Colorado’s Jack Phillips scores a major religious freedom victory in ongoing legal debate over LGBT accommodations.
In the biggest religious liberty case of the year, the US Supreme Court sided 7–2 with a Christian cake decorator who declined to make a cake for a same-sex wedding.
The high court ruled that state penalties levied against Jack Phillips, the baker at the center of Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, violated his First Amendment rights.
While the court clearly came down in Phillips’ favor, Anthony Kennedy acknowledged in the court’s opinion that similar free exercise cases (like those that have come up involving photographers, florists, pizza shops, and a range of other businesses) may be adjudicated differently.
The decision still has religious freedom advocates celebrating.
“No one should be forced to violate their faith in order to earn a living, and Jack, who I’ve met and consider a friend, just wants to be free to live out his faith in his chosen profession,” stated Jim Daly, the president of Colorado-based evangelical organization Focus on the Family, who was “delighted” at the ruling and its implications for religious freedom.
Phillips, who had provided cakes for gay customers in other circumstances, argued that baking for a same-sex wedding would be an endorsement of the marriage and a violation of his beliefs.
“I know Jack would want me to remind all of us that his court victory is not a time for gloating or disrespect toward those who disagree with us,” Daly said. “Rather, we have an opportunity to build bridges and forge trust and mutual respect with our neighbors, co-workers, and fellow citizens who have a different opinion than ours.”
In the court’s opinion, Kennedy wrote that in Phillips’ instance:
The Commission’s ...
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