Hobby Lobby, Obamacare, and Religious Freedom

As many readers know, Hobby Lobby has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for an exemption to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., Obamacare) requirement that certain for-profit corporations have provide contraception coverage to their workers. More precisely, the nationwide craft store chain is seeking exclusion on religious grounds from the health care law's requirements, maintaining that some contraceptive products, like the morning-after pill, are the same as abortion. Oral arguments before the Supreme Court will be held in late March.

In anticipation of these arguments, Tony Gill and the Research on Religion podcast recently interviewed Matthew Franck, Director of the Witherspoon Institute in Princeton, New Jersey ("Matthew Franck on Hobby Lobby & Religious Freedom Jurisprudence"). Here's a brief description of the podcast:

What is the history behind, and issues relevant to, the upcoming Supreme Court Case involving Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties that will decide whether the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is consistent with our understandings of religious liberty? Prof. Matthew Franck of the Witherspoon Institute details how this conflict emerged and summarizes the main issues involved and arguments to be made by both sides. He also reviews the relevant case law that sits in the background of this case. This podcast is a great way to beef up your understanding of what is coming down in our judicial system.

As with previous Research on Religion podcasts, this can be downloaded from iTunes or listened to at the Research on Religion website ("Matthew Franck on Hobby Lobby & Religious Freedom Jurisprudence").