To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

Supreme Court Sends Hopeful Signal In Little Sisters Religious Liberty Case

Francis J. Manion : Apr 1, 2016  ACLJ.org

This is an extraordinary and hopeful development. While most observers of last Wednesday's oral argument on the case walked away believing that the Court was split 4-4—a result that would have meant a loss for the Little Sisters and others who lost at the courts of appeal—today's development appears to indicate that the Court is, instead, struggling to fashion a resolution of the case that both sides can live with.

[ACLJ.org] In the most closely watched religious liberty case of its current term, the U.S. Supreme Court today dropped a major hint that it might not be content to let the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia result in a 4 - 4 deadlock that would force the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious entities to choose between violating their consciences and closing up shop. (Screengrab via Little Sisters of the Poor/YouTube)

In an extraordinary Order issued [this week], the Court directs the parties to file supplemental briefs that specifically address how the contraceptive and abortifacient coverage mandated by the Obama Administration might still be obtained by religious objectors' employees in a way that would not involve the objectors in any way in the process—including submitting the form that is required under the current HHS Mandate and is at the center of the current controversy.
 
Not only does the Court direct the parties to submit supplemental briefs no later than April 12th, the Court provides a detailed example of a procedure in which the Little Sisters' moral dilemma would be addressed in a way that (the Court suggests) might be morally acceptable to the Sisters while, at the same time, achieving the government's stated goal of removing barriers to contraceptive access. The Order does not present the parties with a "take it or leave it" example; instead, the Court invites the parties to come up with "other proposals along similar lines."
 
This is an extraordinary and hopeful development. While most observers of last Wednesday's oral argument on the case walked away believing that the Court was split 4-4—a result that would have meant a loss for the Little Sisters and others who lost at the courts of appeal—[This week's] development appears to indicate that the Court is, instead, struggling to fashion a resolution of the case that both sides can live with. Perhaps, in hindsight, there were hints of unease among even some of the liberal members of the Court last week when they were visibly surprised by what appeared to be the government's acknowledgment that the HHS Mandate did, in fact, impose a "substantial burden" on religious liberty. (Screengrab via Little Sisters of the Poor/YouTube)

Such an acknowledgment (later denied, somewhat weakly, by the government's lawyer) would trigger an obligation by the government to pursue its objectives by means that would be the "least restrictive" upon the Sisters' religious liberty. What today's Order suggests, if nothing else, is that there may be a majority of the Court that, in pondering the implications of this case, is grappling with the realization that there are, in fact, less restrictive means available to the government, one of which is outlined in today's Order itself.
 
All in all, we are pleased to see that the Court is viewing the religious liberty claims at stake here with the utmost seriousness and is taking this extraordinary step of directing the parties to help it craft a resolution that will truly respect and preserve our First Freedom.

Reprinted with permission from ACLJ.org.







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Trump Under Fire for Endorsing the Bible, Urging Americans to Pray

Whistleblower Claims Stormy Daniels 'Hush Money' Scheme Cooked Up by Michael Cohen to Extort Trump before 2016 Election

Speaker Johnson Announces He'll Invite Netanyahu to Address Congress

Federal Appeals Court Rules Pennsylvania Must Only Count Mail Ballots With Dates, Signatures

Illegal Alien Charged with Murdering a Michigan Woman Was Deported Under Trump But Snuck Back into US Under Biden's Watch

President Trump to Join Wake Honoring Slain NYPD Officer, While Biden Attends Fundraiser

Woke Disney Surrenders!

Illegals Using Fake Skimmers at Self-Checkouts to Drain Consumers' Bank Accounts; Here's How to Guard Yourself

Elon Musk to Pay Embattled Doctor's Legal Fees after Speaking Out against COVID Lockdowns

Safety of Women Hangs in Balance after Oral Arguments on Abortion Pill Regulation

New Federal Gun Grab Law Would Criminalize Shooting Ranges, and Even Private Security

Treasury Sec. Yellen: Biden Has NO Plan to Save Social Security

Maryland Governor Says 'Keep on Praying' for Families of Missing Workers after Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Chick-fil-A Abandons Long-Held 'No Antibiotics' Pledge on Chicken

The War in Myanmar: Karenni Resistance Fighters Ask for Prayer and Practical Help

The World Is Facing a Major Population Crisis by 2075 If Birth Rates Keep Falling

FDA Admits COVID Vaccines Cause Seizures in Toddlers

'Hamas Is Celebrating' after US Abstains from UN Security Council Ceasefire Vote: Netanyahu Cancels Visit

Kamala Harris Won't Disclose Why Biden Campaign Is Active on TikTok Despite Security Worries

Special Counsel Report Reveals University of Delaware Misled Courts to Hide Biden's Senate Records That Likely Hold Sexual Assault Complaint Filed by Tara Reade



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



BCN Plus

Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com