Vires in Numeris. The Latin phrase (English translation: Strength in Numbers) sounds biblical, but a quick word search failed to turn up any instances in Scripture; rather, it’s been used in music, in film, in a motorcycle parade. More recently, the phrase has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity because it’s the motto engraved on the bitcoin.
And today, some 61 religious leaders, representing millions of Americans from many faith backgrounds, have banded together in defense of religious liberty.
At 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, at the National Press Club, a group of national religious leaders and scholars released an open letter calling for religious freedom, in light of the finalized Health and Human Services (HHS) Mandate.
Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, representing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Russell D. Moore of the Ethical and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention are among 61 signatories on the letter, representing some 26 major denominations; 11 colleges, universities and institutes of higher education; and 16 nonprofit and concerned for-profit organizations and religious orders.
In the letter, the leaders call upon HHS to expand conscience protections to cover any organization or individual that has religious or moral objections to covering, providing or enabling access to the mandated drugs and services. They also ask Congress to take measures to prevent future breaches of religious freedom.
Here, in its entirety, is the text of the open letter:
Standing Together for Religious Freedom
An Open Letter to All Americans
We write as an informal and diverse group of religious leaders, theologians, lay practitioners and community servants. We believe the doctrines of our respective faiths require something of us beyond the walls of our churches, synagogues, temples, and other places of worship. Those faith convictions manifest themselves through our daily interactions among family, neighbors, strangers and institutions.
Further, we recognize the United States, at its best, is unique among the nations of the world when it defends the self-evident freedom of all people to exercise their faith according to the dictates of their consciences. This freedom contributes to the vibrancy of our nation. Unfortunately, this delicate liberty of conscience is under threat.
Through its contraceptive coverage mandate, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) continues to breach universal principles affirmed and protected by the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws. While the mandate is a specific offense, it represents a greater fundamental breach of conscience by the federal government. Very simply, HHS is forcing Citizen A, against his or her moral convictions, to purchase a product for Citizen B. The HHS policy is coercive and puts the administration in the position of defining–or casting aside–religious doctrine. This should trouble every American.
Many of the signatories on this letter do not hold doctrinal objections to the use of contraception. Yet we stand united in protest to this mandate, recognizing the encroachment on the conscience of our fellow citizens. Whether or not we agree with the particular conscientious objection is beside the point. HHS continues to deny many Americans the freedom to manifest their beliefs through practice and observance in their daily lives.
The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Free exercise includes the freedom to order one’s life, liberties and pursuits in accordance with his or her convictions. HHS breaches the free exercise clause and federal statutes (passed with broad bipartisan support) by selectively denying some Americans this constitutionally protected right.
Americans afford each other broad liberties with respect to lifestyle choices. However, the federal government has neither a compelling interest nor the appropriate authority to coerce one citizen to fund or facilitate specific lifestyle choices of another. If the federal government can force morally opposed individuals to purchase contraception or abortion-causing drugs and devices for a third party, what prevents this or future administrations from forcing other Americans to betray their deeply held convictions?
Therefore, we call upon HHS to, at a minimum, expand conscience protections under the mandate to cover any organization or individual that has religious or moral objections to covering, providing or enabling access to the mandated drugs and services. Further, because HHS claims to be acting on authority granted it by Congress, we ask Congress to consider how it might prevent such offenses from occurring in the future. Any policy that falls short of affirming full religious freedom protection for all Americans is unacceptable.
And here is a list of the signatories:
Most Rev. William E. Lori
Archbishop of Baltimore
Chairman
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Ad Hoc Committee for Religious LibertyRussell D. Moore, Ph.D.
President
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of
the Southern Baptist ConventionLeith Anderson
President
National Association of EvangelicalsBishop Andrew
Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church of AmericaJohn Ashmen
President
Association of Gospel Rescue MissionsBishop Gary E. Stevenson
Presiding Bishop
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Randall A. Bach
President
Open Bible ChurchesThe Most Rev. Craig W. Bates
Patriarch
International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal ChurchStephen Baskerville, Ph.D.
Professor of Government
Patrick Henry CollegeA.D. Beacham, Jr., Th.M.
Presiding Bishop
International Pentecostal Holiness ChurchDr. Gary M. Benedict
President
The Christian and Missionary Alliance, U.S.
J. Brian Benestad, Ph.D
Department of Theology
Assumption CollegeThe Rev. Roger Boucher
Commander, US Navy (ret)
Chaplain at College of St. Mary MagdalenBishop John F. Bradosky
North American Lutheran ChurchAnuttama Dasa
Minister of Communications
Governing Body Commissioner, Vice Chair
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)Most Revd Robert Duncan
Archbishop
Anglican Church in North AmericaRev. Jim Eschenbrenner
Executive Pastor
Christian UnionRev. Samuel Rodriguez
President
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Hispanic Evangelical Association
Rev. Dr . Matthew C. Harrison
President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri SynodDr. William J. Hamel
President
Evangelical Free ChurchBishop Bruce D. Hill
Evangelical Congregational ChurchJohn Hopler
Director
Great Commission ChurchesBill Hossler
President
Missionary Church, Inc.Clyde M. Hughes
Bishop/General Overseer
International Pentecostal Church of ChristDr. Jeffrey Jeremiah
Stated Clerk
Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Jo Anne Lyon
General Superintendent
The Wesleyan ChurchDr. George O. Wood
General Superintendent
Assemblies of God
Alan Robinson
National Director
Brethren in Christ Church, U.S.
Joseph Tkach
President
Grace Communion InternationalMost Reverend Nicholas J. Samra
Bishop of Newton
Melkite Greek Catholic ChurchRev. Susan Taylor
National Public Affairs Director
Church of ScientologyAnne Hendershott, Ph.D.
Daniel R. Kempton, Ph.D.
Patrick Lee, Ph.D.
Franciscan University of SteubenvilleAssist. Prof. Richard S. Meloche, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy & Theology
St. Gregory’s UniversitySister Jane Marie Klein
Chairperson of the Board
Franciscan Alliance, Inc.
Richard Land, D.Phil.
President
Southern Evangelical SeminaryMarc A. LePain
Professor of Theology
Assumption CollegeFr. Sean O. Sheridan, TOR
President
Franciscan University of SteubenvilleTom Minnery
Senior Vice President
Focus on the FamilyGreg Mitchell
President
The Mitchell FirmDavid Nammo
Executive Director & CEO
Christian Legal SocietyRocky Rocholl
President
Fellowship of Evangelical ChurchesPatrick J. Reilly
President
The Cardinal Newman SocietyDr. William Riordan
Director of Undergraduate Theology
Ave Maria UniversityTerri Marsh, J.D., Ph.D.
President
Human Rights Law FirmBrent McBurney
President & CEO
Advocates InternationalBarbara Samuels
Catholics for Freedom of Religion
Steven A. Long, Ph.D
Professor of Theology
Ave Maria University
Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, and
Prof. Dr. Christof Sauer
Executive Directors
International Institute for Religious FreedomAlan Sears
President
Alliance Defending Freedom
Matt Smith
President
Catholic AdvocateDavid Stevens, MD, MA
CEO
Christian Medical Association
Rabbi Aryeh Spero
President
Caucus for AmericaCraig Steven Titus, S.T.D./Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Director of Integrative Studies
Institute for the Psychological SciencesMark Tooley
President
Institute on Religion and DemocracyRyan Topping, Ph.D.
Fellow
Thomas More College of Liberal ArtsSister Margaret Regina Halloran, l.s.p.
Provincial Superior, Brooklyn ProvinceSister Maria Christine Lynch, l.s.p.
Provincial Superior, Chicago ProvinceSister Loraine Marie Clare Maguire, l.s.p.
Provincial Superior, Baltimore Province
Little Sisters of the Poor