On Wednesday, the Southern Baptist Convention launched into prayer over the impending ruling by the US Supreme Court on the Hobby Lobby case. The Green family, who owned the US craft chain, had challenged the contraception provision in President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, invoking religious freedom rights.
Incoming president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Reverend Ronnie Floyd, said in a prayer, "God, we ask for a favorable, favorable ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States for the cause of religious liberty."
Washington Post said that historians have acknowledged the significance of prayers being said from the podium during the religious group's annual meeting. Southern Baptists have been known to preach and issue statements about their positions on current events for years.
On the other hand, chair Randall Balmer of the religion department at Dartmouth College said it was striking that the convention was open about a judicial matter. He said, "I suppose to some degree they feel as though they're reeling from the various same-sex marriage rulings and trying to regain their momentum (in court decisions)."
At the same event, Steve and Jackie Green, who are patrons of a Southern Baptist church in Oklahoma, were honored and given a standing ovation. The Post said that the two have been heralded for their legal action on Obamacare's contraceptive mandate, which would have employers cover abortion-inducing drugs as part of their obligation to their employees.
Before handing the award to the Greens, president Russell Moore of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission said, "This is an award for demonstrating a steadfast commitment to religious liberty by your unwillingness to separate your faith from the daily operation of your business."
Aside from the Greens, the SBC also honored an Iranian-American pastor who has been imprisoned under brutal conditions in Tehran for his house church work. The award for Saeed Abedini, who remains incarcerated abroad, was accepted by his wife, Naghmeh Abedini.
