GuideStone suit against HHS backed by ERLC, IMB, SBTS

Three Southern Baptist entities have called on a federal appeals court to protect the religious liberty of the convention's health and financial benefits organization.

In a friend-of-the-court brief filed May 27, GuideStone Financial Resources received support from sister entities in its challenge to the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, International Mission Board and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., called in the brief for the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver to uphold a lower court's preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the requirement for the time being.

GuideStone and two of the organizations that participate in its health plans filed a class-action suit against a rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services that requires employers to provide for their workers drugs and devices that potentially can cause abortions.

(BP)