Thursday, October 11, 2012

Texas Baptist Universities Sue Federal Government Over HHS Mandate

Two religiously-affiliated academic institutions have filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services over its controversial "preventative services" mandate.

East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) and Houston Baptist University (HBU) filed the suit on Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Dr. John Mark Reynolds, provost at HBU, told The Christian Post that while the Baptist General Convention of Texas does not have a position on contraception, the suit goes beyond that issue.

"Baptists know that when another brother or sister Christian's religious freedom is transgressed by the state, no citizens are free. It isn't a 'Catholic' issue when religious freedom is transgressed: it is an American issue," said Reynolds.

"If the state can force Catholic charities to transgress their conscience, then the government is on a path to destroy the first freedom: freedom of religion."

Dr. Samuel W. "Dub" Oliver, president of ETBU, told The Christian Post that his university "cannot, in good conscience, comply with the HHS mandate" and that the decision to sue was not "taken lightly."

"We believe that the federal government is obligated by the First Amendment to accommodate the religious convictions of faith-based organizations of all kinds, Catholic and non-Catholic," said Oliver.

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