WASHINGTON, D.C., June 4, 2018—The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7–2 in favor of the Masterpiece Cakeshop in the case Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
In the opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy held that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission treated the religious beliefs of Jack Phillips, a Colorado baker, with impermissible hostility and animus.
Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, responds to the ruling:
“The Supreme Court got this one right. I have long been concerned by the erosion of religious liberty and the characterizing of some of the most basic religious convictions of millions of Americans as hateful or bigoted. So I was very glad to see the strong rebuke of hostility toward religious people’s viewpoints. But this is a win not just for those of us who agree with Jack Phillips. This is a win for all Americans. At stake in this debate was the question of whether or not the state can force an individual to violate his or her conscience. We need to live in the kind of country where we can be free to persuade one another, not bully each other into silence. The Supreme Court's responsibility is to protect Americans from governments and agencies that would make such and demand. I'm glad to see they have. My hope is that this will be a sign that the Court will continue to uphold conscience freedom and personal liberty in future cases.”
The ERLC joined other Baptist, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim denominational entities, colleges and universities, legal associations and individuals to file an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case.
The ERLC also urged people to sign a #JusticeforJack petition calling for the Supreme Court to protect religious freedom for Americans of all faiths.
