The Point: Victory for Phillips and Religious Freedom

Maybe we can all get along. The Supreme Court gave religious freedom a major—even if narrow—victory on behalf of Jack Phillips in Masterpiece Cakeshop vs. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. As you know, Jack Phillips is a cake artist who serves people of all races, creeds, and sexual preferences. But he refused to use his artistic talents to create a specially designed cake for a same-sex wedding. He was hauled before the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, excoriated by the commissioners, given a massive fine and ordered to undergo re-education training on gender issues. That was too much for Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote that the Commission’s decision “showed elements of a clear and impermissible hostility toward the sincere religious beliefs motivating [Phillips’s] objection." Folks, again, this is a major victory, but not the end of the struggle to keep religious faith in the public square. I have a lot more to say about the Court’s ruling today at BreakPoint.org. I hope you’ll check it out.  

06/5/18