On June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to seek an abortion as a matter of privacy. In an effort to overturn Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood, which established and clarified these protections, states have recently passed laws that dramatically restrict when and how patients can access care, making it harder to exercise that right. In 2018, Mississippi passed one such ban prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Various faith traditions approach questions of healthcare, including reproductive care, differently. Patients should be free to make decisions based on their own beliefs and circumstances, not the religious views of their doctor or state legislators. But abortion bans do just that, placing the procedure out of reach for millions of people of all faiths and of none. These restrictions also have a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, including communities of color, young people, and those in rural and underserved areas. Read our full statement on the Dobbs decision.
Abortion bans undermine patients’ ability to make healthcare decisions based on their own beliefs and needs. Reproductive freedom is a matter of religious freedom.
“Friends of the Court”
We joined allies in urging the Court to protect church/state separation by ensuring pregnant people can make healthcare decisions consistent with their own beliefs and circumstances.
Protecting Freedom of Belief
Religious freedom is one of several fundamental rights outlined in the First Amendment. Each of us has the freedom to believe as we choose without facing discrimination or harassment.