occurred as the church adopted stricter policies on LGBTQ+ ordinations and marriages.

The case stems from a lawsuit the United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference, which runs the church’s congregations in eight states including Texas, filed against SMU 2019 over control over the university.