An outspoken atheist filed papers in court yesterday to stop Illinois officials from giving money to a historic church.

Rob Sherman is known for his lawsuit that halted a moment of silence in schools. Now he wants to prevent the state from giving Pilgrim Baptist Church a million dollars to rebuild after a fire.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has said the money is intended for a community center and administrative offices, not religious purposes.

But Sherman says that violates the constitution.

SHERMAN: What goes on in an administration building? That's where the church operates its ministry from. So Rod cannot stick the taxpayers with the cost of a church's ministry expenses.

The church has insisted the money won't fund religious activities.

That million dollar grant's been plagued by scandal. The first million dollars went to the Loop Lab School instead of Pilgrim Baptist. The Auditor General and Attorney General's office are both reviewing that grant to the private school.