Coalition of faith groups side with nuns in religious freedom case before Supreme Court
Summary
In the case of Diocese of Albany v. Harris, a group of nuns and religious associations in New York are contesting a state law that requires them to provide abortion coverage in their employee health plans. The plaintiffs argue that this mandate violates their religious beliefs and have taken their fight to the Supreme Court. They have garnered support from a diverse coalition of religious groups across various faiths, including Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Catholic, and other Christian denominations.
The case has attracted significant attention, with twenty states and various religious and legal organizations submitting friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the plaintiffs. These briefs argue that forcing religious organizations to provide abortion coverage infringes on religious freedoms, particularly for minority faiths in a pluralistic society.
Relevance
This contributes to the conversation around by highlighting how groups of nuns and associations are making pro-life efforts in several ways and reinforcing their right to abstain from involvement in improving abortion access. This could be interpreted as an effort to preserve identity and the right to abstain from certain practices.