The Trump Department of Justice has sided with a Catholic foster care agency in a major religious liberty case that could resolve the conflict between governments and faith-based adoption agencies that won’t place children in same-sex homes due to religious beliefs.
The case began in 2018 when the Philadelphia Inquirer published a story saying Catholic Social Services – which had a foster care contract with the city – does not place children in same-sex homes. The city subsequently terminated the contract, asserting the agency’s policy violated a city law prohibiting contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.
Catholic Social Services then sued. Although lower courts ruled against the agency, the U.S. Supreme Court took up the case and is expected to hear oral arguments this fall.
The Justice Department, in a brief to the high court this month, said Philadelphia has “displayed hostility toward religion” and violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
Further, the city authorizes some exemptions to its policy it doesn’t offer to religious organizations, the brief says.
“In short, the City’s actions and words reflected ‘animosity to religion or distrust of its practices,’” the Justice Department brief says.
Catholic Social Services “adheres to the belief that marriage is the union of a man and a woman.” Because of…
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