Grace Schools v. Azar

Summary

Grace College and Seminary is a private, Christ-centered college and seminary located in Winona Lake, Indiana. Biola University is a Christ-centered, liberal arts university located near Los Angeles, California. Although Grace and Biola are geographically over two thousand miles apart, they share a similar story. Both schools are founded on Christian principles, dedicated to providing excellent education on a solid biblical foundation to students from around the country. Among the many facets of a Christian worldview, Grace and Biola believe that people are created in God’s image and that human life is sacred.  In spite of their deeply held religious beliefs, the government is applying tremendous pressure on both schools to compromise their beliefs on the sanctity of human life. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a mandate that requires the schools to offer insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drug and procedures. The mandate forces Grace and Biola to choose between paying heavy fines and penalties or providing the objectionable items through their insurance plans. Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, they filed a lawsuit challenging the abortion pill mandate.

In September 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturned the district court's order.

In June 2018, a federal district court issued an order that permanently prevents the federal government from enforcing the Obamacare abortion-pill mandate against Grace Schools and Biola University.

What's at stake

The freedom to integrate Christian commitment into all aspects of a Christian community.

The freedom for religious educational institutions to provide health insurance for their employees and students according to their beliefs.

The freedom from the threat of crippling fines for resisting illegal government mandates.

Our role in this case

Alliance Defending Freedom represented Grace College and Seminary and Biola University. We defended their freedom to operate according to their deeply held religious beliefs.

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