A Chicago-based church cannot be found liable for failing to reinstate a pastor accused of sexual abuse after its internal investigation determined the charges were malicious and unfounded, a state appellate panel ruled. A panel of the 1st District Appellate Court ruled that the circuit court lacked jurisdiction over the Evangelical Covenant Church’s (ECC) internal investigative and disciplinary practices and correctly dismissed the complaint against it.Justice Eileen O’Neill Burke delivered the judgment of the court …